Category Archives: powerpop

R.I.P. to The Easybeats, Stevie Wright

Posted by Palmer Eldritch on

The Easybeats were Australia’s finest proponents of 60’s Garage Beat, Pop and Psych, and Stevie Wright was undoubtedly one of the finest singers to emerge from that scene. With 1966’s slice of pure Pop perfection, Friday on My Mind, The Easybeats cracked the Top 20 in both the US and UK, a feat that no future Easy’s single was able to repeat. Their lack of international follow up success is as  confounding as it is a shame, as The Easybeats were clearly one of the era’s best. Thankfully their homeland gave the boys the chart topping success that they deserved with three numbers ones, and a string of successful singles.

The good news is that there is a substantial amount of footage of the band in their prime, which clearly backs their legend. Enjoy.

From the bands 1968 Pop Psych masterpiece, Vigil, which featured the party rocker, Good Times, which has become a staple of numerous bands live sets over the ensuing years.

 

 

The story of Harvey Danger’s, Flagpole Sitta.

Posted by Palmer Eldritch on

http://www.avclub.com/article/why-harvey-dangers-90s-alt-rock-hit-flagpole-sitta-227937
So I just watched the first episode of the new, and final, season of one of the funniest shows of all time, Peep Show, to which Flagpole Sitta provides the theme, and wanted to post this interesting, recent look at the enduring legacy of a nineties one hit wonder. Now barring the aforementioned hit, I was entirely unfamiliar with Harvey Danger’s catalog, but as for as random nineties alterna radio rock goes, this is one of the few songs that I’ve always enjoyed hearing (the Peep Show connection has only legitimized that feeling). Cute, catchy and instantly recognizable, the music belies the song’s cynical and disaffected lyrical bent, which only adds to it’s credibility as a Post-Grunge, Powerpop/Pop-Punk though it is, generational anthem.

Having listened to the other songs linked in this post, I think that had they been around in the more indie band friendly eighties, Harvey Danger could have ridden the crest of College Rock, alongside R.E.M., The Replacements, and other such luminaries, to a place well beyond the land of the one hit wonder. Either way, it’s nice to hear a popular Rock song from that era that doesn’t suck. Know what I mean?

Been around the world and found
That only stupid people are breeding
The cretins cloning and feeding
And I don’t even own a TV

Also, is it just me or does anyone else think that it bears at least a slight resemblance to this part of Willie Wonka’s bad trip boat ride? Anyone wanna do a mash up?

Emitt Rhodes is crowdfunding his first full length release in over 40 years!

Posted by Palmer Eldritch on

While a few songs have trickled forth from Rhodes over the past five, or so, years, this will be the first full length release since 1973’s, Farewell To Paradise. Rhodes’ band includes Roger Manning Jr and Jason Falkner, perhaps best known for their work with Beck and Air, and features appearances by Aimee Mann, Susannah Hoffs, and Wilco’s Pat Sansone and Nels Cline (who both previous to and concurrent with his Wilco tenure, is a highly acclaimed, and often experimental, Jazz guitarist), to name a few. Powerpop lovers rejoice!

Follow the link to donate and watch a video about the recording.
http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/emittrhodes

An unreleased, 13 track, early 70’s Powerpop gem, from Peach & Lee, featuring Hilly Michaels.

Posted by Palmer Eldritch on

Damn this is good, and the Badfinger comparison is apt. You may notice that in the comments, someone from Titan Records attempting to contact the poster. Hopefully, these recordings will see an official release soon, as it is, this youtube post is the sole source for now. Rejoice, lovers of vintage Powerpop.

Here’s the group’s only official release, a 1971 single on RCA.

Song of The Day: The Last – She Don’ t Know Why I’m Here

Posted by Palmer Eldritch on

Sometime in the mid-90’s I scored copies of the first two The Last records, in a DC thrift, signed by the Nolte brothers. Thankfully, of all the stuff I’ve ditched since then, I still have them. Some of the best American Powerpop to have arisen from the 60’s jangle revival. The Last feature pretty heavily, both as influence and through Karl Alvarez and Bill Stevenson signing on as members of a reunited The Last, in The Descendents/All documentary, Filmage, which probably did more for the popularity of The Last than anything since signing to Bomp.

We’re always making plans for Colin

Posted by Palmer Eldritch on

Though Andy Partridge was the principal songwriter for XTC, bassist Colin Moulding contributed several of the groups biggest and best, including Life Begins At The Hop, Making Plans For Nigel, and Generals and Majors. Happy birthday, Colin!