NERVUS REX (1980)

Link removed. The album has been reissued on CD in 2009 and is now available through Amazon. Click here.

Nervus Rex released a self produced single "Don't Look" in 1978. This single was to become a classic of the era, It even won "Best Independent Single of the Year" honors from Britain's New Musical Express. Formed in 1977, Nervus Rex made their reputation on the New York club circuit. They signed a deal with Mike Chapman's new label "Dreamland" after being put in contact with him by Clem Burke and Jimmy Destri of Blondie fame. Nervus Rex epitomizes the bubblegum side of new wave pioneered by Blondie. The pace is brisk and the touch light on predictable yet pleasing throwaways like "Go Go Girl" and "The Incredible Crawling Eye".
With Dreamland's finances in shambles, Nervus Rex dissolved in 1981. Brighton later formed synth-pop group, The Puppets, and guitarist/singer Lauren Agnelli (who had once been a rock critic under the name Trixie A. Balm) formed the Washington Squares, a neo-Beat folknik trio with Tom Goodkind (whose varied career on the local scene included such '70s bands as U.S. Ape) and Bruce Jay Paskow (the Invaders). Outfitted with uniform berets, conservative suits, black sunglasses and acoustic guitars, the Washington Squares escaped their post-punk backgrounds to shoulder the untendered responsibility of being the nouveau in-crowd's answer to Peter, Paul & Mary. Trouser Press

Songs
There She Goes / Go Go Girl / Spies / Real Life / Start From The Start / The God Sheila / Don't Look / The Incredible Crawling Eye / Nobody Told Me / Venus
Bonus (The Cleverly Named Record Company single)
Don't Look / Love Affair

DAVID WERNER - DAVID WERNER (1979)

Glam rock has been a surprising, durable subgenre considering its brief early-'70s chart presence. The crunchy guitars, outrageous hooks, and pop-metal sounds of archetypal glam albums, like David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders From Mars and T. Rex's Electric Warrior, have reappeared often since glam's glory days. In 1979, David Werner's third album offered some of the greatest glam sounds of the decade. On the brilliant single "What's Right" and the icy "Every New Romance," (Produced by Ian Hunter), Werner does resemble Bowie vocally, with a more muscular rhythm section and even chunkier guitars, and both tracks stand up to the best of Bowie's early-'70s releases. Throughout the album, though, Werner's versatility as a vocalist, songwriter, and arranger demonstrate that he is much more than an American derivative of that other David. "Can't Imagine" delivers bristling power pop with supercharged, breakneck guitar hooks. He shows his emotional range with the mournful "She Sent Me Away." The melancholy "Melanie Cries" is a glistening pop confection with elegant harpsichord and cascading, Association-like vocals. Crisp production and a rock-solid rhythm section give David Werner more depth and punch than many of the often brittle sounding classic glam records. The guitars, played by Werner and multi-instrumentalist Mark Doyle, in particular, shine. David Werner failed to make its namesake the star he should have been, and he has not issued a record since. As this album shows, Werner is far too talented to be so obscure. AMG (by James A.Gardner)

ZS (298 mb)

Songs
Can't Imagine / What's Right / Do You Need to Love? / Melanie Cries / Eye to Eye / Hold on Tight / Every New Romance / Too Late to Try / High Class Blues / She Sent Me Away

FORTUNATE SONS

RISING (1986) KAREZZA (1987)

Sometimes you see reissues of crap bands nobody really wants to buy and sometimes you're trying hard to find a lost gem, the kind of music that makes you feel better. The Fortunate Sons were that kind of band , and unfortunately both albums have never been reissued on CD. An unofficial version of both albums on one CD was released in 2001, and some of these unofficial versions are credited to Chris Wilson!!!, while Robin Wills was the soul and the leader of the band.
The Fortunate Sons were the missing link between the Barracudas (first and second era) and the new Barracudas restarted by Robin Wills and Jeremy Gluck around 1991 and still active today (the wonderful album released in 2005 is classic Barracudas at their best)

In 1985, Robin Wills formed his own band - the Fortunate Sons - Steve Robinson on bass and Lee Robinson on drums - and planned to record as soon as possible. For a while John Plain (ex-Boys) and then Marcus Holler were in the band on second guitar 'cause Robin Wills wanted a harder sound, but, in 1986, the first Fortunate Sons album "Rising" was recorded as a 3-piece band and released on Bam Caruso. "20th Century Myth", "Just Another Day", Wastin' Time" are highlights of a strong that, while mainly featuring original uptemp rock'n'roll numbers, also includes a contrasting ballad "Burning", sensitively sung by Lee, and a cover of McGuinn/Levy's "Rock'n'Roll Time" (while the most popular covers plated on stage at the time were P.F Sloan's
"Sins of the Family" or John Phillips'"Me & My Uncle" (both released later on single and a compilation, while the later was the only track to feature Marcus Holler).

