Flipper

The experimental punk band Flipper has managed to stick around for more than three decades and influence several generations of musicians. Far from prolific—the band’s meager output includes just four studio albums, five live recordings, and a handful of singles—its sludgy, distortion-heavy sound still managed to be hugely influential. Despite the endorsement of enthusiastic fans such as Rick Rubin, Moby, The Melvins, and Kurt Cobain—who famously wore a homemade Flipper shirt—the band has never managed to move beyond cult status, but its place in music history is assured all the same. 

Updated 03/29/2012