The Greatest of the Greatest!!!

I must admit I get obsessed with bands and artists and I spend
far too much money on CD's, 7-inches and music related DVD's.
Oh yeah, I also download far too much music (of the bands and
artists I'm obsessed with). It's an illness, a serious illness I'm sure
some of you are familar with, I can't stop, I don't have much $$$
but what I do have (well not all of it) I spend on music. The time
I spend on the internet downloading albums, concerts, DVD's is
such a waste of time, I could be spending this time doing home-
work or searching for a job or something useful, half the shit I
download I don't even listen too, it just sits there and I look at
it pleased that I found it, pleased I didn't pay for it (but I do buy
the albums etc of the artists that i mentioned I'm obsessed with).
So... well i've gotten that out of my system, I thought i'd share
that with you, the reader, the only reader, whoever you are?????
Anyway here's my top 5 favourite bands / artists who I'm sure
benefit financially from my obsession / illness, whatever you
want to call it. Also if you check the comments of this post there
is one song by each artist, some of them quite rare, hard to find
tracks that other fans of these artists would appreciate, or that
people who have never heard these groups may enjoy...........
This list is in no specific order:

#1. MARK LANEGAN

Born November 25th, 1964 in Ellensburg, Washington, Lanegan was formally the lead singer for country-tinged hard rockers Screaming Trees (1986-1999). His solo career began with the release of his debut album "The Winding Sheet" in 1990 and his first solo show was as support for Johnny Cash in 1995. His 2nd album (one of his many masterpiece's) "Whisky for the Holy Ghost" was released in 1993, followed by "Scraps At Midnight" in 1998, a cover's album, "I'll Take Care of You" (1999), "Field Songs" in 2001 and his most recent solo effort "Bubblegum" in 2004. Mark is one of the busiest entertainers around recording with such artists as Steve Fisk, The Walkabouts, Mike Watt, Earthlings?, Masters of Reality, Mondo Generator, Eagles of Death Metal (+ many, many more), and has recorded albums with Isobel Campbell (formally of Belle & Sebastian) and The Soulsavers (2007's "It's Not How Far You Fall, It's The Way You Land"). He has also appeared as a official member of Queens of the Stone Age and The Twilight Singers, recording and performing with both acts around the world. Lanegan's most recent release is the album "It's Not How Far You Fall, It's The Way You Land" by the Soulsavers, a gospel-esque, electronic effort which is classic Lanegan, by any hard-core fans standards. Mark Lanegan keeps on challenging his audience and never falters, he has covered genres such as blues, gospel, hard rock, heavy metal, electro, folk, country, pop + other's that can't be categorized. Mark Lanegan is my favourite singer, artist, songwriter and I can't see anyone in the world who will ever surpass him. The song featured is the most recent release from him, a b-side for the "Revival" single by the Soulsavers, it's a little blues number, a cover titled "Blues Run The Game" (a song that "Mark Lanegan Band" has featured in live shows over the years).

#2. TEX, DON & CHARLIE

Tex, Don & Charlie are a country-blues-rock super group consisting of members of some of Australia's most well respected bands (Beasts of Bourbon, Cold Chisel, The New Christs). Founded in 1992 after Tex Perkins (The Cruel Sea, Beasts of Bourbon, Thug, Salamander Jim, The Butcher Shop, Dark Horses etc etc) witnessed the intense guitar-prowess of Charlie Owen (The New Christs, Beasts of Bourbon, Tendrils, Dark Horses) live and swore he would work with him one day. Sure enough Perkins was presented with the opportunity of working with Don Walker (Cold Chisel) whom was performing in a group called Cat Fish with Charlie Owen, Perkins agreed to work with Don but only if Charlie was there, thus began the long dis-jointed career of Australia's greatest group TEX, DON & CHARLIE. Tex, Don & Charlie's long career has produced 2 perfect studio albums full of rich Australian songs, and 1 live album which displays their live brilliance. All 3 members are old hats in the Oz music industry, as mentioned, performing in many groups, Charlie Owen is also a well respected session musician who has appeared on albums by Kim Salmon (Scientists), Spencer P. Jones, Conway Savage, and his Tex, Don & Charlie co-horts Tex Perkins (as part of Tex Perkins' Dark Horses, along with Joel Silbersher (God, Hoss), his partner in the Aria award winning Tendrils) and Don Walkers most recent solo effort. Tex Perkins is also a brilliant solo performer with 3 albums under his belt and is the lead singer of hard rockers The Beasts of Bourbon. Don Walker's songwriting credits with Cold Chisel include the hit singles "Flame Trees," "Saturday Night," "Choirgirl," (a teary ballad about abortion) "Breakfast At Sweethearts," "Cheap Wine," and the iconic Australian Vietnam war song "Khe Sanh" (voted the 8th greatest Australian song of all time by the Australian Performing Rights Association). Tex, Don & Charlie released "Sad But True" in 1993, live album "Monday Morning Coming Down" in 1995 and then took a break, remaining in contact and finally releasing "All Is Forgiven" in 2005 (which was 5 years in the making). The song featured here, "Blind Willie McTell" is a rare Bob Dylan cover from a compilation entitled "Totally Wireless: Triple J's Acoustic Sessions" released in 1994.

#3. SMUDGE

Smudge is a Sydney power pop punk band who formed in 1991 encouraged by Nic Dalton, founder of Half A Cow Records and former member of The Lemonheads, The Hummingbirds and Godstar (to name a few). The group is/was? fronted by Tom Morgan (Godstar, Sneeze, Givegoods) who is well known as the co-author of some of the Lemonheads biggest hits. Initially the group formed only to contribute a song to the Half A Cow 7-inch compilation, "Slice". The band went on to record the "Don't Want To Be Grant McLennan" 7" single which was soon made John Peel's record of the week. On the back of this success, several more releases followed, then in 1994 bassist Paul Duncan left the band to complete his business studies degree and was replaced by former Headache bassist, Adam Yee. From late October 1999 till 2002 the band went on an extended hiatus while drummer Alison Galloway went trekking across the world. Effectively on-hold for good, the band re-united for a few select Sydney and Melbourne shows at the end of 2004. Smudge rock and speaking of my obsession with certain artists I am still trying to collect many of their releases. Smudge have released 3 studio albums: "Manilow" (1993), "You, Me, Carpark... Now!" (1996), "Real McCoy, Wrong Sinatra" (1998), 2 mini-albums: Hot Smoke & Sassafras (1994), Big City Poontang (1995), several E.P's, singles and 2 compilation albums: Tea, Toasts & Tumoil (1993) and Mo' Poontang (1997). The song featured here is my favourite Smudge track, "Tenderfoot", the version here is a re-recorded US version that featured on the "Mike Love Not War" EP (1996), the original version is from "Hot Smoke & Sassafras" (1994), my favourite Smudge album or mini-album, yeah (portions of this bio are from Wikipedia).

#4. MIKE PATTON
#5. LOU BARLOW
The other 2 in my top 5 are Mike Patton (who's work is really too much to write about) who is best known as the singer for Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, Tomahawk, Lovage and Peeping Tom. The track featured here is from one of Patton's many guest appearance's, "Ballad of A Thin Man", a Bob Dylan cover by The Jamie Saft Trio (with Patton on vocals) from the album, "Trouble: The Jamie Saft Trio Plays Bob Dylan" (2006). Lou Barlow is from Deep Wound, Dinosaur Jr, Sebadoh, The Folk Implosion and Sentridoh and the track featured is called "Blown Pony", from the More of Our Stupid Noise Compilation (1996). Links in comments.