From across the pond, it has to be one of my all-time faves. The notorious "TUBES".
These ground breaking avant garde musical/theatrical performance artists, were one of the first acts ever - to harness video technology in their live shows.
Following a concerted campaign by Mary Whitehouse, they were banned by many venues and cities on their debut UK tour in the mid-70's (I caught their first ever English gig at the Newcastle City Hall) But a massive music press buzz, along with their outrageous multi-media stage show (featuring simulated sex, bondage, naked dancers and people dressed as giant Marlboro packets!!) combined with their single "White Punks On Dope" entering the lower reaches of the Top 20, caused them to be (I believe) the first band to sell out a full 7 night run at London's Hammersmith Odeon - playing to almost 28,000 people. These shows were recorded for their UK Top 40 live double album, "What Do You Want From Live".
The following year they headlined the second Knebworth festival of the summer, in front of a 45,000 crowd. With the 9 band members arriving on stage in a pink Cadillac, to top a bill featuring Frank Zappa, Peter Gabriel and The Boomtown Rats.
Two more sell out UK tours followed - this time featuring sold-out 5 and 4 night runs respectively at Hammersmith, promoting their "Remote Control" and "Completion Backward Principle" albums.
Interestingly, by the early 80's, although the band had achieved 'monster cult headline status' in Europe - topping bills at arenas across the continent, it was only when they changed record labels and adopted a more streamlined commercial rock approach to their music, that they gained any album sales success - back in their native America.
This resulted in less time spent across here, and sadly, the mighty Tubes eventually fizzled out in the mid 80's
Lead singer Fee Waybill went on to forge a lucrative song writing partnership with AOR pop-rocker Richard Marx.
Like many bands of the era, they reformed with a new line up in the 'Noughties'. Featuring many original members, but with a much scaled down stage production, and have been touring small theatres and clubs across the States and occasionally Europe ever since. I saw them again at the Tyne Theatre about 10 years or so ago.
I read in a recent interview that the now 71 year old singer Waybill - works as a part time plumber in Los Angeles, when he's not touring!
For a band that attracted so much attention and made so much history back in the day, The Tubes would have to be my number one choice, as 'gone and most definitely forgotten' in this day and age.
Here endeth the lesson.
The Tubes - Full Concert 1979