5 Forgotten Power Pop Bands (That Are Actually GREAT!)
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- Опубліковано 2 чер 2024
- Some power pop bands have come and gone so quickly that they have nearly been forgotten by all but the most devoted fans, leaving some great music lost to history. Join Bijan while he highlights some of his favorites and counts down five forgotten power pop bands that are actually great!
For those of you who have never forgotten these bands, thank you! I am grateful to those of you who have brought some of them to my attention! I aim to spread the word to our little corner of the internet, as well.
At the risk of giving one of them away, if you're interested in learning more about the planned documentary for one of these bands, check out: explodingheartsfilm.com/. Not sure if they are stalled due to funding or what, but please feel free to look into it and help them if so inclined.
And, of course, if you like these videos and want to see more, please subscribe to Pop Rocks Radio and stay tuned for more musical adventures with Bijan! Don't forget to hit that like button if you enjoyed the video and share it with fellow power pop lovers. 💥
Some great reading on Power Pop:
amzn.to/3rPybRQ
amzn.to/45lg6ZF
00:00 Introduction
00:35 Number 5
01:19 Number 4
02:06 Number 3
02:48 Number 2
03:38 Number 1 - Розваги
The Pursuit of Happiness. Pearl Harbour and The Explosions. Phil Seymour. Holly and The Italians. The Nerves. The dBs.
dBs; "Black and White" !
Such a great list! That first Pursuit of Happiness album never gets old (produced by Todd Rundgren, too!). Big fan of Phil Seymour (and Dwight Twilley Band!)...check out the short video on the channel about them...too underrated. Have to admit I haven't heard Pearl Harbour and The Explosions, but will check them out today. Thanks for the great recs and thanks for watching!
Gotta agree on TPOH, I played Love Junk pretty much non stop.
Love the DBs, but wouldn’t label them as Power Pop.❤
@@dirkpehrke9909 They're a tough one...could fall into a few categories: indie, jangle pop, power pop to name a few. Probably why they're they're so great. Thanks for watching!
One of my favorite under appreciated Power Pop bands is the Chicago band Material Issue. Great band and sad story. They deserved so much more.
Such a great band! Just digging through their short career there are so many awesome songs. I’m planning a short for them…love to give them as much attention as I can in our little corner of the internet. Thanks for shouting them out and thanks for watching!
@superred5 I totally agree. Saw them in 91 opening for Simple Minds
Saw them in '92 opening for Concrete Blonde. Good band.
Material Issue was awesome. Their music still sounds great 30 years later.
I came in here specifically hoping someone would mention Material Issue and I was not disappointed.
How about The Bongos from NJ? Their album Drums Along the Hudson is a lot of fun.
Boy, haven't listened to them for a while! That album is definitely a lot of fun. Thanks for giving them a shout-out and thanks for watching!
Love it. I'd never heard of any of them, but they all looked and sounded really good to my ears.
I've been playing since 1967. I tell people all the time - there are hundreds (thousands?) of great bands you've never heard of, and its not because they weren't good musicians or didn't have good songs. Its just a difficult planet.
Nicely said! The music business seems brutal, and the cream doesn't always rise to the top. My hope for this channel has been to do my small part to give these bands some of the attention they deserve. Thanks for watching!
Right! For a real treat, check out the *Limb* album by Justin Clayton, who had previously collaborated with Julian Lennon. Limb came out in the late 90s, and comes across like a cross between early Radiohead, the Beatles, and Byrds, and every bit as great. A few of the tracks I like best are the driving power pop opener, "Collide," "Miles Away," which has a great understated guitar break, and the ethereal "Slide".
My vote for best forgotten power pop band is LA's The Pop. Members went on to be founding members of The Motels and The Cars.
Have to admit I hadn't heard them, but listened to a few tracks so far and love what I'm hearing. Thanks for bringing them to my attention and thanks for watching!
The Vapors. New Clear Days is an excellent album. A couple of dud tracks, "Turning Japanese" is one of my least favourites, but most of the songwriting and musicianship, including on "News at Ten", " Sixty Second Interval" and "Bunkers" is addictive.
I admit that I never gave the "rest" of the album as much attention as it deserves till just now. Those tracks you list are great! Thanks for the rec and thanks for watching!
The 2nd album Magnets, has some real gems on it as well
@@alanrobertson155 Adding to the list to dig into...thanks!!
Wow - thanks for this list! I never heard of any of these bands, and I pride myself on obscure band lore. Good job!
