The Official Return of The Top of The Power Pop

THE UNOFFICIAL 2000 DAVID BASH'S TOP 21 (2001)

 

Along Greg Shaw, Max Bell, Jordan Oakes, Bruce Brodeen, John Borack and a few others, David Bash is part of the Power Pop Mentors who have spreaded the genre over so many years.

 

In 2012, i made the first compilation based upon the yearly David Bash lists. I made four of them until 2015 and then I stopped everything because i made an inadvertent error by including a song about some David Bash health problems. Now, some years have passed and happily David Bash continues to spread the word of Power Pop, and to pay tribute to his long work for giving exposure to some not-so-well-known acts, i've decided to re-boot the series at the very beginning of the lists (the ones i'm currently aware of, i mean 2000 up to 2021).

The Big Bang Theory!

 THE FLESHTONES PRESENT

TIME BOMB: THE BIG BANG THEORY (1988)

The "Time Bomb" compilation was only released in three countries:  France (New Rose), USA (Skyclad) and Greece (Hitch-Hike). It has never been available  in CD format. It features variously permutated side projects by Fleshtones and their pals, along with non-LP tracks from the band proper. Love Delegation, Full Time Men, Action Combo, Cryin’ Out Loud, Mad Violets and Wild Hyenas all toss in OK cuts, but the disc really catches fire on the Action Dogs’ sizzling “I Can’t Get Through to You,” starring Peter Case + The Plimsouls, and the mothergroup’s “I Was a Teenage Zombie,” from the film of the same name. (Trouser Press)

UK Version vs. US Version

 THE RECORDS

SHADES IN BED (UK 1979) + THE RECORDS (US 1979)

The first Records album "Shades In Bed" was released in the UK with a 12" bonus of 4 covers, and with a new recording of the single "Starry Eyes" produced by Robert John Lange.

In the USA, Virgin first decided to change the title to the eponymous "The Records" and the sleeve (maybe too offensive for the US eyes). They also replaced the UK LP version of "Starry Eyes"with the Will Birch produced UK single version. Finally they also changed the track sequence.

The album was reissued in 2002 with a new artwork (the inner sleeve of the UK edition) with bonus tracks (the UK singles + plus a remix of "Teenarama" by Craig Leon who was hired to produce the follow-up "Crashes"

I've also included the original NME review by Nick Kent, plus a NME full feature about The Records written by Max Bell who was at the time the Power Pop specialist in the UK.

SHADES IN BED

 

THE RECORDS

A Power Pop Record

 THE RECORDS - ROCK AND ROLL LOVE LETTER (1979)

Second single from The Records, a cover of the Tim Moore song, it was first covered by the Dirty Angels in 1975. It was a hit in 1976 for The BCR. The song has been covered several times since (Mitch Easter, Gary & The Grip Weeds, The Slingsby Hornets...).

 

"Rock And Roll Love Letter" and its flip side "Wives & Mothers Of Tomorrow" were not included on the first LP "Shades In Bed" but later added as bonus tracks on the 2002 CD reissue.

p.s: if anyone has some info about the photos used for the single, it will be useful.

 

Coca-Cola Is All You Ever Drink

 THE RECORDS - TEENARAMA (1979)

First proper single lifted from "Shades In Bed", "Teenarama" was produced by Robert John Lange with a non-LP track produced by Will Birch. The B side "Held Up High" was later included on the 2002 CD reissue. "Teenarama" is probably the same version as the LP version even though it is just 4 or 5 seconds longer.

 

Single Version (USA)

 THE RECORDS - STARRY EYES (1979)

The single version of the Records' classic "Starry Eyes" was produced by Will Birch. Most of the compilations include the LP version or the UK single version. The UK single version and the B side "Paint Her Face" were featured as bonus tracks on the 2002 CD reissue of "Shades In Bed". The US version remains unavailable elsewhere.

A Power Pop Template

 SORROWS - TEENAGE HEARTBREAK (1980)

"Teenage Heartbreak" has been ranked #170 by John Borack in "Shake Some Action 2.0: An Updated Guide To The 200 Greatest Power Pop Albums".

 

The first Sorrows album "Teenage Heartbreak" was also shared on PPC in 2007, withdrawn for the same reason as "Love Too Late". And finally it has never been reissued, even though BOMP released "Bad Times Good Times" in 2010, the album included some reworks of "Teenage Heartbreak" but not the original lost masters.

"Bad Times Good Times" can be ordered on the BC page here. So, once again you'll be able to compare both albums.

Finally, this is not really a re-up of the 2007 vinyl transfer, some things have been slightly changed, and if you already had a FLAC version of the former one, there was a lossy track "All You Gotta Say" on it that has been replaced with a new lossless version.

Never Too Late

 SORROWS - LOVE TOO LATE (1981)

Back in 2007, i had posted here on PPC the Sorrows albums, they were briefly available as they were supposed to be reissued on CD, according to a few messages from the band members. So i removed the links, and since then i have never re-upped any of those wonderful albums. But the reissues never came, and worse some bootleg copies appeared on some official sites, quickly withdrawn following some legal actions from the Sorrows members.

As you may have read it recently, Arthur Alexander was more than disapppointed with the second album "Love Too Late" produced by Shel Talmy. Talmy even replacing the band members with some studio musicians . So, 40 years later, Arthur Alexander, Joey Cola, Ricky Street plus a new drummer Luis Herrera (who was the drummer on the Arthur Alexander solo album) decided to record the genuine "Love Too Late" album they had first in mind, it is now released today on Big Stir Records. Watch below the story about "Love Too Late...The Real Album".

You may purchase "The Real Album" on BC, It's available in all formats (digital, LP and CD).

Follow the link here

So, this is the reason why i have re-upped the orginal LP, and now you'll be able to compare both albums, as the original will never be reissued.

Sliding High

 TRIBUTE TO T.REX - THE SLIDERS (2021)

Another classic album revisited by 13 artists / bands, but no bonus tracks that were available on the CD reissue