$Log: alt-music.html,v $
Revision 1.89  1998/04/26 17:38:52  edmonds
updated an email address

Revision 1.88  1996/10/27 15:16:03  edmonds
added groups consistantly receiving strong traffic:
  alt.music.alanis, alt.music.dance, alt.music.oasis,
  alt.music.saxophone

# Revision 1.87  1996/10/06 17:02:13  edmonds
# Revision 1.85  1996/04/10  03:43:56  edmonds
# Revision 1.83  1996/03/03  04:33:48  edmonds
# Revision 1.81  1996/02/03  04:26:48  edmonds
#

THE ALT.MUSIC GROUP LIST

$Revision: 1.89 $, $Date: 1998/04/26 17:38:52 $
Copyright (c) 1995-6, Brian Edmonds

List compiled and maintained by Brian Edmonds. Please send all additions (especially relevent URLs for the web page), corrections and updates to <edmonds@cs.ubc.ca>. If possible, please try to format your entries in such a way that I can just cut and paste them into the list.

This is intended to be a list of all known groups in the alt.music hierarchy, along with a short description of what the group is for. Anyone with information to add to the descriptions should mail it to the list maintainer. The list is posted on the ninth day of every month to the following newsgroups: rec.music.info, rec.answers, news.answers. It is also available from the following locations:

Thanks to:

How To Use This List

Known groups are listed with their newsgroups description line and a few lines describing the intended subject of the group. If there is a known mailing list echo for the group, it is also included. At the end of the list, there are suggestions on how to create a newsgroup for your favourite musical artist, a pointer on how to create alt groups, and a pointer to how to find musical mailing lists. Please consult the list of musical mailing lists and carefully consider the suggestions for creating a musical newsgroup before coming to alt.config to ask for a new alt.music group.

If you try to access one of the groups listed here, and find it does not exist at your site, then you will need to contact your local news administrator to get it added. Do not send me mail, or post to alt.config, as neither I nor the people there can help you. If you need assistance on how to contact your local news admin, consult the following mini-faq:

