David Cunningham / The Flying Lizards Essentials

The Flying Lizards were technically a one-hit wonder, landing on the charts in the UK with their cold-hearted, clattering version of Barrett Strong's “Money.” But their albums gained a sizable cult audience and turned out to be a welcome home for various post-punk experimentalists. While composer/producer David Cunningham called the shots, he welcomed the work of David Toop, Vivien Goldman, Steve Beresford, and others, who helped bring his postmodern pop visions to gloriously gaudy life. Cunningham has since gone on to work with This Heat and with composer Michael Nyman.