The Outsiders was one of the many, many comics I read when I was growing up. They were a team of off-beat superheroes put together by Batman when he fell out with the Justice League, though inevitably they ended up falling out with Batman too. Everyone falls out with Batman, because he's a bit of a dick, to be honest.
The Outsiders proved to be the most popular band name I've come across to date. Of the acts listed on discogs, I probably rejected more than I selected. These, then, are the cream of the Outsiders crop. You might want to put the kettle on and make yourself some sandwiches for later...
THE OUTSIDERS #1
I'm gonna start with this because it's excellent. Early 60s, that's about all I can tell you. There's a couple of other tracks on youtube by the same band, but they're very formulaic Beach Boys / Chuck Berry rip offs. This, on the other hand, is a cut above. Although it might owe a slight debt to Jimmy Dean's classic Big Bad John.
THE OUTSIDERS #2
Dutch garage band who got together in 1964, comprising Wally Tax, Ronnie Splinter, Appie Rammers , Tom Krabbendam, Leendert "Buzz" Busch, and Frank Beek. Far be it from me to find comedy value in Dutch surnames. We're past all that - it's not the 1970s anymore, granddad, and this ain't Mind Your Language.
Look, George - one of them has a flute! Don't think he's playing it on this though...
THE OUTSIDERS #3
Surrey-based Outsiders with a song written and produced by a young Jimmy Page in 1965. Guitarist Mick Wayne would later twang his strings as part of Bowie's Space Oddity.
THE OUTSIDERS #4
1965 US garage band getting jealous over all the girls fancying guys with moptops. They might have called this a novelty record back in the day, but I still dig it, daddy-o. The guitarist is keen to tell us on youtube that he went on to play with The Left Banke.
THE OUTSIDERS #5
These Outsiders were a garage band from Tampa Bay, Florida, led by singer Hardy Dyal. They released a couple of singles in 1965 & '66 and eventually changed their name to The Soul Trippers to avoid getting into conflict with all the other Outsiders.
THE OUTSIDERS #6
Arguably the most successful Outsiders were this Ohio band who hit the US Top 10 in 1966 with the song below, followed by three more Top 40 hits. They were originally known as The Starfires, and after their break-up, various band members went to court to fight to continue using the name The Outsiders... ironic, considering how many other bands have used it since.
THE OUTSIDERS #7
Swedish Outsiders, of the prog/psych variety, active in the latter half of the 60s, with a definite nod to Jimi Hendrix.
THE OUTSIDERS #8
Wimbledon punks from the late 70s, led by Adrian Borland who would go on to form well-regarded post-punk band The Sound. Iffypedia tells me, "in sharp contrast, The Outsiders’ music received generally negative reviews". Which seems a little harsh to me...
THE OUTSIDERS #9
Cold War punk paranoia from Huntington Beach. California in 1979. They were also known as "The Fucked", but nobody would book them under that name.
OUTSIDERS #10
Icelandic punks from 1981 - Utangarðsmenn is the Icelandic for Outsiders.
THE OUTSIDERS #11
Can't tell you much about this lot other that I found them on a 1982 New Wave compilation... and they're not half bad.
THE OUTSIDERS #12
Irish band from 1986 led by singer-songwriter John Ryan... points added for the vinyl crackle.
THE OUTSIDERS #13
German synth-poppers from 1986.
THE OUTSIDERS #14
UK guitar band from 1989, and... if I'd heard them back then... I would definitely have bought this single.
THE OUTSIDERS #15
This, on the other hand, I wouldn't have wasted my money on. Seven and a half minutes of jazz-rock fusion from 1989... live, to boot! Surely, not even George can dig this?
THE OUTSIDERS #16
This is the sound of South African Goth in 1990...
THE OUTSIDAZ #17
New Jersey rap collective who worked with the Fugees, D12... and this dude.
THE OUTSIDERS #18
From Colne, Lancashire, where my old mate Dave grew up. Back in 1995, Dave would probably have been a similar age to the guys singing this... I wonder if they lived on his street?
Extra marks for the harmonica solo around the 2 minute mark...
OUTSIDERS #19
Illinois college boys with a groovy offering from 1996 that sounds more like 1976...
THE OUTSIDERS #20
Brazilian punks from 1996 who make a right old racket, but the fact that a 50" clip of their chaotic live show is preserved forever on the tube of you endears them to me greatly.
These guys are probably all middle-aged stockbrokers now...
THE OUTSIDERS #21
Oi! From New Jersey. Late 90s.
OUTSIDERS #22
21st Century dance act made up of Vincent Morrisey, DJ Skweez and vocalist Amanda Wilson. Not my bag, clearly, but - y'know, variety,
THE OUTSIDERS #23
Loud and shouty Spanish Outsiders from 2011... but they swear in English.
OUTSIDERS #24
Kiwi Outsiders from about 10 years ago.
THE OUTSIDERS #25
Swedish Ramones cover band who translate Joey's lyrics into their own language. Genius!
THE OUTSIDERS #26
British blues band from 2016 who eventually stuck a UK on the end of their name to avoid getting sued by a million other bands...
THE OUTSIDERS #27
British rockabilly band from 2018 on Foot-tappin' Records...
THE OUTSIDERS #28
Italian Oi! band who get in purely because I liked their photo... and their song title.
THE OUTSIDERS #29
Back to New Zealand in 2022...
THE OUTSAIDERS #30
Ingenious alternative spelling from these Peruvian rockers who released this track late last year...
I think 30 bands is the maximum I'll allow for this feature... but you should have heard some of the Outsiders I rejected. Ah, who am I kidding? You didn't hear more than a couple of the ones I allowed in. Still, when I'm lying on my deathbed and I look back on my life, I'll know it wasn't all a waste...