alt.music.4-track (For home-recording enthusiasts)
"A newsgroup dedicated to four-track recording enthusiasts: the low-budget art of home studio recording. Topics include 4-tracks to buy, 4-tracks for sale, types of tape to use, mixing and noise reduction techniques, and other home recording-related tips and topics."
Myke <jerk@earth.execpc.com>
alt.music.4ad (Artists on the 4AD label, and their music)
"The artists which have released on this label include: A. R. Kane; Bauhaus; Belly; Heidi Berry; The Birthday Party; Frank Black; The Breeders; Michael Brook; Budd, Fraser, Guthrie, Raymonde; Cocteau Twins; Colourbox; Dead Can Dance; Dif Juz; Frazier Chorus; His Name Is Alive; In Camera; Gilbert and Lewis; Lush; M|A|R|R|S; Modern English; Colin Newman; Pale Saints; Pixies; Red House Painters; Rema Rema; Richenel; Rowland S Howard and Lydia Lunch; Spirea X; Swallow; The The; The Happy Family; This Mortal Coil; Throwing Muses; The Wolfgang Press; Ultra Vivid Scene; Unrest; Voix Bulgares; v23; Xmal Deutschland; Xymox."
Rui Pedro Mendes Salgueiro <rps@mat.uc.pt>
alt.music.a-cappella (Like rec.music.a-cappella, only different)
A-cappella (human voice only) music. "It has been effectively superceded by rec.music.a-cappella which has 10 times the number of posts. alt groups can't be deleted, so it's still here. Some people don't have access to the r.m.a-cappella group and post here instead."
Greg Weiss <grweiss@cs.princeton.edu>
alt.music.abba (ABBA, its music, memebers and fans)
"This news group was set up to discuss the past and present careers of Agnetha, Benny, Bjorn and Anni-Frid, who formed the 70's pop group ABBA. In their 10 years of recording, they sold a quarter of a billion records, and were one of the truely world-wide bands, with some of their songs recorded in several languages. With recent 70's revivals this group welcomes discussion of other ABBA related items."
James Porritt <poz@jporritt.demon.co.uk>
alt.music.alanis (The music of Alanis Morrissette)
No information.
alt.music.aliceinchains (One of Seattle's Finest)
"Discussion of Alice in Chains including Internet resources and the occassional update from the mailing list. Mostly discussion amongst fans of the band, including info., trading, questions, answers, etc."
KhadejahJ <KhadejahJ@aol.com>
alt.music.alternative (For groups having 2 or less Platinum-selling albums)
"Usually used to describe bands without charting potential, or whose music does not fall within the curriculum of current 'top 40' popular music groups. Mostly pop/rock in nature."
Myke <jerk@earth.execpc.com>
alt.music.alternative.female (Discussing alternative music by female artists)
"Artists of the above description who are female. Frequent topics (at the time of writing this) include: Ani DiFranco, Tsunami, Heidi Berry, Wanda Coleman, Exene Cervenka, etc."
Myke <jerk@earth.execpc.com>
alt.music.amy-grant (Discussion of the music and life of Amy Grant)
"This group mostly focuses on discussion of Amy Grant, although occasionally it can swing to her husband, Gary Chapman (a fellow singer), or Michael W. Smith (her former keyboardist). Since landing her first record contract at age 15, Amy has received numerous awards; these include 5 Grammy Awards, 19 Dove Awards, and most recently, the prestigious Pax Christi Award. She was also featured in the 1992 'The 50 Most Beautiful People in the World' People magazine issue. After having sold ~20 million albums so far, Amy still insists on doing her own shopping and chores; it's a way for her to maintain her grounding with friends and family. Amy's always been big on giving, and keeps humanitarian issues close to her heart."
Pradeep Bhatia <u8807385@Muss.CIS.McMaster.Ca>
alt.music.beastie-boys (Discussion of crossover group, The)
"This group has been used for discussion of the b-boyz and other Grand Royals and is now getting quite a bit of mail on a group called 311 without much interference from subscribers. A Tribe Called Quest, a Grand Royal group called Luscious Jackson and just about any new phunk gets notice there."
Tim Peter Nicholls <dyslxic3@uclink.berkeley.edu>
alt.music.beck (Beck Hanson, his music and other projects)
"This group is used to discuss the music of Beck, its influences and its characteristics. He writes a brand of music that refers (both overtly and stylistically) to many older artists and styles that can be discussed and argued about here. Since his music is often hard to find, and his side-projects are often quiet, this group should be a convenient way for fans to keep in touch with upcoming releases as well as rare recordings and othe relevant people/musicians."
Vijay Ramanujan <vrmjay@umich.edu>
alt.music.beckley-bunnel (Discussion of the pop-rock group America)
The classic rock supergroup, America, is well known for it's enduring quality. With soft acoustic sounds blended with rich harmonies. America, led by the multi-talented Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell, has produced over twenty albums, and is frequently on tour throughout the world.
Rick Wahlgren <wahlgren@pacificrim.net>
alt.music.bela-fleck (Bela and the Flecktones)
"This group is intended for discussions of Bela Fleck's music, including bluegrass, new acoustic and jazz. Discussions on new acoustic music in general have taken place here, as have discussions of music by related artists like Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Mark O'Connor, Tony Rice and Edgar Meyer."
Nathan Torkington <Nathan.Torkington@vuw.ac.nz>
alt.music.big-band (Sounds from the Big Band era)
No information available.
alt.music.billy-joel (Discussion of Billy Brinkley, err Joel)
"Billy Joel has been a mainstay of Rock music for over 20 years. This newsgroup includes discussions on Billy's pre-solo career with 60's bands Atilla and The Hassles, his long solo career (20 years worth of music to compare, contrast, praise, and critique), and his current concert tours."
Mike Steele <mike@cs.umd.edu>
alt.music.bjork (Discussion of Icelandic singer Bjork)
Bjork is an Icelandic singer, formerly of the Sugarcubes. Her hits include "Big Time Sensuality".
alt.music.black-sabbath (Black Sabbath and things related to them)
"This Black Sabbath newsgroup was created in late summer 1995, after a great debate whether it was needed or not. The group is meant to be a place for Black Sabbath related discussions. As there have been a huge number of different Black Sabbath line-ups, and the members (for example Ronnie James Dio and Ozzy Osbourne) have participated in lots of other projects, discussion about all the band members' lives outside of Black Sabbath is also appreciated here. However, there are separate newsgroups for some artists and bands, for example alt.music.dio, alt.music.deep-purple and alt.music.ozzy, and the discussion about those artists should mainly take place there."
Tapio Keihanen <dio@snakemail.hut.fi>
alt.music.blues-traveler (For "All fellow travelers")