A year later, the trio became a four-piece with the inclusion of the former "Flamin' Groovies and Barracudas" Chris Wilson on second guitar and most of the vocals who had certainly boosted the band's scope. The expanded Fortunate Sons recorded "Karezza". The Fortunate Sons had more than 12 strings to their well-horned bow. Highlights of the second and final Fortunate Sons album were "Deep Red", "In Vain" and "Daggers of Justice", the same "Daggers of Justice" was available as a demo version on the "What A Nice Way to Turn Seventeen" (available on Power Pop To The People Vol.2).
The promo copy of Karezza included the song "Your Time Has Come". It was also on the spanish edition of the album. Later, the Fortunate Sons would split and Robin Wills and Jeremy Gluck restarted around 1990 the Barracudas for the "Wait For Everything" album.

Rising

ZS (217 mb) 

Sometimes You win / Under The Light / Down Down / Wastin' Time / Just Another Day / Where We Stand / Burning / Rock'n'Roll Time / All The Time In The World / 20th Century Myth

Karezza

He Who Waits / Deep red / In Vain / Talking / Cold Cold Night / Cut & Run / Dawning / Downbound Train / Neighbourhood / Daggers Of Justice / Let Me Rock

THE DRUG ADDIX MAKE A RECORD (1978)

Prior to the start of her own solo recording career, Kirsty MacColl appeared - masquerading as Mandy Doubt - on the EP. The Drug Addix Make A Record. If you can find it, it was on Chiswick Records SW39, originally released in June 1978 when Kirsty was only 18.
Kirsty seems most prominent on the Special Clinic track, though as she later said, "All I did on the record was backing vocals. You can barely hear me.. We weren't actually a punk band, but at the time punk was king and we called ourselves that just to get some gigs. Everyone expected an outrageous, Sex Pistols type of band but we weren't. We were all slide guitar and R&B. I was just the token boiler on backup vocals... Of course that annoyed me but you've got to start somewhere. If you can't really sing and you can't play anything, you can't argue about it." kirstymaccoll.com

songs
Gay Boys In Bondage (also available on the compilation The Chiswick Story) / Addington Shuffle / Special Clinic / Glutton For Punishment

KIRSTY MacCOLL - DESPERATE CHARACTER (1981)

1981 saw Kirsty's first album released on Polydor. In style it was poppy with early evidence of the Kirsty "wall of sound". Back of sleeveChip Shop is the strongest track but teenage angst prevails throughout. Getting out of "this place" and boy songs set the lyrical tone of the album. The Kirsty penned Teenager in love, See that girl and Clock goes round are all decent enough pop songs which give a clue that there was a real talent emerging here. This is the best collection of the early MacColl in action.
Produced by Nick Lowe with ace sidemen Billy Bremner, Philip Rambow, Lew Lewis and Gavin Povey who helped her whip up a lively rock-country-pop stew that could be a female-led Rockpile. Never released on CD, some tracks later recycled on compilations. kirstymaccoll.com

Songs
Clock Goes Round / See That Girl / There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis / Teenager In Love / Mexican Sofa / Until The Night / Falling For Faces / Just One Look / The Real Ripper / Hard To Believe / He Thinks I Still Care / There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis (country version)

BETTE BRIGHT & THE ILLUMINATIONS
RHYTHM BREAKS THE ICE (1981) + SINGLES (1979-1981)

Criminally underused in Deaf School, Bette Bright blossomed into an exciting performer on this solo effort, thanks partly to the help of clever friends.
In the late 1970s, Bright was a singer for art rock-band Deaf School. After Deaf School disbanded, Bright went on solo with her backing band, The Illuminations. Band members were Henry Priestman (formerly with band Yachts), Rusty Egan (Rich Kids) and Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, Rich Kids). Their single debut "My Boyfriend's Back" in 1979 was followed by "The Captain of Your Ship" which became a minor airplay hit. Their third single, "Hello, I Am Your Heart" even entered the official UK chart and spent a week at #50.

ZS (419 mb)

 

Singles not available on the album.
There were two more singles that can be found on the LP.

My Boyfriend's Back (Radar ADA 18)

My Boyfriend's Back / Hold On, I'm Comin'

The Captain Of Your Ship (Radar ADA 21)

The Captain Of Your Ship / Those Greedy Eyes

When You Were Mine (Korova Kow 14P)

When You Were Mine (same version) / Soulful Dress

In between, Bette (using her real name, Anne Martin) spent a while as singer of Dutch band Gruppo Sportivo, and she also appeared in Malcolm McLaren's Sex Pistols movie The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle.

