When Power Pop Met Punk

 

I am not the one looking for samplers about an era - especially when it is about the time music turned from pub rock met punk. But another Kids On The Street another superb compilation by Cherry Red records is one of them you can listen to and bringing back memories from ages ago. I don't have to tell much of the artists, so just enjoy these songs once again.

Wah! Heat - Don't Stop The Cracks  

The Records - Girl

Echo and the Bunnymen -Do It Clean

The Membranes - The Sound Of The Suburbs

The Jam - Boy About Town

XTC - Towers Of London

Boomtown Rats - Diamond Smiles

Let's Get Back To Power Pop

It was in the mid of the 70's when bands turned their back to classic rock 'n' roll to search their own identity and they remembered their roots. At this time a lot of bands like Duxe Deluce and Dave Edmunds got back to the native sound of music. The Rubinoos were one of those bands from across the ocean that kept the flag of pub-rock alive. Less songs more than tree minutes made us feel happy. I know that it is a forgotten band but I got back to their songs through the last weeks and I can only say that they still make me happen to them listen again after all these years. Probably close to perfect pop-songs and still worth to listen to.

The Rubinoos - I think we're alone now
The Rubinoos - I want to be your girlfriend

Rips ...

... is another band from Brooklyn showing us the real values of guitar based power rock. Raised in the tradition of Television,The Feelies and Sonic Youth they deserve a great homage to these bands mixed with the best of power pop. Heavy dual guitars, insistend hooks and their energy makes them more than the average right now. I didn't listen to an any equal album celebrating great guitar based songs this year so far. Give them a chance and listen without prejudice.

What Happened To Power Pop # 9

As mentioned, Ian McLagen died last week. He played keyboard in my favorite band from the early 60s. I don't have to tell you about their success and their hit singles. I am sure that this song fulfils all conditions for a song which is to be assigned to this genre.

What Happened To Power Pop # 7

Let's continue this small series with a song which is called by many for this genre typical. Cheap Trick were formed in 1973 and became famous as a support band for acts like Queen, Kiss and Santana. Their first album was not particularly successful in her native country - but they got big in Japan. During their tour through Japan they recorded their first live record and their single went straight to the top 10 worldwide. Many other bands covered I want you to want me but the original was never achieved. Curt Cobain once said about Nirvana: „We sound just like Cheap Trick only the guitars are louder.“  No more words to add.

Cheap Trick - I want you to want me

What Happened To Power Pop # 6

The dB's were an American power-pop band that released their first two records in the early 1980s. They played a fine combination of classic rock with a heavy influence of early power-pop. Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey, their main songwriters, were found later after their break up as solol artists and on tour with REM or as producers. Their legacy was some real good power-pop songs.

The dB's - Amplifier

What Happened To Power Pop # 4

Let me continue this series with a typical American band. The Rubinoos started their career as another High School band playing to dance in the early 1970s in California. They got signed to Beserkley Records among the rest, therefore because informal relations contact with the owner of the label existed. Suddenly they were label mates to Greg Kihn and Jonathan Richman. I listened to a lot of this stuff at this time and I remember some great songs from the publication of this label. The Rubinoos got a little success with a cover version of Tommy James 'I think we're alone now'. It's nice to listen to this song again.

The Rubinoos - I think we're alone now

What Happened To Power Pop # 3

In my opinion power pop's biggest impediments to mainstream success was that there were so many other genres in the 70s/80s that relied on brisk tempos and great guitar hooks - often delivered by bands that had more of a sonic edge or a distinctive look. In the U.S. the first wave of neo-garage bands were active in reviving 60s rock. One of them were New York's The Fleshtones. A band that got famous while they played at CBGB's and Max's Kansas City in the mid 70s. This song is taken from their fantastic 1982 album Roman Gods and has all a power pop song should have: easy arrangements, a powerful guitar hooks and a melody that will stay in your mind. And The Fleshtones added a harmonica to their songs what made them more special.

The Fleshtones - Stop Fooling Around

What Happened To Power Pop # 2

As The Motors split Peter Bramall, the vocalist and guitar player,  aka Bram Tchaikovsky formed a new band with the same name. The fact that I have heard The Moters always very much with pleasure I bought the first record from their former guitar player. It hadn't that eponymous of the first Motor's record but still enough songs on it that would be worth to listen to time by time. Girl of my dreams is close to a perfect (power)-pop song. Great harmonies and hooks. And surely not the way music was made in these days. It is still a pleasure to listen to this little gem sometimes. 

Bram Tchaikovsky - Girl Of My Dreams

What Happened To Power Pop # 1

Last week Adam over at Bagging Area posted a song by The Posies. It is a great song and it's typed by journalism as power pop. There is no legal definition about what is power pop. For me the definition is something like this: It distinguishes itself by short '3 1/2 minutes of pop songs', easy arrangements, strong melodies and striking riffs. If I look back to songs that are close to power pop there are so many songs that come up to me. Therefore it might be a good idea to start a little series of songs that I would call power pop-like or that I would think that they are close to this genre (even if they are famous a lot of years ago). So look forward to what will appear in this series.

As I finished my little series about pub rock a few weeks ago and as I decided to let it follow by a journey through power pop I asked myself which song I should feature to the start of this new series. I came to the decision that I should start with a band that had it's roots in pub rock and then landed in the genre of power pop. The Kursaal Flyers were a band that had a lot of great songs with marvelous melodies backed up with great harmonies. So it is no chance that the leading members Will Birch and John Wicks formed another band after The Kursaals fall apart. The Records released their first record in Shades in Bed in 1979 and showed their quality in songwriting. They made with this record a pure pop masterpiece and the songs Starry Eyes and Teenarama come very close to the perfect pop song (Allmusic described it as a the main example of British power pop of the 70s). I love this record since I bought it on vinyl added with a 12´-inch with cover versions as a bonus. What more do you need sometimes than a song composed and arranged that is nearly perfect. If you listen to Starry Eyes you think this song is well knows to you. Will Birch itself calls him on the website of  The Records an „audaciously circumscribed‚ Do  ,Anything You Wanna Do‘ from Eddie & the Hot Rods“. It's certainty no disgrace to loans from another splendidly song to make it even better. By the way it was a fantastic cover art. A couple lying in black silk bedclothes - she's sleeping in he's wearing sun glasses and smoking a cigarette (after??).

The Records - Starry Eyes