This group is gatewayed from the blues-traveler mailing list, blues-traveler-request@cs.umd.edu, which is run by Dabe Murphy <dabe@cs.UMD.EDU>. HORDE (non-BT) related topics are intended to be kept to a minimum, and there is a separate mailing list for HORDE discussion, horde-request@world.std.com. Tim Peter Nicholls <dyslxic3@uclink.berkeley.edu> was the first to fill me in that "HORDE stands for Horizons Of Rock Developing Everywhere," and is a tour featuring a number of bands which seem to be gaining in popularity. According to Dabe, they have been going on for three or four years, and were orginally headlined by Phish, the Spin Doctors, BT and Widespread Panic.
alt.music.bootlegs (Discussion of unofficial recordings)
Recordings released without the authorization of the artist's record company (typically these are live recordings). In much of the world it is at least a copyright violation to produce and sell such recordings.
alt.music.boyz-2-men (The harmonizations of Boyz II Men)
"Boyz II Men came out first with their album Cooleyhighharmony. The whole world was amazed by the beautiful melodious songs with a hip hop beat. After they realeased another multi-winning album II, Boyz II Men proved to the world that they weren't another one hit wonder. In response to their popular demand, this newsgroup was created to discuss, songs, concerts, and the personalities of Boyz II Men. If it has to do with Boyz II Men, post it here!!"
Paul Vranas <pvranas@rci.ripco.com>
alt.music.brian-eno (Apparently too popular to warrant further description)
"Projects by and relating to the British 'ambient' and space music pioneer. Includes discussion of Eno's former band, Roxy Music, as well as discussions of current releases and upcoming Eno-related events, such as U2's recent recordings."
Myke <jerk@earth.execpc.com>
alt.music.butholesurfers (The psychadelic hard-core group Butthole Surfers)
No information available.
alt.music.byrds (The music and fans of The Byrds)
"Alt.music.byrds is a newsgroup for discussion of the folk-rock group, 'The Byrds'. The Byrds were the first and the best of the folk-rock groups of the 60's, formed in Los Angeles in 1964. The group consisted of James "Roger" McGuinn (12-string guitar), David Crosby (guitar), Gene Clark (tambourine), Chris Hillman (bass), and Michael Clarke (drums)."
Joel Furr <jfurr@netcom.com>
alt.music.canada (Oh, Canada, eh?)
Canadian bands, artists, and music in general.
alt.music.carnival (Soca, Calypso and Steel Pan)
"Anyone who has ever been musically exposed to the sweet Carnival rhythms from the Caribbean knows what this group is all about - We're talking hot beats, pulsating riddim and sweet melodies. We're also talking about traditions of making songs with witty and sometimes suggestive lyrics. Include in this the mastery of arranging & playing the world's perhaps most innovative instrument, the Steelpan, and you've captured the essence of this group. Alt.music.carnival is an open forum to all interested in discussing these musical artforms, their past, present and future; as well as all other 'carnival' musics from around the Caribbean."
Ross MacGill <macgill@nmp.nokia.com>
alt.music.celine-dion (Discussion of the music and the art of)
No information available.
alt.music.chapel-hill (You might think hymnals and chants, but you'd be wrong)
I'm told that this group is for discussion of artists from the college town Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
alt.music.cheap-trick (Discussion of the pop-rock band Cheap Trick)
"Cheap Trick (known individually as Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Bun E. Carlos and Tom Petersson) have been making great music for over twenty years and, in the words of founder Nielsen, enjoy 'a very large cult status' into the 90s. Applauded by fans, critics and fellow musicians alike, Cheap Trick were recently described by Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) as 'weird before it was cool to be weird.' Whether it's a romantic ballad like 'The Flame' or a hard-rockin' number like 'Gonna Raise Hell', Cheap Trick have proved themselves to be one of the most enduring original bands since rock met roll."
Dana C. James <ctzine@aol.com>
alt.music.clannad ()
"Irish folk and pop band, members from the Brennan family. Lead singer Maire Brennan has more recently released albums of her own. See also alt.music.enya (Enya has been a part-time member of Clannad)."
Kevin F. Quinn <kevq@banana.demon.co.uk>
alt.music.complex-arrang (To complex for _your_ simple mind)
No information available.
alt.music.counting-crows ()
An American rock band which recently became successful with such songs as "Mr. Jones."
alt.music.cranberries (Discussion of the rock group, the Cranberries)
"The Cranberries are a relatively young but extremely popular group. Their first two LPs, ('Everybody Else Is Doing It So Why Can't We' and 'No Need To Argue') both did very well, with the second album staying on the Billboard charts for years. Dolores O'Riordan heads up the group as the lead vocalist, Feargal Lawlor on drums, and the brothers Noel and Mike Hogan on guitar and bass respectively. The group has become very popular in a short time and is yet another great band to come out of Ireland."
Jason Jarvis <jjarvis@netcom.com>
alt.music.dance (Discussion of the dance music.)
No information.
alt.music.danzig (Discussion of the works of Glenn Danzig. MOTHER!)
No information available.
alt.music.dave-matthews (The Dave Matthews Band)
No information available.
alt.music.deep-purple (Discussions about Deep Purple and related artists)
"Related artists include solo projects of anyone who's ever been in Deep Purple, and bands consisting of people who have been in DP. This includes Gillan, Rainbow, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath, Glenn Hughes, Roger Glover, Captain Beyond, Fandango, Warhorse and a host of others. Spinoffs of those are also allowed, and if Ritchie Blackmore's hairpiece does session work with the dead weasel on Ian Paice's head, a.m.deep-purple is where you'll hear it first. Oh, and the career of Ritchie Blackmore's son (truly a related artist) has been mentioned a couple of times as well."
R. Dijkhuis <s0499528@let.rug.nl>
alt.music.def-leppard (Talk about the rock group Def Leppard)
alt.music.dio (Rock artist Ronnie James Dio and his music)
"This group, created in November, 1994, is meant for discussions about vocalist Ronnie James Dio, about the musicians who've worked with him and about other things related to him. Ronnie James Dio was one of the heavy metal originators, as well as making music from traditional '50s rock 'n' roll to heavy metal, including blues, jazz, rock and even gospel. He has fronted several famous heavy metal bands: Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Dio as well as taken part in several other projects. Most of the today's heavy metal bands mention him or his bands as their major influences."
Tapio Keihanen <dio@snakemail.hut.fi>
alt.music.dream-theater (Is "progressive metal" an accepted label?)