Rhythm Breaks the Ice was produced by fellow Deaf School graduate Clive Langer and his partner, Alan Winstanley, the team behind Madness' phenomenal success. (Bright intertwined the family trees by marrying that band's singer, Graham McPherson, in 1981.) Her backing band on this album - still called The Illuminations - looked very much like the band Clive Langer & the Boxes: Clive Langer (guitar/sitar), Ian Broudie (guitar), James Eller (bass); Mr Jo Allen and Martin Hughes (drums); and Ben Barson, brother of Madness-keyboarder Mike Barson (keyboards). Here they balanced studio smarts with the need to emphasize Bright's plaintive tones, and came up with a canny modern-day variation on Phil Spector. The full, smooth sound has a kaleidoscopic quality, continually shifting to highlight the key element in the arrangement — guitar, marimba or whatever — and providing Bright with a perfect launching pad for her soaring style.

Rhythm Breaks The Ice
When You Were Mine / On A Night Like This / Hello, I Am Your Heart / All Girls Lie / Take What You Find / Talking Whispers / Thunder And Lightning / Shoorah Shoorah / Some Girls Have All The Luck / Tender Touch / Hold On

X-TEENS - LOVE AND POLITICS (1984)

Part of the early-'80s explosion of Southern power pop, the X-Teens emulated the quirky wit and geeky tension of new wavers like Elvis Costello, XTC, and Talking Heads. The group was formed in Durham, North Carolina, and featured guitarist/vocalist Robert Bittle, keyboardist/vocalist Todd Jones, bassist/vocalist Kitty Moses, and drummer Ned Robie. Their debut release was the Don Dixon-produced EP Big Boy's Dream, issued on the local Moonlight label in 1980. Local legends Dixon and Mitch Easter both worked on the band's self-titled first album, which was released on Dolphin in 1983, several years after it was originally completed. The follow-up, 1984's Love and Politics, was the band's biggest seller, even scoring a little MTV airplay with the single "Change Gotta Come." However, that taste of success led to internal tensions, and the X-Teens split up in 1985. Jones and Robie formed 4 Who Dared, while Bittle and Moses embarked on their own project; neither achieved the respectable underground profile of their former vehicle. AMG. If someone has the EP, please let me know. The First LP can be found on subversivesounds

Songs
Hostage Of My Heart / All Day Long / Say It Isn't So / Change Gotta Come / D.I.F.Y / Rain Rain Go Away / Western Eyes / Don't Listen To Me / You Belong With Me / Soaring / Kiss And Make-up Time / It Was Something

TOM PETTY - OFFICIAL LIVE 'LEG (1976)

The Official Live Bootleg (1976 US Shelter ABC Records 4-track 1-sided promotional vinyl LP recorded live at Paul's Mall, Boston on 12 December 1976). My copy is a white Shelter/ABC Records label TP-12677.

Songs
Jaguar & The Thunderbird / Fooled Again (I Don't Like It) / Luna / Dog On The Run

TROUBLE & LOVE

JUSTIN TROUBLE (1983) ROCK OLA (1984)

Justin Love (a.k.a.Justin trouble is one of the most unknown artist of the 80's, but also one of the most treasured (at least on my side...)
For the ones who don't know him, if you like Sylvain Sylvain and his pals, you'll love Justin Trouble (Love). Here are two great reviews about the Justin Love (Trouble) artist. The french edition of the first LP had a different artwork than the American issue.

Since the release of the self-titled LP "Justin Trouble" this guy is a mystery to me. Probably from New York, sounding sometimes like Byrds east-coast revisited", also akin to the pop-tinged r'n'r of Sylvain Sylvain or even of Jim Basnight's Moberlys, the guy was well and truly highly inspired for hooks and melodies. Kind of elegant pop with street credibility if this means something ! The 17 tracks of the (first) LP alternated fresh melodic rockers (with Johnny Thunders-like guitar licks) and echoed ballads.
A perfect soundtrack for urban romances. His ballads carried the same charm and fragility you could hear in "So Alone": somewhat of a nostalgic tone slightly timeless. Definitively worth seeking... Fans of more r'n'r-oriented stuff (read Thunders-oriented) should investigate his first single "No love"/"Ponytail", released prior to the LP. Dolls affiliation for sure, because not only did Johnny Thunders produced and co-wrote "No love", but he often had the band open shows for his Heartbreakers. Actually "Justin Trouble" was the first record released, the second having been released under the flickname Justin Love a year later. He also released two singles. bubblegum.the.punk

 Ponytail (1980) ZS (42 mb)

Ponytail / No Love
Touch The Sky (1982) ZS (79 mb) 

