M is for Mindless Self Indulgence

Anyone who knows me at all hears me talk about Marilyn Manson. And while you should check out the music if you’re unfamiliar, I decided to talk about a band fewer folks know. My partner discovered Mindless Self Indulgence years ago while I shopped shirts at a Hot Topic store. The album cover for "Another Mindless Rip Off" caught his eye, to be sure (see at bottom). As I will revisit in my post for the letter P, they are a hoot to witness live, with the lead singer actually teasing their own fans in a good humored way. During one show we sat in the balcony in padded recliners and learned later that my niece risked her life in the mosh pit.


Mildew is the name of today’s mock group. No doubt you have long since figured out that I lean toward music that is an antithesis to pop culture, perhaps even subversive. So these guys might actually open for Marilyn Manson, who I imagine inspired Mildew's lyricist/bass player to first pick up a notebook and a guitar. ~grin~

By the way, I realized today that Mindless Self Indulgence has a highly processed sound that I usually don't care for but they somehow make it work for me. Maybe because it's so over-the-top.

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L is for Lucky Dube

Picture a rainy afternoon with a book in your hand. But you want to hear more than the wet splatter against your window as accompaniment. What music do you choose? On one particular lazy day I found Lucky Dube thanks to the reggae music channel. And the atypical song “Soul Taker” creeped me out so delightfully that I bought the album online that very day.


For the letter L I’ve imagined a band name that sounds sort of like a disease - Listeria. Or I suppose the vine called wisteria inspired it. That plant actually cost me some grief because the behemoth never flowered once before toppling my trellis. I’ve decided that this band plays brooding instrumentals accompanied by eerie, melancholy lyrics. Sort of like Otep, I suppose, who you can read about in a few days.

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K is for Korn

The R should be backward and upper case for Korn, actually. In fact Bakersfield, California where the band formed installed a street sign in their honor with it spelled just that way. I find that hometown support adorable considering their heavy music and twisted lyrics. It's good stuff. This is another band that gets my blood pumping still faster while lifting weights.


For my phony band I chose the name Kiss of Death. I’m not sure I really care for it now, days after the invention. But that’s okay. Maybe I wouldn’t like their music. Let’s say their name is tough but the music sounds mainstream enough for prime time. If you like pop music, more power to you. I’ll just be in the corner with my Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson albums book ending Korn. I promise to wear headphones.

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J is for Jem

This music is not something you would expect me to enjoy because anyone following along knows I’m less fond of female vocalists. In truth I picked up the album by way of an auction when I really wanted other items in the lot. Yet Jemma Griffiths is not only a gifted singer but writes some really macabre lyrics. Just finding a female lyricist makes my day. And her voice sounds heavenly.


Today's fake band is called Just Cherry. The name was inspired by a line in the movie “Planet Terror” that came out nearly ten years ago (!), in which actress Rose McGowan played a comically dour character. In the end, she apparently saves the human race. I think this band would play something like the awesome Mark Ronson tune voiced by Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk”.

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I is for Incubus

I own two albums by Incubus and had a blast watching them perform live years ago. It surprised me when another fan expressed disapproval over their changed sound at the time. I wonder if it had more to do with her disliking change than the music itself. Anyway, later you can read about a band that opened for them who inspired me to buy still more CDs.

{Confession time: I’m old school. I rarely download tunes because I enjoy the visceral pleasure of holding a real case in my sweaty little palm. Besides, nobody can take my music away, unlike downloads.}


Today’s unreal band goes by the name Ick Factor. I like to think their music would incorporate video game soundbites similar to what George Clinton used from the “Mortal Kombat” film for that soundtrack.

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H is for Hollywood Undead

This is another group whose name intrigued me almost as much as the singles initially played over the local alternative station airwaves. I don’t listen every day to Hollywood Undead, but their first album “Swan Songs” remains my favorite. The sometimes shouted lyrics wouldn’t appeal to everyone but make me want to pump my fist in the air.


Halitosis is the name of my phony band for the letter H. Heck, there’s a real band called Saliva. So why not? Maybe they could go on tour together. Of course the lack of oral moisture promotes stinky breath, so maybe that wouldn’t work. That’s your little factoid for the day, by the way.

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G is for Gorillaz

I adore this group’s first album “Demon Days” from 2005, which still gets me into a funky groove regardless of what I’m doing. The fact that members are portrayed as cool cartoon characters only ups the anty for me. The late, great Dennis Hopper actually laid a fantastical voice track for “Fire Coming Out of the Monkey’s Head”. And who else in the world titles a tune after Clint Eastwood? It’s another alternative radio station favorite.


Grave Robbers is my fantasy band for the letter G (separate from the real band without the pluralization). I can’t help but think of the incredibly talented singer/songwriter/actor/what-have-you Terrance Zdunich who corroborated with other artists to brought us “Repo: The Genetic Opera” and “Devil’s Carnival”, both terrific musical productions. He played a character named Graverobber in "Repo". His wide ranging croon is to die for and I imagine this fantasy group would do his operatic style true justice.

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F is for Faster Pussycat

I consider Faster Pussycat a guilty pleasure due to the blatant sexual content. That said, one track is an homage to the lead singer and bassist of Betty Blowtorch, Bianca Halstead’s tragic death marking the group’s demise. Another reinvents the classic “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” first made a hit by Nancy Sinatra. I adore Ms. Sinatra’s version from the soundtrack of “Full Metal Jacket”, which just makes Faster Pussycat’s take that much more fun.


My phony band for today goes by the name The Frozen. As you can probably already guess, they also have a counter-pop culture sensibility. I think they may write angst ridden tunes similar to The Faint (“Ballad of a Paralyzed Citizen” being one great example). In a cool aside, tunes by The Faint featured on episodes of the creepy television show “American Horror Story: Hotel” last year. What a treat.

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