No information available.
alt.music.eagles (Discussion of the band, its members and their music)
"The Eagles' music has spanned generations (nearly 25 years) and their popularity has flourished. They created a style all their own - a heavenly mixture of Country and Rock - that defined a new genre of music; a style many have tried to copy without success. The true measure of their endurance lies in their mind-blowing reunion after 14 years apart that brought old fans out in droves and created a new legion of young followers. It's almost as if they never stopped. I invite people to discuss in this group the band and its members but also solo work as well. In addition, concert info/stories are always welcome as would be challenging trivia. Further, I hope to be able to shed light on the whole Eagles phenomenon, how Hell froze over and whether it's cold enough to stay that way! Let's not forget, however, the most important thing: the music!!! Remember your many hours spent in alt.music.eagles will certainly not be 'Wasted Time.' See you there!"
Bryan W. Ingram <bi95aa@badger.ac.BrockU.CA>
alt.music.ebm (Electronic (or not?) Body Music)
No information available.
alt.music.ecto (Happy Rhodes and other music by plasms)
alt.music.ecto was formed to discuss the music of Happy Rhodes, a near-famous singer and composer from Woodstock, NY. Happy records for the independent label Aural Gratification, and boasts an incredibly powerful voice ranging four and a half octaves. Based on the ecto mailinglist, alt.music.ecto encourages posts dealing with similar artists, loosely defined as "ethereal female singer-songwriters". The name "ecto" comes from the title of Happy Rhodes' fourth album.
Robert Lovejoy <rlovejoy@netaxs.com>
alt.music.elo (The Electric Light Orchestra)
No information available.
alt.music.enigma-dcd-etc (Groups blending ambient and cultural influences)
"This group exists for the discussion of both Enigma and Dead Can Dance, as well as any other musical group that falls into genre (eg. Delerium, Deep Forest, Enya, Loreena McKennitt, and even Pink Floyd). All these groups blend ambient and cultural elements, producing a new type of music that does not fit into any standard classification. Whereas before information on the aforementioned groups were scattered throughout the various other newsgroups in the alt.music heirarchy, now alt.music.enigma-dcd-etc gives this information a home. Since both Enigma and Dead Can Dance have a large following but no specific newsgroups, alt.music.enigma-dcd-etc provides a convienent place to distribute information and promote awareness of these and other groups."
Alex Pomeranz <aapomeranz@ucdavis.edu>
alt.music.enya (Gaelic set to spacey music)
"Enya is an Irish musician, from the same family as Clannad (see alt.music.clannad). Her unique music is atmospheric and evocative."
Kevin F. Quinn <kevq@banana.demon.co.uk>
alt.music.fates-warning (Fates Warning)
No information available.
alt.music.filk (SF/fantasy related folk music)
No information available.
alt.music.fleetwood-mac (Rock group Fleetwood Mac and its members)
"This group was created in early June of 1994 for the discussion of all topics relevant to Fleetwood Mac and its members, including their solo projects. Stevie Nicks is the most popular subject of threads in the group, but posts having to do with all present and former band members are welcomed and encouraged. Traffic is steady, if low-volume and the group becomes more active whenever the group or one of its members has an album, tour or other project going."
Joseph A. Admire <jadmire@netcom.com>
alt.music.genesis (The rock group Genesis)
No information available.
alt.music.green-day (The rock group Green Day)
An alt.config flamefest receiving occasional traffic.
alt.music.guthrie (Discussion of folksingers Arlo & Woody Guthrie)
"Alt.music.guthrie is a Usenet group for the discussion of the highly acclaimed folksingers Arlo & Woody Guthrie. Each has carved their own place in the history of American music. Woody can be remembered for his song 'This Land Is Your Land' and Arlo for his 'Alice's Restaurant' and the most widely known version of 'City of New Orleans'. This group discusses the signifcance of these two songwriters. It will also cover discussions about Arlo's new releases, concert performances, and his charity organizations."
Dave Downin <downin@clark.net>
alt.music.hardcore (Could be porno set to music)
I'm told it's kind of like punk.
alt.music.harry-chapin (Discussion about the music and life of Harry Chapin)
"Harry Chapin was a famous singer-songwriter best known for his `story songs'. His most well known pieces include `Taxi', `W-O-L-D', and `Cat's in the Cradle'. In addition to his music, he was also known for being one of the most politically active musicians of his generation, responsible for creating the World Hunger Year organization, and the President's Commission on World Hunger. He was killed in a 1981 car accident on the Long Island Expressway. Recently, he posthumously received a congressional gold medal of honor for his efforts towards ending world hunger."
Brian <BriBieluch@aol.com>
alt.music.hawaiian (Discussion on Hawaiian music and artists)
No information available.
alt.music.independent (Bands without contracts with the major labels)
"alt.music.independent features discussions on independent and underground bands who choose to remain apart from major labels for various reasons."
cholera <rockie@neurosis.wariat.org>
alt.music.indigo-girls (The musical duo Indigo Girls)
"Indigo Girls are an Atlanta, GA based acoustic rock duo. The duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers began their partnership while attending H.S. in Decatur, GA. Their first national release was 'Indigo Girls' in 1989 which produced the hit single 'Closer To Fine'. This release won the 1989 Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Recording, but they lost the Best New Artist to Milli Vanilli. Since 'Indigo Girls', they have released: 'Strange Fire' (an Epic Records re-release of their indepentedly released 1987 recording of the same name), 'Nomads*Indians*Saints' (1990),'Back On Th Bus Y'All" (1991 EP), 'Rites of Passage' (1992) and 'Swamp Ophelia' (1994)."
the searcher <kidfears@tezcat.com>
alt.music.info-society (The band InSoc, AKA Information Society)
"Best known for their 1988 hit 'What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)', the synth band Information Society has earned a large following of devoted fans. With a new album and tour coming up in 1996, InSoc's consistent innovation has spurred a wide variety of discussion topics among fans who have outgrown their mailing list. This news group covers all things InSoc, from their music to the interests of the group members and fans."
BJ Hiorns, c/o <cbeattie@muffin.uscyber.com>
alt.music.james-taylor (JT!)