Touch The Sky / Millionnaire

Justin Trouble (1983) ZS (312 mb)
Looking For A World / Missile / Rosy Sweaters / Let's Get Together / Rockin' Susie / Gimme A Kiss / You've Got Me Running / I Wanna Tell You Something / Wake Up In The Morning / Hangin' Around / Sadness, Stay Away / I Don't Know Why / Watch Her Bop / Broken Heart / Where's The Love / Pressure Plot

Rock-Ola (1984) ZS (282 mb)
No Question / Six Gun / Grey Clouds / New Doors / Gold Mine / In A Dream / Scoot / Frustration / Why / That's For sure / Midnight / New Musik / Top Of The World

THE NEIGHBORHOODS
FIRE IS COMING (1984) ...THE HIGH HARD ONE... (1986)

Hailing from Boston, The Neighborhoods started out playing strong power pop (a 1980 single, "Prettiest Girl," remains a local classic) in the wake of British neo/mods. The eight/song Fire Is Coming is a get your feet wet proposition, relative to the albums; a likable pointer to the future. The production is a bit thin, but you can tell what the horns on the very first track (ambitious idea) were meant to sound like. The cover of "If I Had a Hammer" was a great idea, enthusiastically executed. The first two full/length LPs show maturation; both are full of instantly memorable tunes.

The Who influence (the EP's horns were a hint) is more early Who on High Hard One, and middle Who on Reptile Men. Solid rock'n'roll. The Neighborhoods and vocalist David Minehan toned down the bright melodies and added more energy to become, well, a rock & roll band. After 1987's Reptile Men (available on CD, the Neighborhoods were silent until 1990, when the group again released two albums in two years, Hoodwinked and a self/titled effort. They smashed onto the map in the late 70's, they helped shape a style that's since dominated much of Boston's live/music club scene: a punk/fueled garage/rock sound with big hooks, melodies, and snarling six/strings. (Trouser Press & various)

 

FIRE IS COMING (180 mb)

THE HIGH HARD ONE (233 mb)

 

Fire Is Coming
Fire Is Coming / Shake / Night / It All Makes Sense / Heatwave (Downtown) / Room For Change / Rhyme / Rhyme / If I Had A Hammer

...The High Hard One...
WUSA / Uniforms & Insignia / Arrogance / Faith / Mess / Real Stories / Right As Rain / Yeah You / Think It Over / She's So Good

THE VANDALIAS / SPARROWS (1992)

Released in 1992, the single was supposed to be released as the Sparrows (see labels below) by Susstones Records but a Ten Pop sticker was put over the Susstones label. Actually the long-out-of-print single was the Vandalias debut single and was released by Tenpop Works and Susstones Records. Both songs "Build This House" and "I'd Be A Boy" were Sparrows songs and were both included on Mach V. With the full connivance of longtime partner and Sparrows drummer Pete Lockner, the singer/songwriter introduced the Vandalias to the world with the 1992 single "Build This House." Sarka designed the Vandalias characters and illustrated their first two releases, but surrendered his illustrator's hat to Greg Reinel (see Nicoteens & Nutrajet) when the two collaborated on the Vandalias comic book in 1995. Today check Stingray Green.

Lossless: ZS (61 mb)

A BUNCH OF SINGLES (1977-1999)Some of the songs below were only released on 7", a few of them were later included on various Powerpop compilations, but some have never been available on CD.

Chris Stamey (1977)
The Summer Sun / Where Is The Fun?

Chris Stamey and Alex Chilton. A classic 7" released by the legendary Ork label



Peter Holsapple of The H-Bombs (1978)
Big Black Truck / 96 Sec Blowout / Death Garage

Produced by Chris Stamey and recorded with Mitch Easter on drums, special thanks to Alex Chilton

Chris Stamey & The dB's (1978)
(I Thought) You Wanted To Know / If And When

Released on Car Records, just like the Holsapple EP, maybe they were doomed to play together

Nick Rudd (1991)
Gold / Intangible

The man from Turning Curious / Blown / Weird Summer.

Twiggy (1991)
Beaujolais / Last Word / To The Monument

A few years before June & The Exit Wounds.

