FnM with Patton has to be one of the most under appreciated bands of all time. The musical range they had was phenomenal. From their cover of "Easy" to "Jizzlobber"
Ginger Baker Mike Patton Joey Ramone (but that's because of the mental diseases). Dee Dee Ramone Scott Sturgeon GG was a one act jagoff.
fantomas is a musicians band. Those who don’t play instruments to a relatively technical level just can’t understand it. I ask have a theory that spacial awareness plays a big part in understanding highly complex music. Not everyone has that. When I hear complex music I can literally visualize the instruments individually and see each beat, note, and throat/mouth nuance in my minds eye. I can sense the fluidity and movement. That’s just me though.*shrug*
Prince gets a pass from me because he was Prince. I didn't have be around him, deal with him or do a damn thing other then listen to amazing shit. He moves from weird to eccentric genius. Kanye? Not my bag of fish but he is wicked talented. Glad he might escape the Kardashian curse. Zappa? waaaaaayyyy ahead of his time and not really my thing but I get it. I love me some Mike Patton stuff even if some of it is beyond me. People I know that have met John Frusciante say he is one of those musicians who is a genius in his trade but most likely could not function in any other realm.
If we're just talking about mental illness, I nominate the singer from The Violent Femmes. I saw them live in '88 and he was one sincerely messed up dude. Matt Johnson's elevator is a couple beers short of a belfry, too.
A high school friend of mine whipped his ass back in the day before he was Marilyn Manson, true story.