"With a career than spans more than twenty-five years, it's no great surprise that James Taylor's musical influence has reached just about every corner of the globe. Since leading the singer-songwriter movement in the early 70s, JT has gone on to refine his style, changing over the years while still maintaining the musical craftsmanship that garnered so much attention early in his career."
From the alt.music.james-taylor FAQ
alt.music.janes-addictn (The music of Jane's Addiction and its members)
"This group should serve as a forum for any and all discussions relating to the musicians in Jane's Addiction, Perry Farrell's random concepts, and the music that has moved so many people. Jane's Addiction may have broken up in 1991, but their fans remain faithful to the music; Perry, Dave Navarro, Eric Avery and Steven Perkins will always be together on 3 timeless albums."
Rhiney <rhiney@netcom.com>
alt.music.jethro-tull (Ironman sitting on a park bench)
No information available.
alt.music.jewish (Music from the Jewish heritage)
No information available.
alt.music.jimi.hendrix ('Scuse me, while I kiss the sky)
No information available.
alt.music.jon-spencer (Adulation of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion)
"The alt.music.jon-spencer newsgroup will be open to any and all discussion of the music of and information about The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Discussion will include (but not be limited to): This group is not affiliated with The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion or Matador Records, though input from either of those would be most appreciated."
Pujeeb Rastanfani <s0n1c@ripco.com>
alt.music.journalism (Talk about talking about music)
No information available.
alt.music.karaoke (Please make it stop!)
No information available.
alt.music.kylie-minogue (Music of Kylie Minogue)
No information available.
alt.music.led-zeppelin (Discussion about Led Zeppelin and their music)
No information available.
alt.music.leonard-cohen ()
Canadian poet, singer and songwriter.
alt.music.lightfoot (The music of Gordon Lightfoot)
"This newsgroup was created in December 1994 to discuss the music of Gordon Lightfoot. Lightfoot helped define the singer-songwriter movement of the 60's and 70's and remains an active player in the music scene today, performing 40-50 concerts each year throughout the U.S. and Canada, with occasional tours to Europe and Australia. His most recent album was 1993's Waiting For You and plans are to release a new album in 1996. With each successive album, he adds to the tens of millions he has already sold over the years and to his reputation as the consummate songwriter and troubadour of our time."
Wayne Francis <wfrancis@bud.peinet.pe.ca>
alt.music.+live+ (For discussion of the band +Live+)
"This newsgroup is for discussion of the band +Live+, including their music, members, fans, concerts, and anything else related to +Live+. The members of +Live+ are: Ed Kowalczyk (lead vocals, lyrics, guitar), Chad Taylor (background vocals), Patrick Dahlheimer (bass guitar), and Chad Gracey (drums and background vocals). Their first album was 'Mental Jewelry' (1991) and their second album was 'Throwing Copper' (1994), best known for the songs 'I Alone' and 'Lightning Crashes'. They also released a maxi-single in 1991 called 'Four Songs'."
Dave Grossman <tfth@j51.com>
alt.music.lloyd-webber (Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber)
"Andrew Lloyd Webber is probably the most popular composer of musical theatre in our time, the author of the music in such hit shows as Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Sunset Boulevard. While not an artistic purist, his melodies are very catchy and he has a good backer in Cameron Mackintosh."
Andrew S. Damick <asdamick@unity.ncsu.edu>
alt.music.lor-mckennitt ()
Canadian singer and songwriter.
alt.music.luis-miguel (The art, the music and the life of Luis Miguel)
"Already an international superstar at age 25, Luis Miguel, his recordings, videos, concerts and future plans are the topics of discussion for this newsgroup. Having sold over 18 million albums worldwide, won three Grammys, and with years of sold out concerts to his credit, this electrifying singer and performer is destined to become a household name in the U.S.A. in the very near future. His appeal transcends age. With his 1993 ROMANCE album he popularized the bolero to an entire new generation."
Bobbie Leslie <bleslie@ucla.edu>
alt.music.lyrics (Discussion of song lyrics)
"Alt.music.lyrics is a forum for the discussion of all song lyrics. The traffic predominantly consists of requests for lyrics and answers to those requests, denoted by 'REQ' and 'LYR' respectively in the Subject: lines of posts. Other appropriate traffic includes any sort of discussion of song lyrics, including misheard lyrics, requests for translations, lyric-related humor, philosophical underpinnings of vocals, etc."
Dave Filippi <dhalgren@netcom.com>
alt.music.makers.dj ()
No information available.
alt.music.makers.electronic (The art of creating techno, ambient, etc)
No information available.
alt.music.makers.theremin (Making and playing this bizarre instrument)
"This newsgroup is for the electronic music instrument called the theremin. The theremin was invented in 1918 by Lev Termen and is credited as the first synthesizer. A documentary film, 'Theremin: An Electric Odyssey' is currently showing around the country and has generated considerable interest for building custom theremins."
Ray Iaea <iaea@calweb.com>
alt.music.makers.woodwind ()
No information available.
alt.music.marillion (A progressive band; the Silmarillion is a book)
No information available.
alt.music.marilyn-manson (You've been a good little boy!)
No information available.
alt.music.mexican (Mexican influenced music)
"This newsgroup is intended to cover the wide panorama of Mexican musical styles, and naturally, those artists who make such music. Some of the major movements in this universe are Tejano, Ranchero, Banda, Norten~o and Mariachi, to mention a few. Also of interest are singers and musicians from the Mexican balada, pop, rock and hip hop categories. Beyond this primary focus, other kinds of Latin American music may get attention here, although for Tropical/ Caribbean styles the newsgroup rec.music.afro-latin would be more appropriate. Commonly, posts will be in Spanish, English, or a combination of both."
Roy Sette <kl7@rahul.net>
alt.music.midi ()
"Discussion of electronic music creating using the electronic linking system Musical Instrument Digital Interface, which allows the properly-equipped user to link two or more such instruments together for simultaneous or synchronous use."
Myke <jerk@earth.execpc.com>
alt.music.misc (Like rec.music.misc, only different)
No information available.
alt.music.monkees (Hey, hey, they were the Monkees)