Thanks for the kind words! What I love about doing this channel is people turning me on to bands I never knew...so many, too! Thanks for watching!
I'm happy to have discovered your channel! I love the whole history of power pop, but my favorite era is the 90s. Someone's already mentioned Material Issue, but another BRILLIANT band that emerged in the 90s (and is still making great records and touring to this day) is Ireland's own Ash. A tremendous three-piece that write great songs, rocks out, and even experiements a bit here and there. Another great band from the 70s is Billy Quier's Piper, who made two FLAWLESS LPs in the late 70s. I look forward to your content!
Thank you! Ash is a great band, and I totally agree about the Piper albums. Billy Squier's solo albums are really worth a listen, as well! Thanks for shouting them out and thanks for watching!
Great video. More power pop to explore!😃
Awesome...finding new bands to explore is one of my favorite parts of doing this! Thanks for watching!
Shoes (from Illinois) were great in the late 70’s.
Love Shoes! Have a short planned for them soon. Thanks for watching!
Love Shoes!😃
2:06 - The Photos' lone s/t album is one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITES. I am SO glad you included it!
Suggestions for Vol. 2:
THE BEAT (aka PAUL COLLINS' BEAT_ -s/t (USA 1979)
THE CHORDS- "Something's Missing" (UK 80)
THE DOLL- "Listen To the Silence" (UK 79)
THE GAS- "Emotional Warfare" (UK 81)
The Beat is one of my favs, and I think the Chords are great, as well. I have to check out The Doll and The Gas…I love it when someone turns me on to bands I don’t know! Thanks for the recs and thanks for watching!
@@poprocksradio Think you'll agree the Chords' LP is a brilliant fusion of early Clash and early Jam! While the Gas' first album recalls later period Jam ("Setting Sons"/"Sound Effects"-era) fronted by a more depressed and desperate Elvis Costello!
The Doll were proof that One-Hit-Wonder status is not limited to the USA. The had a strong hit in the summer of 70 with "desire me"- even appeared on Top of the Pops twice to promote it. Unfortunately "Listen To the Silence" was an apt title for their lone LP... since NOBODY bought it! This is TOO BAD since it is a BEAUTIFUL album! An early mixture of Power Pop and Techno "Silence" gives listeners one pleasant memorable song after another.
The Photos actually had two albums. The Photos (1980) and Crystal Tips and Mighty Mice (1981). I have both on CD but the second one is harder to find.
@@craigdorsey8624 Ah…you’re absolutely right! Don’t know how I missed that…thanks for the correction! Need to track that one down for a listen!
The Heats also had a 2nd album, Burnin’ Live, which is great but also hard to find.
Excellent! A very honorable mention for the notorious punk rocker Stiv Bators of the Dead Boys, a Raspberries fan before he got into punk rock, who put on his power pop hat, and released a fine power pop album with stellar collaborators called *Disconnected* shortly after the Dead Boys disbanded, which was re-released as *The Lord and the New Creatures,* which is what I have on vinyl.
Great shout-out! I had only seen that album released on Bomp! under Stiv Bators, but I looked and found The Lord and the New Creatures album online…slightly different track list. Will have to check it out! I think “Make Up Your Mind” and “A Million Miles Away” are just awesome. Reminds me, if you haven’t seen the movie “Tapeheads”, there is a great scene with the Stiv Bators that just cracks me up. Thanks for watching!
@ballhawk387 I thoroughly agree on Stiv and the Disconnected album! He had a knack for great hooks ("I Wanna Forget You, Just the Way Your Are") and his band for that album included Frank Secich from Blue Ash, who also wrote some of the songs. Later in the '80s, Stiv also did a cover of "Story In Your Eyes" by the Moody Blues, which also has a similar feel. While not so much power pop, his last band Lords of the New Church were also great.
@@therowanmorrison very cool...didn't know Frank Secich was on that album! Thanks!!
@@therowanmorrisonYeah, Lords of the New Church. Which was actually the most *savage* live band I was ever fortunate enough to catch live in '82 and '83. They tore into the tunes like a pack of starved wolves, and did not let up.
Sadly, Stiv died way too soon due to complications from an accident he didn't take seriously enough to get proper treatment in time, just before lesser bands got very popular doing music similar to what the Lords had been doing.
Great list! I've heard Screams and Exploding Hearts but was unfamiliar with the other three. Will have to check them out.
Awesome...thanks for watching!
