Blog: PowerPop

And in other headlines I thought I'd never live to see, here's one that I just got in an e-mail from a publicist: The La's to Headline New York Sound City on 3/12/2012 New York Sound City's highly anticipated evening performance session will take place at Webster Hall with a feature headline performance from The La's, marking their monumental return to the New York stage with their first show in the Big Apple in 20 years. You know, I'm pretty sure I saw that last La's performance [...]

From April 2, 1964 -- The Beach Boys ' "I Get Around." Sans vocals, as it was heard from behind the console where Brian Wilson was producing it. How the f**k did he know how the vocals -- which weren't recorded till quite a few days later -- were going to line up with the instrumental track? Words fail me.

The Fabs, 1966. Pretty much my favorite track from Revolver -- "And Your Bird Can Sing." Just the guitars, bass and drums. HOW COME I DID NOT GET THE MEMO ON THIS ONE????? Seriously, I'm well aware that there is no Greatest Rock Band of All Time any more than there is a Greatest Novel or Greatest Painting of All Time. That said, any bunch that could make a noise that brilliant before the vocals were even appended has got [...]

...due to a very long day of dealing with medical problems involving my maternal parental unit (she's fine now, but still). In any case, while I'm recharging my batteries, I thought you might get a couple of laughs out of this video of Mittens and the Newt possessed by the ghosts of Abbott and Costello. Hey, as a friend said, it's not any more incoherent than the real debates. I should also add that Mittens and the Newt really does sound, alarmingly, like the title of a '70s comedy starring [...]

And just because we like to have something recorded in the current century once in a while, from 2011, please enjoy Sub Pop Records sirens the Dum Dum Girls and the irresistible ear (and eye, come to think of it) candy that is "Bedroom Eyes." To paraphrase Katherine Hepburn on star quality, it`s either some kind of electricity or some kind of energy, but whatever it is, these dames have got it. [h/t to reader TigerSoul]

[I originally posted the following in these precincts back in early 2007, but if you missed it -- heh -- or even if you didn't, it seems like the perfect way to end an interesting week. In any case, I stand by the sentiments, and it's safe to say that, since this first ran, no voice has yet moved me quite as much as Sandy's.] All kidding aside, there are times when I find myself thinking that the late Sandy Denny was the greatest girl singer in history. Certainly, nobody else has ever been [...]

And once again. Oh fucking hell. Phil Brown , bassist and founding member of The Records -- and if you don't know who they are and love them to distraction I'm surprised you're reading this particular blog -- has passed away after a long illness. Very sad news indeed; that's all I'm gonna say. Except, obviously -- play this loud in his honor. It doesn't get any better.

Oh c'mon -- you knew it was gonna come to this sooner or later. "Talk of the Town." 1981. By the original Pretenders lineup. By which I mean -- Chrissie Hynd e. Pound for pound, still the coolest, sexiest woman ever to wear shoe leather. Seriously -- even Louise Brooks wasn't this cool, if for no other reason than she couldn't sing. True story: I actually had that white Gibson guitar Chrissie is playing in the video in my possession for about a year; [...]

You know, for reasons that I don't want to get into -- mostly because the subject deserves a thoughtful in-depth essay that I really haven't got the time to do at the moment -- the whole concept of "adult" rock kind of gets up my nose. And I don't just mean "adult" in the sense of seeing geezers who should otherwise be retired in a condo in Boca trying to rock out; I also mean in the whole "songs about grown-up concerns" sense. But like I said, let's not get into that right now, when we [...]

You know, to be honest, I was never particularly impressed with Suzi Quatro back in her early 70s glam-rock stardom period. Although in retrospect a lot of her records -- which were hits pretty much everywhere in the civilized world except the USA -- were actually pretty good, as our pal and colleague Kid Charlemagne has testified here over the years. To me, though -- and I say this despite the fact that my early 70s girlfriend was a refugee from the Detroit rock scene and had lots of stories about Suzi and the rest of [...]

But before we get to the gals in question, the following paragraphs -- from a review in the New York Times, of a book by a scientist researching creativity, specifically musical talent -- grabbed my attention on Thursday, for obvious reasons. At 13, an age when most boys want to learn the guitar, Gary Marcus , decided he wanted to be a scientist. Twenty-five years later he had become one of the country's best known cognitive psychologists, with major papers and three general-interest books on the workings of the human mind and a position running [...]

Ed Kilgore , at the Washington Monthly, describing Newt Gingrich 's performance at the Florida debate the other day: "He sounded bad, he looked bad, and generally came across like a weasel who had finally been cornered by Animal Control." This is deeply offensive. For obvious reasons, if you were around on Friday. Still -- Heh.

Seriously -- I cannot express just how absolutely great this is. Venerable punk band Bad Religion 's cover of Bobby D.'s "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." As I mentioned, I lack the words, so I'll let the estimable Sal Nunziato (from whom I learned about it) speak for me: "You need to hear this one to believe it. The energy is insane. It's a thrasher and still, it doesn't disrespect Bob or The Byrds." Oh, and in case you were wondering, it's from Chimes of Freedom , [...]

Long-time or attentive readers are no doubt aware that I've been an on again/off again member (currently on again) of a recording/performance rock-and-roll collective/band called The Weasels since the early 70s. Here, to refresh your memory, is the cover of our very first recorded project (circa '73 or '74), entitled The White Album , for reasons way to embarrassing to get into. Anyway, like I said, we've been at it for quite some time now, so imagine our surprise a few weeks [...]

As promised last week -- another previously unheard song from the 1981 CBS demo by genuine underground power pop legend/cult figure David Graham e. This one's called "True Believers." As before, David is playing all the guitars and singing all the vocals. Your humble scribe contributes bass and a very simple piano part intended to be all George Martin / Beatles VI -ish; the incomparable Glen "Bob" Allen is on drums. As I'm fond of saying [...]

Barring a last minute disaster of some sort, I've decided that next week -- for reasons that I won't get into at the moment -- is going to be GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS! -themed. Heh. I should also add -- in a typically shameless piece of self-promotion -- that you can listen to an mp3 of the latest noises I made on guitar with my now geriatric garage band high school buddies over here . Pretty slick, I think, but YMMV.

In case you missed it, long time commenter Anonymous posted this the other day. It's an election year, hard to ignore politics but have enjoyed your postings more without the weekly reference to your most-hated at the moment politician, er...Republican. Just remember they're all phonies and crooks (you might even stumble upon Charlie Rangel's homage to Adam Clayton Powell when you're down there along with the Clinton's holdings....er...hidings in the DR). To which I can only reply...actually, you've got a point. Seriously -- I've said here on numerous occasions [...]

Uh, excuse me -- but did I somehow miss the memo on this one? From the 2002 Abkco reissue of the Rolling Stones first greatest hits collection of the '60s, please enjoy "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" in glorious totally real stereo. Seriously -- how did this get past me? Does everybody already know about it? In any case, this is NOT a bootleg of an alternate take or weird mix featuring extra instruments; this is the same version [...]

As promised, that parody Bond poster from the February 1977 National Lampoon. Incidentally, if you left-click on this two or three times, it enlarges significantly. Hey -- I meant in case you wanted to print it out. Jeebus, what's wrong with you people.

Well, it's Friday and you know what that means. Yes, my Oriental lotus blossom for hire Fah Lo Suee and I are off to the lovely Cayman Islands, where we're going to try to find the off-shore tax haven/blind trust where presidential hopeful Willard "Mitt" Romney is reported to have stashed his manhood. That being the case, and because it will be preternaturally quiet around here for a couple of days (unless I miss my guess) here's a fun little project to help us fill the aching void in what passes for our [...]