"The Friendliest Place in Cyberspace![tm], this group has been officially declared a "flame-free zone". It is dedicated to the discussion of The Monkees (Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones) and their fans. Discussion encompasses the past (TV, albums, concert performances, movie), the present (solo projects, personal appearances, reissues), and the future (???) of The Monkees, as well as fan experiences, debates over lyrics, the meaning of "Head", and other related topics."
Torkaholic <torkhlic@ix.netcom.com>
alt.music.moody-blues (Still In Search of the Lost Chord)
"The Moody Blues are usually considered a 'classic rock' group, although their music is so diverse that it cannot really be placed into one category. The Moodies have been highly successful in producing R&B, classical/progressive rock, and '80s' pop music. The Moodies have sold over 55 million albums worldwide and are one of a small handful of groups to have a top-ten hit in each of three consecutive decades."
Michael Holl <locutus@imsa.edu>
alt.music.new-order (The music of New Order and its memebers)
"New Order were formed from the ashes of Joy Division, after Ian Curtis commited suicide. Recently the band has not been very active, although I think it has not been dissolved, and there are/have been 3 new bands:
Rui Pedro Mendes Salgueiro <rps@mat.uc.pt>
alt.music.nin (Nine Inch Nails, aka Trent Reznor)
And other appearances by the nightmare that is Trent.
alt.music.nirvana (Generation X's Seattle leaders, leaderless)
No information available.
alt.music.oasis (The music and members of Oasis.)
No information.
alt.music.offspring ()
"The band Offspring is basically the same punk-style as Green Day, but a bit more chaotic.... oh, they've sold about as many records."
Christopher Bird <cbird@chat.carleton.ca>
alt.music.orb (Little fluffy clouds...)
"Discussion of the Orb, one of the best known ambient techno/dub groups, and their numerous spinoff projects (including System 7 and Fortran 5). The group is very poorly propagated and the Cumulonimbus list (orb-request@xmission.com, I think) is a much better place for discussion."
Gnosis <gnosis@brahman.nullnet.fi>
alt.music.ozzy ()
No information available.
alt.music.pantera (I'm broken)
No information available.
alt.music.pat-mccurdy (Milwaukee's finest export)
"Discussion, praise, worship and griping about Milwaukee's finest export (beer included). Pat plays regularly in Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Minneapolis, and does the occasional college tour to parts beyond. Four CDs out. Wacky stuff. Come find out about it."
Colette D. Marine <cdm@nwu.edu>
alt.music.pat-metheny (The music of Pat Metheny and Group)
No information available.
alt.music.paul-simon (Discussion of Paul Simon's music)
No information available.
alt.music.pearl-jam (The music of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam)
"This newsgroup was formed in late 1993 for discussion of all topics concerning the Seattle group, Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam was formed in late 1990 and includes band members Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Jeff Ament, and Jack Irons. Topics of discussion have included lyrical interpretations, postings of newspaper and magazine articles, concert reviews, tour information, bootleg information tape trading, and just general information/comments about the band. In addition, the newsgroup also has a Pearl Jam FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), Discography, Songbook, and Tourbook files that are posted regularly on it."
Grace Mendoza <mendoz@vaxd.gat.com>
alt.music.peter-gabriel (So, it's the music of Peter Gabriel, sans frontier)
No information available.
alt.music.pink-floyd (Sold out shows everywhere)
No information available.
alt.music.posterkids (Poster Children)
"This newsgroup is for discussion between fans of the band 'Poster Children.' Talking about the band is definitely on topic, and so is anything else that's of interest to at least one PC fan -- although stuff that's interesting to *two* of us might lead to better conversation. Obviously, a high signal/noise ratio is expected, and junk mail, spam, and commercial posts are not welcome."
Matthew Miller <mattdm@discordia.tln.net>
alt.music.primus (Primus sucks)
"The description line is a reference to one CD where the lead singer shouts 'We're Primus, we suck!' which has become an inside joke of sorts for Primus fans."
Gnosis <gnosis@brahman.nullnet.fi>
alt.music.prince (also applies to that Symbol Guy)
"Prince Rogers Nelson in both his 'Prince' and 'O(+>' incarnations does more to generate controversy before breakfast than most artists do all day. An excellent WWW resource is the New Power Network:"
Bret Gorsline <bretg@iscp.bellcore.com>
alt.music.producer (Discussion about record production and A&R)
No information available.
alt.music.progressive (Progressive/Symphonic/Art Rock)
"This newsgroup is for discussion of Progressive/Symphonic/Art rock groups like King Crimson, Yes, Genesis and other bands that stress complex/intricate music with "classical" influences. It is not for Alternative/Progressive band discussions nor is it for Progressive Metal discussions (there are other newsgroups for those topics)."
Ken Bibb <kbibb@qualcomm.com>
alt.music.psychedelic (Music appropriate to the psychedelic state)
"Includes discussions of 'classic' psychedelia (early Floyd, 13th Floor Elevators, Velvet Underground, the Dead, etc.) as well as more modern music (Butthole Surfers, Legendary Pink Dots, Ozrics, etc.) Hopefully not too much Floyd/Dead chat as they have their own groups!"
Tom Ritchford <tom@mvision.com>
alt.music.queen (The music of Queen and its members)
"This group is for discussion of the band Queen and the related solo projects by members Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon."
Sheri <unicorn@rt66.com>
alt.music.ramones ()
An American punk group, founded in the 1970s, yet still active today. They were featured in the movie "Rock 'n' Roll High School" and their best known songs include "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker," "Blitzkrieg Bop," and "Pet Sematary."
alt.music.replacements (I'm in love - what's that song?)
"The Replacements created some of the rawest and most uncompromising rock music of the 1980s. The 'mats earned a reputation for being one of the finest and most unpredictable live acts of 1980s indie scene by juxtaposing cathartic, punk-influenced shows with drunken tomfoolery. Their ace in the hole was frontman Paul Westerberg, who perfectly articulated the ambivalence and alienation of growing up in the 1980s."
Lynne Barkett <lcooney@arthritis.org>
alt.music.rockabilly ()
No information available.
alt.music.roger-waters (To Pink or Not to Pink)
No information available.
alt.music.rush (For Rushheads)
No information available.
alt.music.s-mclachlan (A Touch of Solace in Ecstasy)
Canadian singer, songwriter, and general goddess Sarah McLachlan. Does this include much general Nettwerk (her label) discussion?
alt.music.saxophone (Making and enjoying sax music.)
No information.
alt.music.seal (Discussions & news about the British musician/singer/songwriter, Seal)

