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Pseudonym Releases

posted November 6, 2017 #

Recently, Baldwin sent me the track "Danse a La Musique" by The French Fries, which is really just a Sly and the Family Stone released under a pseudonym. It's great and it got me thinking about how many other releases are out there released under pseudonyms. I put together a quick list...
  • Percy Thrillington - Paul McCartney re-recorded the entirely of RAM as an instrumental album, released it six years after he was done with it (1977) and didn't tell anyone about it until 1989. Read more.
  • Ciccone Youth - The Whitey Album - members of Sonic Youth put together this ode to 1980's pop with samplers and sequencers as the foundational elements but it still sounds like Sonic Youth. Regardless, a worthwhile listen. Read more.
  • The French Fries - Danse a La Musique - the aforementioned Sly and the Family Stone track released as a single in 1968 that's basically a remix of their own song. Read more.
  • Camille (aka Prince) - a still unreleased album from 1987 that had Prince performing as a pitched-up vocal alter-ego, Camille. Read More.
  • Dukes of the Stratosphear - a 60's psychedelic rock tribute from XTC, this was supposedly released as tongue-in-cheek but it (and the follow-up Psonic Psunspot) hold up on their own. Read more.
  • Instruments of Science and Technology - a moniker from Richard Swift in which he released more kraut rock and electronic inspired music. His name is all over it so it barely counts on this list but if you weren't looking for it, you'd likely miss it. Read more.
I think there are plenty more examples. McCartney's Country Ham's collaboration, DEVO's The Wipeouters or Green Day's The Network come to mind.

I'd love to hear others suggestions if you have them. I'm looking for albums or singles released under different monikers, not just live performances done under a different name with the same playlist.