Ongoing History of New Music

The Ongoing History of New Music, episode 934: Rock’s most mysterious musicians

Once upon a time in the ancient days, before social media and the internet, all musicians were mysterious. Outside of seeing them live, our only connections with them were through their music, the liner notes on albums, the album artwork, stories in music magazines, and whatever rumours were floating around.

Yes, there were the occasional TV appearances, but relative to today, those were quite rare. In fact, it wasn’t really until music videos started to become a thing in the early 80s that fans began to grasp what their idols looked like in a major way. And consider this: It wasn’t until MTV and MuchMusic started interviewing musicians that we began to discover what their speaking voices sounded like.

Today, though, there are no secrets. Artists are in constant touch with their fanbase through social media. Fans are constantly trading news online. There are a billion sites for music news. Camera phones are everywhere. We live in a world of oversharing and TMI.

Hell, even KISS–a band that spent its first decade hiding behind make-up as a way of creating myth and legend, essentially inventing the concept of the mysterious, unknowable rock star–gave up on that idea in the 80s.

However, I’m happy to report that there are still some mysteries, artists who have managed not only to maintain a sense of distance from their fans but also to enjoy some carefully-protected anonymity. Some of them successfully obfuscated their identities through disguise and subterfuge. Others have disappeared into a hermit-like existence where they remain beyond the reach of the general public while still somehow releasing material and maintaining a fanbase.

Who are these artists? And how do they manage to stay out of the limelight? These are rock’s most mysterious musicians.

Songs heard on this show:

  • The Residents, Constantinople
  • Kate Bush, Running Up That Hill
  • The La’s, There She Goes
  • The KLF, What Time is Love?
  • Manic Street Preachers, Faster
  • Jandek, 12 Minutes Since February 32nd
  • Daft Punk, Around the World
  • Slipknot, Psychosocial
  • Ghost, Dance Macabre

And here’s Eric Wilhite’s playlist.

The Ongoing History of New Music can be heard on the following stations:

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Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 37964 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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