Gareth Edwards <config@ultim.demon.co.uk>
Eric Heintz <sys@clulessink.com>
alt.music.ska (Discussions of ska (skank) music, bands, and suchlike)
"Ska is dance music, first and foremost. Ska was a Jamaican dance music that swept out of Jamaica in the early 1960s to shake the butts of working- and middle-class Jamaicans before going on, via the West Indian immigrant connection, to the UK, and then on to the world. In the UK, ska was also known as `blue beat' music. Rocksteady, and later, reggae sprang from the loins of ska in the late 1960s. Mid-1970s and 1980s/1990s revivals of this popular dance form have kept this music alive and fun through the present. The ska beat on drums and bass, rhythm guitar, lots of horns and maybe a Hammond organ --- that's the ska sound."
Tomas Willis <tomas@cae.wisc.edu>
alt.music.smash-pumpkins (The Smashing Pumpkins)
"A newsgroup revolving around the Smashing Pumpkins. Members are Billy Corgan, James Iha, D'arcy, and Jimmy Chamberlin. Overplayed radio songs include Today, Disarm, Bullet with Butterfly Wings, and 1979."
Eric Charles Agnew <agnew@cae.wisc.edu>
alt.music.smiths ()
Discussion of the now-defunct British band and the solo career of its singer Morrissey.
alt.music.sondheim (Life and music of Stephen Sondheim)
"This group is for the discussion of the life and music of Stephen Sondheim, called by some 'the greatest composer in musical theatre.' He is known for his unorthodox use of both music and lyrics, and has had a prolific and active career."
Andrew Stephen Damick <asdamick@unity.ncsu.edu>
alt.music.sonic-youth (Loud enough to make you deaf)
No information available.
alt.music.sophie-hawkins (News & Discussions on Sophie B. Hawkins)
No information available.
alt.music.soul (Soul, rhythm, and blues)
The discussion pertains to the genre of music equivalent to rhythm and blues.
alt.music.soundgarden (The rock group Soundgarden)
No information available.
alt.music.squeeze (Discussion of the Brit-pop combo Squeeze)
"Alt.music.squeeze is a Usenet group for the discussion of the highly acclaimed Brit-pop combo Squeeze. Led by singer/songwriters Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, the band has been productive for almost 20 years now, emerging from the same pub-rock/new wave explosion that produced Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe, all forerunners of today's 'alternative sound.' This group discusses new releases, their live shows and delves in the ever tricky universe of song interpretation."
Daniel Rivkin <danielr@casbah.acns.nwu.edu>
alt.music.stone-roses (The Past Is Yours But the Future's Mine)
"This group exists for the discussion of the music of and information about the Stone Roses. Discussion will include people's thoughts on their music releases and related music (i.e. other Manchester bands) and general information on the band such as sightings, band shakeups, interviews, release dates, and tour info."
Jeannie Fromer <jeannie@ctr.columbia.edu>
alt.music.stone-temple (The group Stone Temple Pilots)
No information available.
alt.music.swedish-pop (ABBA and beyond)
No information available.
alt.music.sylvian (David Sylvian and other former Japan members)
"Newsgroup for discussions etc about Japan, Rain Tree Crow, David Sylvian, Steve Jansen, Richard Barbieri and Mick Karn."
Simon Rowe <S.Rowe@ftel.co.uk>
alt.music.synthpop (Depeche Mode, Erasure, Pet Shop Boys, and much more!)
No information available.
alt.music.tape-culture (Casette tape-oriented independent music scene)
"There is a large following for the underground D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) tape scene and this newsgroup is here to discuss the music, artists and tape labels of that scene."
Allyson Goble <ajgoble@ucdavis.edu>
alt.music.techno (Bring on the bass!)
No information available.
alt.music.texas (Discussion of music from Texas)
"This group basically is for discussing the music and artists from Texas. Although any form of music is welcome, the group will mainly focus on the rock scene. This includes Tripping Daisy, The Toadies, MC 900 ft. Jesus, Pantera, and anybody else from the area."
Bill Baumbach <baumbach@pic.net>
alt.music.the-band (The music and fans of The Band)
"Alt.music.the-band is a newsgroup for discussion of the classic-rock group, 'The Band'. Members of the Band first gained notoriety backing Bob Dylan as he went electric. The group released critically acclaimed roots-rock albums in the late 1960s and 1970s, influencing some of the top musicians of the era, including Eric Clapton, who says The Band 'changed [his] life.' The Band broke up in the late 1970s, but have re-formed and enjoyed renewed success with the release of a new boxed set. Charter members include Robbie Robertson (guitar), Levon Helm (drums, vocals), the late Richard Manuel (piano, vocals), Rick Danko (bass, vocals), and Garth Hudson (organ)."
Scott Tribble <stribble@fas.harvard.edu>
alt.music.the-doors (Rock group The Doors and its members)
"This group was created in early 1994 to provide a forum for the discussion and exchange of questions, ideas, views and information about anything to do with The Doors. Most threads are about the lead singer, Jim Morrison, but discussion of all members of the band are encouraged. The group was comprised of Jim Morrison (vocals), Ray Manzarek (keyboards), Robby Krieger (guitar) and John Densmore (drums). Traffic is steady but of low-volume. Most postings seem to be from a small but dedicated group of Doors fans."
Dave Thompson <ar025@freenet.carleton.ca>
alt.music.tmbg (They Might Be Giants, but then again...)
"This group is for the discussion of the music and recordings of They Might Be Giants. They Might Be Giants defy the standard genre pigeonholing, combining diverse influences including TV theme shows, The Jackson 5, The Edgar Winter Group, XTC, and many others into a cohesive, surreal, funny, and often insightful vision. John Flansburgh's Hello Recording Club and other side projects of the band have also been discussed. Expect non-sequiturs."
John Relph <relph@presto.ig.com>
alt.music.todd-rundgren (Todd Rundgren music fandom)
No information available.
alt.music.tragically-hip (The rock group The Tragically Hip)
Another Canadian band.
alt.music.u2 (The rock group U2)
No information available.
alt.music.utah-saints (Utah Saints discussion)
"Created in October 1995, this group is a collection of news, reviews and discussion related to the work of Jez Willis and DJ Tim Garbutt. Utah Saints are an indescribable mix of dance, synthpop and techno. They have appeared live with the likes of U2, The Shamen, and DJ Paul Oakenfold and have done remix work for a broad range of artists including Annie Lennox, The Human League and Blondie."
Allan Langfield <langfiel@colorado.edu>
alt.music.van-halen (For discussion of topics related to Van Halen)
No information available.
alt.music.video-games ()
No information available.
alt.music.ween (Discussion of the 'Eclectic' group, Ween)
"This group is for discussion of the New Hope, PA band Ween. The four-piece Ween is Gene and Dean Ween, bassist/producer Andrew Weiss, and drummer Claude Coleman. Discussion on the Ween Album Experience and very different Ween Concert Experience."
Captain Sarcastic <kkoller@sarcasm.com>
alt.music.weird-al (The parodist Weird Al Yankovic)
"Discussion about the comedy musician "Weird Al" Yankovic. Posted monthly is the Weird Al FAQ and the "27-List," bi-monthly the Dementia FAQ is posted. Bermuda Schwartz, Al's drummer, contributes to the group regularly, and several close friends of Al do also. URLs of Al's pages are exchanged, as well as questions, answers, concert reviews, etc."
Lex Friedman <Lexf@epix.net>
alt.music.who (Rock group The Who and its members)
No information available.
alt.music.world (Folk/traditional music from around the world)
"This group is for discussion of music not from the US and not pop/rock. We do not welcome discussion about rock music in this newsgroup and we discourage cross-posting from rock-related groups into alt.music.world."
Mike Cohen <mikcohen@isis-intl.com>
alt.music.yes (The progressive band Yes)
No information available.
alt.music.yngwie (Talk about Yngwie J. Malmsteen)
No information available.