Sparrows (1991)
That Kind Of Girl / The Way I Wear My Face
If you dig The Vandalias, you'll love the Sparrows




Sparrows (1992)
Hey Kari G / Smile My CarolineIf you dig The Vandalias, you'll love the Sparrows




The Grip Weeds (1992)
She Brings The Rain / Strange Bird
An earlier lineup of the Grip Weeds, not available on any CD



The Nicoteens (1994)
It Can Only Get Better / You're Gonna Save Me / Real And Spectacular

From Florida, the band before Nutrajet, fronted by Greg Reinel

Permanent Green Light (1996)
Hitler With Mascara / Angela Davis Hair

The last recording from Michael Quercio's band before he formed Jupiter Affect and recorded a new version of Angela Davis Hair with his new outfit

Jack & The Beanstalk (1998)
Your Weirdo / Not Satisfied
Mr Pretty Nothing / Walking Out On Love
The then first new material since their debut CD "And Other Stories"



Donny Denim (1999)
Hey You / Rock'n'Roll Love Affair

One off-band from Brian Hermosillo and Darin Raffaelli, two members of The Fevers

CUB KODA - LET'S GET FUNKY (1983)

After 8 albums with Brownsville Station, Cub Koda went solo and, along his new band The Points, released the excellent Cub Koda & The Points,his first solo album, in 1980 (reissued on CD). In 1983, the french label New Rose released a rare six-song LP called "Let's Get Funky", at the same time a 7" was released with an edited version of the classic "Let's Get Funky" coupled with a cover of "Ten Little Women". The New Rose stuff has never been made available again since, though a couple of songs can be found on the Cub Koda Best Of (1993).

Let's Get Funky
Let's Get Funky / I've Had It / Henrietta / Come Back Home / If Only In My Dreams / The Lights Are On, But Nobody's Home
Single
Let's Get Funky (edited version) / Ten Little Women

BROWNSVILLE STATION (1977)

After the non-success of Motor City Connection (1975), the band wanted an album of "heavier" sounds that the record company absolutely detested. The band wanted an album that would give them FM radio respectability; Big Tree Records wanted the band to steer towards The Osmonds and The Partridge Family. Brownsville parted company with Big Tree after the album's nonsuccess, signing with the newly formed Private Stock label. They assigned Eddie Kramer to produce the next album, and the creative lift he brought to the project was both explosive and wonderful. They were now a quartet again, with Detroit R&B session whiz Bruce Nazarian joining on guitar and vocals; he's singing lead on "Lady (put the light on me)" one of the best shuffles the band ever laid down. But even better was "The Martian Boogie" as a seven-minutes-barn-burning set-closer recorded live in one take, spaceship noises and all. The tune started out as a pastiche of various John Lee Hooker-Junior Parker boogie riffs, then was promptly corrupted into a whole different ball of wax when the band was stuck in a hotel room in Canada watching a lousy sci-fi movie called Not Of This Earth. Brownsville (Station) stumbled through one last album (Air Special) after that, but the hearts weren't in it anymore. (From Cub Koda notes). According to many sources, the Brownsville Station (Private Stock) LP has never been reissued on CD, though a couple of tracks found their way to the excellent Best Of.

Songs
Hot Spit / Sleazy Louise / Lady (Put the Light on Me) / Lover / Mr. Johnson Sez / Throw Me a Lifeline / Rockers 'n' Rollers / My Friend Jack / Ain't That a Shame / The Martian Boogie.

THE ORCHIDS (1980)

The most famous female act produced by Kim Fowley was The Runaways. He also produced the Dyan Diamond solo album (see post below), but a few years later Kim Fowley produced another all-girl group with a former Runaways Laurie McAllister who had replaced Vickie Blue with The Runaways and Laurie Bell who can be heard on the Bomp compilation "Vampires From Outer Space. The band was The Orchids and they released one LP on MCA records in 1980. 

Songs
Girls / The Boy Can't Dance / Bad Guys / When Does Love Turn Out Right / Daughters Of Babylon / Blame It All On The Night / Turn Off The Lights / I'm No Fool / Sunshine Fire / Radio Dream (The Last Song)

THE HOLLYWOOD STARS (1977)

