XTC
XTC are one of the most highly underrated bands of the 20th century and their sound has unquestionably changed the music of today.

Dan Dare
The Mekons - always the Mekons

Jolemite
Quicksand. Awesome band! They were not around very long though.

Monica , Long Beach , Ca
Gang Of Four, Joy Division, Fugazi, Orange Juice,and The Fire Engines

Stephen
The Raincoats - not because they were cited by Kurt Cobain as an influence (though they were) but because they were one of the most innovative bands of the late 70s, they sounded like no-one else and because they were at the forefront of liberating women as rock instrumentalists.

yll_foundations
Pere Ubu - Faust - Captain Beefheart - Wire - Throbbing Gristle - My Bloody Valentine - the Fall - Michael Gira/Swans - Chrome -Fugazi/Dischord - Can - Skinny Puppy - Cabaret Voltaire... any of these should make fascinating radio with enduring backcatalogues that evolved through time

jfc
how about Television? even Gang of Four acknowledges their influence. and do Mink DeVille, too. Completely different aesthetic but very fine music. and a case study of why one should stay away from herion.

Mike M- Austin, TX
Try the Butthole Surfers. The sound they made on their first four albums and their live shows were like no others.

Vicatron
The Rezillos

Martin
A documentary on obviously articulate musicians,destroyed by dumb-arsed production.We,your listeners,don't need your colouring in with your stubby crayons.A fragile opportunity wasted I think.Good to hear it though..raised my ire.

Scott
PAVEMENT

Roly G
Killing Joke. Not big main stream but clearly produced enduring original and influential post punk anthems.I have heard that the lead singer has also composed Operatic Aria - would like to know more!

Rich G
One word...CARDIACS

Richard
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Birthday Party, the Fall, Mogwai, Sigur Ros, Pavement, Husker Du, THROBBING GRISTLE!!!

Killing Joke
JoeGutz What up with them... They made some great music but faded ever so deathly away... Scary.

Dan
Steely Dan

Brent
The Vapors. They were brilliant, brief musical heroes.

Amos
Throbbing Gristle, Kleenex/Liliput, the Raincoats, X-Ray Spex,

scyld from brooklyn
comsat angels. c'mon, those first 3 albums were classics, and you know they'll be the next 80's band to get ripped off...

Paolo
Minutemen, Firehose, Mike Watt. Everything starts here.

Barry Gribble
The Stranglers. Everyone namedrops Gang Of Four and Orange Juice, but the Stranglers are the missing link between Zappa/Beefheart and the early 80's post punk scene. For some reason no one admits it but just listen to them, its so obvious that everyone from the Pistols to Franz Ferdinand owe them a huge debt.

jonny
sigur ros

Troy
I'd like to see the Smiths. Morrissey and Marr were the greatest crafters of pop since Lennon and McCartney.

Robert
Beat Happening- though they may not have had such a strong impact in the uk (well The Cribs are big fans), their influence on the U.S. is Huge

jim
mike patton, the guy is a genius with a dark sense of humour.

lucas
Echo and the Bunnymen

Andrea
Magazine

Bucket
Gong. Fascinating link with the beat generation (in the form of David Allen)and the British prog rock movement. This lot practically invented ambient music (along with Eno and various Krautrock groups). The keyboard spunds (courtesy of Tim Blake) foreshadow the later 'organic' synthesiser sounds of such luminaries as The Orb, 808 state, Orbital etc. Mix this with a unique (and frankly barking) cosmology and you have an individualistic sound. Recommended - Angels Egg, You.

Ashley
Sham 69 definitely or The Smiths they've influenced practically every good song writer we have today.

Martin
Hüsker Dü - created a highly original style and sound which was copied by many, and paved the way for the likes of Nirvana, but never got the recognition they deserved.

blann
Butthole Surfers - great name, great music.

blann
Dead Kennedy’s. Fascinating stuff that no one has ever covered i.e. the lead singer run for mayor of San Francisco and nearly won.

Nicole
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

ruth
flaming lips

Iain
Fugazi - fascinating

Rosie
PJ Harvey... you gotta do her.

BOB
Pavement is a fascinating, incredible band. And this Gang of Four thing is starting to reach a miserable saturation-like Forward Russia! or Clor. We're told they're new bands but they bloody are not! It’s sad because the Gang of Four were meant to be about originality!