How To Create a Newsgroup For a Musical Artist

The purpose of this mini-faq is to help people who want to create newsgroups for their favourite artists/bands avoid the flamefest of alt.config, and the poor propagation of alt.music. Taking this route will require an investment of three months to a year before you have a newsgroup, but if the fandom really exists, then it will be worth it.

  1. Create a mailing list. For a list of mailing list providers, see http://www.cs.ubc.ca/spider/edmonds/usenet/ml-providers.txt.
  2. Advertise it every few weeks in the appropriate related alt.music and rec.music groups, and in rec.music.info. An informative and well written advert of a paragraph or two (with clear subscription instructions) will be more likely to attract positive attention than a "Hey, join my k00l list" type posting.
  3. While it is growing, familiarize yourself with the Big-8 newsgroup creation guidelines, found in news.announce.newgroups. Reading news.groups for a month or two will also be helpful. Make sure that you stay active on the mailing list to maintain a steady traffic and keep people interested -- interesting lists grow fast.
  4. Wait until your mailing list has a few hundred members. I would suggest 200 as a minimum, and 500 being almost a sure thing.
  5. If the list never gets this many readers, then there probably aren't as many fans on the net as you thought. At this point, you can go propose an alt.music group, or (more sensibly, I think) stick with the mailing list.
  6. Submit an RFD for the group under rec.music[.artists]. Come up with a good name, and make sure the RFD/CFV are posted to your mailing list, and encourage members to vote. If you can get a few hundred yes votes from the list, then you're almost guaranteed to get a group with worldwide propagation.
  7. Suggestion: arranging to turn the mailing list into a gateway for newsgroup once created will help in avoiding negative votes from members of the list who cannot receive news directly.

If you're new to finding/creating musical resources on the net, check out the following FAQ:

How To Create an Alt Group

For complete information on creating alt groups, please refer to the alt group creation guidelines, which are posted regularly to alt.config, and are also available on the web at:

How To Find Music Mailing Lists

If you would like a copy of the latest version of Myra Wong's List of Music Mailing Lists, send email to <majordomo@edmonds.home.cs.ubc.ca> with the line "get faq lomml.txt" in the body of the message. It is also available from:

Thanks to Scott Southwick <scotty@ancho.ucs.indiana.edu> for pointing out that Indiana University also maintains a searchable archive of over 9000 mailing lists. It is accessible on the web at:

The alt.music Group List
Brian Edmonds <edmonds@cs.ubc.ca> $Date: 1998/04/26 17:38:52 $