Artists who have released albums under pseudonyms

Another pointless list started by AKA!

Paul McCartney (Percy "Thrills" Thrillington)
Green Day (The Network)
Garth Brooks (Chris Gaines)

 

Stevie Wonder
as
Eivets Rednow

mud-

 

XTC a/k/a The Dukes of Stratosphere
E from the Eels is apparently recording as MC Honky.

 

When Prince recorded the Black Album, didn't he try to pass it off as a recording by Camille, or something like that?

 

I don't know if it counts, but on Rush's album Fly By Night, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson appear as "By-Tor" and "Snow Dog", respectively.

 

He also did an album as "The Fireman"...

 

George Harrison - L'Angelo Misterioso
Keith Moon - "You Know Who"
Bob Dylan - Blindboy Grunt

 

Hard to think of entire albums, but here are a few, including singles:

The Four Seasons did several singles as "The Wonder Who?"
XTC released their song "This Is Christmas" as "The Three Wise Men"
R.E.M. minus Michael Stipe, with Warren Zevon on vocals, did a single and an album as "Hindu Love Gods"
Sheb Wooley recorded humorous material as "Ben Colder"
Ferlin Husky recorded early on as "Terry Preston" and later as "Simon Crum"
Buck Owens did a rockabilly single as "Corky Jones"
George Jones did some covers for a budget label as "Hank Smith"
Marty Wilde had his biggest American hit, "Abergavenny," under the name "Shannon"

Two singers from the early days of recording, Vernon Dalhart (which itself was a pseudonym for Marion Try Slaughter) and Irving Kaufman, used dozens of pseudonyms, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not.

 

The Beatles backing Tony Sheridan as The Beat Brothers!

Tim, I'm surprised you didn't list this one, considering your avatar.

 

Moby Grape released an album as by "The Melvins" and another as "The Legendary Grape",thanks to the fact they couldn't legally use their own name!

 

Paul Westerberg, AKA Grandpaboy

 

And let's not forget the Traveling Wilburys!

 

I don't know if he released a whole album under this pseudonyum but:

Hank Williams - Luke the Drifter

 

George Jones recorded some rockabilly under Thumper Jones

 

Yes he did. In fact, the Luke The Drifter album is on CD under the title "Beyond The Sunset."

 

And Hank Williams Jr. did a couple singles in the 1960s as "Luke the Drifter Jr."!

 

OUCH! You got me!

 

Not the same, but the Stone (Mick and Keith) are the Glimmer Twins when they produced their music.

 

Frederick Bulsara -> Freddie Mercury -> Larry Lurex (a joke on Gary Glitter).

 

Based on what I've seen in some used CD shops, some people out there would probably say Ian Anderson as Jethro Tull, that's if they had ever heard the name Ian Anderson.

 

Here's a stupid question about Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Did any of the Beatles assume the role of Billy Shears on the album? I don't recall that, but I was wondering.

 

That was the first thing I had thought of! Actually, I don't remember if the Black Album was going to be by Camille, or simply released as an uncredited album. However...

Between "Parade" and "Sign O' The Times," there were three different albums that were attempted and aborted. The first was supposed to be an album with the Revolution called "The Dream Factory." The Revolution disbanded, so that never happened.

Then he wanted to release an album credited to "Camille." The vocals are all pitch shifted up (that is, he slowed the tape down and recorded the vocals, then brought it back up to normal speed... think "Partyman" from the Batman soundtrack). I can't remember why it didn't come out... could have been Warner Brothers or he may have just changed his mind. Every song except 1 was released later.

He then tried to put together a 3 LP set called "Crystal Ball," but Warner Brothers convinced him to release a double. That became "Sign O' The Times."

The complete Camille tracklist:

1) Rebirth of the Flesh (unreleased)
2) Housequake (released on Sign O' The Times)
3) Strange Relationship (released on Sign O' The Times)
4) Feel U Up (released as the B-Side to "Partyman" years later)
5) Shockadelica (released as the B-Side to "If I Was Your Girlfriend")
6) If I Was Your Girlfriend (released on Sign O' The Times)
7) Good Love (released on the soundtrack to "Bright Lights Big City" and also on the 4 CD set "Crystal Ball" from the mid-90s)
8) Rock Hard In A Funky Place (released on the Black Album when it was finally issued in 1997)

There's your Prince history lesson for the day.

 

The Whitey Album--Ciccone Youth (really Sonic Youth)

 

To be fair, McCartney's Fireman project was much more a collaboration with Youth than it was a true solo effort...