Do you remember rock'n'roll radio?, no, i'm not introducing the Ramones, but Kim Fowley. In 1974, the year ‘Animal God of the Street’ was released, Kim Fowley also gave us a Californian version of the New York Dolls with ‘The Hollywood Stars’. He co-wrote with band leader the glammy smash hit "All The Kids On The Street". But the album also includes some nice tunes, and if you like Raspberries, Artful Dodger, glam powerpop so you have to listen to this album. Terry Rae was for a short time a Flamin' Groovies member (drummer after Danny Mihm left the band). Here's A Terry Rae interview about the beginnings of the band: "Yes. Kim Fowley put together the five of us and helped us write songs. rehearse and shopped us around to the Major record companies. We played the street clubs until we were signed by Pacific Presentations. and Sepp Donahower to manage the group. Before long we signed a recording deal with Columbia and were in the Studio. The Record Plant was the craziest place in town. I had been put in the fast lane for success again. We played the Whisky and the Starwood constantly. and big groups like "the Tubes" or "Journey" would open for US! We didn't even have a record out yet but we had good management". Unfortunately this group was stopped in its tracks by another law suit regarding studio time being charged to Columbia Records that we never had used. It turned out that a major recording artist that was recording at the Record Plant needed a little extra studio time, so they just charged it to us. Nobody would find out right ? WRONG! Mark Anthony, Michael Rummins, Bobby Drier, Ruben DeFuentes and myself would be "THE STARS ". What! There's already a STARZ ? Ok then, "THE HOLLYWOOD STARS" will try it again. Mark Anthony had a lot of new songs and new found energy(money) from kim Fowley placing two of his songs with other artists. Our song "King of the Night time World" was recorded by KISS and "Escape" was done by "ALICE COOPER". With this new claim to fame and a need to prove ourselves, we started out again. Neil Merryweather who would produce a demo tape for us that would get us a deal with the top man with Arista Records, Clive Davis.
The album was released with our single "All the Kids On The Street". We went on the West Coast part or the KINKS "Sleepwalker" Tour. After we got back from the tour there was to much tension between Mark and the rest of us. Soon after our return, Mark quit.." (Terry Rae)
It was the end of The Hollywood Stars. Of course, the album was never reissued on cd, but "All The Kids On The Street" is a classic.

Songs
All The Kids On The Street / Weekend Love / I Need You Tonight / Stay The Way You Are / I Can't Help It / Sunrise On Sunset / Merry-Go Round (Love Is A) / So Blue / All For Love / Make It To The Party

KNOX - PLUTONIUM EXPRESS (1983)

The first and only Knox solo album "Plutonium Express" was released in 1983 on Razor Records, just after The Vibrators disbanded in 1982 (the punk "Guilty" album). Of course, it was never reissued on cd. As a bonus , i also included one of his 7" solo singles - this one is a cover of Syd Barrett's "Gigolo Aunt", and it was released on Armageddon Records - the same label as some The Soft Boys/Robyn Hitchcock releases (Robyn Hitchcock & Matthew Seligman guest here). Another solo single "She's So Goodlooking" was released, but not included here, just because i don't have it...So, just listen to the pop side of Knox. One year later , The Vibrators were back in action...

Songs
Goin' Uptown / Streetheat / Shoot Shoot / Plutonium Express / One Time / Lucy's Cryin' Again / Love Is Burning / Last Broken Heart / Dream Factory / Tired Of Living With You / Bonus Single: Gigolo Aunt / Alligator Man

THE FALLEN ANGELS - WHEEL OF FORTUNE (1989)

The 3rd Fallen Angels album Wheel Of Fortune was never reissued on CD. The Fallen Angels was formed in 1984 with Knox from the Vibrators on vocals and guitar, with the Hanoi Rocks rhythm section of Sam Yaffa on bass, the late Razzle on drums, and Nasty Suicide on rhythm and some lead guitar. Also guesting on the first album were Cosmic Ted and the Psychedelic Kid, (Mike Monroe and Andy McCoy respectively).

The first release was the single "Amphetamine Blue" followed by the album "FALLEN ANGELS". The first album is the only one available on CD. Knox then put a line up together to do live work in the UK which comprised of Knox (vocals/guitar), Matt Kellett (guitar), Mark Duncan (bass) and Knox's cousin Richard Wernham (ex-Motors, drums). Two more albums were recorded, this time for Jungle, Fallout's sister label. "IN LOVING MEMORY" (1986) was a more introspective pop album than the first. It also featured Andy McCoy and Nasty Suiside on guitars. The third (and last album) was called "WHEEL OF FORTUNE" (1989) and also had Nasty Suicide guesting on guitar. It too was a fairly introspective pop album. The band played a few more gigs including two festivals in Greece, and ended up as a three-piece before calling it a day as there didn't seem to be enough interest in the band. Read the full story here: the fallen angels story

Songs
Yeenage / Perfect Love / Clouds / Is This The Way Love's Supposed To Be / Acid Rain / Dirt / I'm Gonna Love You 'Til The Day I Die / Girl / Dirty Money / I Love You

Power Pop Vol. 2 (1982-1999)

POWERPOP TO THE PEOPLE VOL 2 (1982-1999)

 

ZS1 + ZS2 (562 mb)

ZS (179 mb) 

 

Hello again, here's the second compilation specially made for all the bloggers. 24 songs more or less well known from all of us. The opening cut was an unreleased Club Wow song "Norman Green". The Jack & The Beanstalk song is from a french 7" EP, while Donny Denim is a side project from two Fevers members. Of course , you know the Sparrows were the Vandalias before they changed their name. The Walter Clevenger track was available on his out-of-print first limited edition Tape. The demo of Daggers of Justice was first released on the "What A Nice Way To Turn 17" freebie LP. I also included a few BOB freebies (flexis) with some rare songs (Redd Kross, Matthew Sweet and Speedboat). The Imperial Drag demo (1994) was intended for the unreleased second album. Darian's cover of the Brian Wilson classic was only available on a french 7". The Posies song is from a Spanish single which contains versions of songs that were originally intended for the unreleased Eclipse album. Michael Quercio can be heard twice - one with the Permament Green Light's last offering while the rare Three O'Clock's I Go Wild was produced by Don Gehman for the soundtrack of a lost 80's movie. The Playmates were from Sweden. The version of Paul Collins' song is different from the one that can be heard on his One Night (1988) album. And finally Twiggy's Todd Fletcher is now with June & The Exit Wounds. See comments.

THE FROGGIES - GET FROGG'D (1985)

Imagine a french band called the Froggies with an album entitled "Get Frogg'd". This is no joke. Fronted by Johan Asherton (a great Marc Bolan fan, he wrote a T.Rex biography), after a first "garage"album "Hour Of The Froggies", the Froggies moved to a more sophiscated powerpop and released "Get Frogg'd" in 1985 on the french label Madrigal (french home of the Fortunate Sons). Also note the presence of Jim Lowry with The Froggies, the very same Jim Lowry who was in the Roulettes (the 80's band). Johan Asherton went solo after the second Froggies album and a brief stay with Liquid Gang. He released a few solo albums you can hear there on the great Eternally Yours blog.

Songs

Leather & Lace / Take The Money And Run / Can't Wait To Cheat Your Lover / Nobody But You / (There's A) Party In The Cave / Apollonia Von Ravenstein / Clues / Lookin' Around / Lucy, Lucy / Beautiful Despair / I Can't Face It / The Girl I Need

THE BROKEN HOMES - BROKEN HOMES (1986)

The first Broken Homes album was recorded in 1986 and produced by Jeff Eyrich, (of Plimsouls, T Bone Burnett, Blasters and Gun Club fame). The music on this album is somewhere between The Del Fuegos (this particuliar way to play heartland garage rock with the rootsy twang of Dixie-fried rockabilly and roots-conscious rock 'n' roll), Tom Petty ("Yes, it's all over now" takes a jangle rock page from Tom Petty's book with its singalong chorus taken from "American girl"), and The Plimsouls (Jeff Eyrich had produced "Everywhere at Once"). The first album was never reissued on cd, and this very first album was to remain their best work. Subsequent two albums were much less satisfying. The Jeff Eyrich musical direction did a lot for the quality of this eponymous album.

BROKEN HOMES was put together by Philadelphia native Mike Doman. The band had the distinction of signing a deal with MCA Records in the first week of 1986, but despite becoming one of the biggest bands in Los Angeles club circuit, the records failed to do the band justice at retail. 1988's 'Straight Line Through Time' produced by Tony Berg saw Ian McLagan contributing keyboards. The third album, ‘Wing And A Prayer’, was produced by Andy Johns. Mike Doman and the Broken Homes were featured on the original soundtrack of the 48 Hours sequel (Another 48 Hours - 1990) with "I'm All Right (Get Him A Doctor)". Bassist Jimmy Ashhurst would join Izzy Stradlin's Ju Ju Hounds band in early 1993. Ashhurst, along with guitarist Craig 'Kreg' Ross joined Ian McLagan's Bump Band before Ross took up with Lenny Kravitz.

 
ZS (244 mb)

Songs

In Another Land / An L.A Rain / Out In The Fields / Painless Saturday / Steeltown Bluestown / I'll Be Wearing Blue / 30.000 Feet / Yes It's All Over Now

RICHARD BARONE & JAMES MASTRO - NUTS & BOLTS (1983)

Here's the first work given to us by Richard Barone and James Mastro, Just After the first Bongos album "Drums Along the Hudson" (1982)(an expanded version of the Time and the River mini-album, itself a compilation of singles). The Bongos expanded from a trio with the fulltime addition of guitarist James Mastro (who also played with Richard Lloyd on the Alchemy album). In an offbeat variation on the solo record concept, Barone and Mastro dropped down to North Carolina to record "Nuts and Bolts" in collaboration with Mitch Easter. Each Bongo takes a side to showcase his own writing and singing, while helping the other out as well. Then, Barone and Mastro soon released the first Bongos as a quartet "Numbers With Wings" (1983), and split after "Beat Hotel" (1985). Both were reissued on a "2 albums on 1 CD". Richard Barone went solo and gained critical acclaim, James Mastro joined "The Health & Happiness Show".

Lossy: ZS (77 mb)
Lossless: NK (216 mb)

Songs
Richard Barone Side
I've Got a Secret / Flew A Falcon / My Sin / Five Years Old / Lost Like Me / Jacob's Ladder
James Mastro Side
Time Will Tell / Dizzy / Angel In My Pocket / Jamais / No One Has To Know

DYAN DIAMOND - IN THE DARK (1978)

Dyan Diamond was an obscure, L.A.-based new waver with strong rockabilly roots rock leanings, Dyan Diamond showed a lot of promise as both a singer and a composer in the late 1970s but never broke through commercially. Diamond had some prominent figures in her corner, including producer manager songwriter Kim Fowley (known for his work with everyone from the Hollywood Argyles to The Runaways) and the L.A.-based DJ Rodney Bingenheimer (who was playing punk and new wave at a time when most commercial radio DJs wouldn't go near either one). But even so, she fell through the cracks. Diamond was only 14 when, in 1976, she auditioned for Venus & the Razor Blades, a punk oriented band that Fowley was putting together. Performing Kiss' "Do You Love Me" during the audition, Diamond sounded older than 14--in fact, those who heard Diamond's lead vocals on such Venus & the Razor Blades recordings as "Finer Things in Life" and "Workin' Girl" could have easily assumed that she was in her early 20s. After Venus & the Razor Blades' breakup in 1977, Diamond went solo and continued to work with Fowley. In 1978, she signed with MCA and recorded her promising, Fowley-produced debut solo album, In The Dark--regrettably, the LP didn't sell, and Diamond was dropped by MCA. The singer continued to play the Hollywood/L.A. rock circuit for a few years after that, performing a lot of original material that wasn't on In The Dark. But Diamond never signed with another label or recorded a second album. Unfortunately, it's doubtful that the long out of print In the Dark will ever be reissued on CD. So if you come across a copy of this LP, grab it at once. AMG REVIEW

 

ZS (222 mb)

Songs

Baby, What You Want Me to Do / Western Avenue / Hot / Teenage Radio Stars /Someone Like Me / Back on the Strip / Mystery Dance / Animal Girl / Nervous / Your Neighborhood / In the Dark / Gonna Rock Ourselves to Death

KIMBERLEY REW & THE WAVES
THE BIBLE OF BOP (1982) SHOCK HORROR! (1983)

These two lps have been officially re-released on cd with bonus tracks and available via Bongo Beat (Canada) and CGB/ADA worldwide and on all digital services (ITunes) etc.

Both albums (and the rest of the pre-Captiol/EMI Katrina & The Waves material) are part of a larger re-issue campaign that includes the first two Attic Records lps. All re-issues are digipaks with bonus tracks and liner notes/interviews. The links have been removed.

Guitarist/songwriter Kimberley Rew may not be a household name, but his contributions to the new wave movement were quite significant. First, as a member of the seminal neo-psychedelic/punk outfit the Soft Boys, Rew's ringing, Byrdsy riffs combined with those of leader and future cult icon Robyn Hitchcock to exert a massive influence on groups like R.E.M., whose jangly guitar-pop would become one of the dominant sounds in '80s alternative rock. When the Soft Boys disbanded, Rew formed The Waves to be called later Katrina & The Waves, best known for their one huge hit single "Walking on Sunshine"; Rew composed that song as well as "Going Down to Liverpool," which was originally recorded by The Waves but achieved greater recognition after being covered by the Bangles. Shock Horror! (only released in England) compiles the very first recordings of The Waves produced by Pat Collier (Vibrators, Boyfriends and renowned producer). As a solo artist, Rew's only release for years remained the 1982 compilation The Bible of Bop, which featured Rew's performances backed by the Soft Boys, The Waves, and the dB's. That all changed in 2000, when after years of silence he released his proper solo debut, Tunnel Into Summer. In 2001, Rew returned to the studio as a solo act, and released Great Central Revisited. The Soft Boys reunion proved to be short lived, with Hitchcock disbanding the group in 2003; Rew responded by returning to the studio, and completing a fourth solo set, Essex Hideaway, which appeared in 2005. AMG
All of the Kimberley Rew solo CD's are strongly recommended and can be easily purchased. (Amazon)

THE BIBLE OF BOP

Nightmare (The Waves) / Stomping All Over The World (The Soft Boys) / Nothing's Going To Change (The Soft Boys) / Fighting Someone's War (The Soft Boys) / My Baby Does Her Hairdo Long (The dB's) / Walking In The Dew (The dB's) / Fishing (The dB's) / Hey War Pig (The Waves)

SHOCK HORROR!

Going Down To Liverpool / Strolling On Air / Riding My Bike / I Caught The Milk Train / Brown-Eyed Son / You Can't Stand Next To Jullie / Atomic Rock 'n' Roll / Saturday Week