I knew three of these bands, The Heats, The Keys and The Photos.
The other two I'll have to check out now!! Thanks for another power pop history fix. 😉
Hey Rich! Screams and The Exploding Hearts, I admit, stretch the definition of power pop a little, but I think they're great, just the same. Thanks for watching!
@@poprocksradio Yeah well, Taylor Swift stretches the definition of country so you can be forgiven. 😁
@@richalderson6069 😂
Loved 20/20. Incredible songs, harmonies, and jingle jangle guitars that made their debut album a power pop masterpiece that I still enjoy to this day. As a sidetone; I had the extreme pleasure of seeing them twice back in their 70's heyday; the first time in 1977 at UCLA, (where they warmed up for the Ramones), and then at the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach (where they headlined). I was actually part of that scene with my own band, School of Thought (which you can find on Spotify). In a perfect world, 20/20 would have been huge.
Absolutely LOVE 20/20...their first album is nothing short of perfection. Have a short planned for them, too. Thanks for giving them a shout-out and thanks for watching!
Remember borrowing my hip friends 20/20 album in middle School. Awesome ! Producers were also talented and had early MTV play in early 80’s!
20/20, Shoes, Records and on and on... too man6 great bands fading into history
Hope to keep them alive in our little corner of the internet if we can!
Just discovered your channel and subscribed. A nicely put together video, and of course some cool music ... I'm a fan of power pop. I post occasional videos on power pop new releases and also have a playlist called Power Pop Shakers ... Number 2 on your list have had their album reissued on Third Man this year. I suspect that long-promised documentary on the band will also get off the ground at some point.
Hi Carl...thanks for the sub! I have been enjoying your Power Pop Shakers playlist and subscribed to you, as well. Thanks for checking us out!
@@poprocksradio I'll check out some more of your videos soon. All the best!
@@carltweed942 Looking forward to doing the same...thanks!
That was a fascinating video. I was around at the time and gorged myself on weekly/monthly music publications, however I don't recall any of these bands. Thanks.
Awesome...thanks for watching!
Really enjoyed this - knew next to nothing about every single band. Thanks for broadening my soundscape 🙏 New Sub ✔️
Awesome...thanks for the sub and thanks for watching!
Love the content and just subscribed. Keep posting!
I really appreciate that...thank you!!
Vertical Horizons -power pop band 1999. 3-4 ? hits and gone... Everything You Want , You're a God, Best I Ever Had.
oh yeah...I remember them! Not sure what happened with them. "Everything You Want" was a huge hit! Looks like they keep putting out albums, though. Thanks for giving them a shout-out and thanks for watching!
Sloan from Canada, going since 1992 and still at it!
Don't know how those guys do it...still putting out great music. Thanks for shouting out such a great band and thanks for watching!
Very good video, thanks.
Thanks for watching!
Silver Sun from the UK are a great overlooked 90s power pop band
Thanks for the tip just checked them out , AWESOME and just bought Neo Wave cd off ebay dirt cheap , thanks .
Great band! I admit I hadn't heard of them till I heard someone mention them on a podcast...happy they did! Thanks for giving them a shout-out!
(Love when stuff like this happens!). Thanks for watching!
I'd pick Material Issue. Their album 'International Pop Overthrow ' is fantastic.
Great album and a great band! They're definitely one of those "should have been bigger" bands. Thanks for watching!
Good stuff, will have to check out The Keys as Joe Jackson is one of my favorite artists. Also, I'll mention a somewhat current band to check out - The Empty Hearts featuring members of The Cars, Blondie and The Romantics.
I think someone else recommended those guys, too...I listened a bit to their second album (titled "The Second Album"!) and really like them! Definitely going to dig into them some more. Thanks for the rec and thanks for watching!
Easiest subscription I've ever given. Great picks here.
Welcome to the channel! I really appreciate your kind words. Thanks for the sub and thanks for watching!
Psychodots from Cincinatti, OH also the Bears featuring Adrian Bellow
Adding to my list to check out today...thanks for the recs and thanks for watching!
(Love what I'm hearing so far, btw...thanks again for the rec!)
Thanks so much for this, definitely will be checking these out. If they haven't been mentioned already I would love to see something on The Tremblers, won't mention who they are but you might be surprised. Also Sloan, Off Broadway, the High Dials, even the Jags which is more "new wave"
Wow...I watched a live performance of their song "Green Shirt" and was so surprised to see their lead singer like this! Didn't know he had it in him! 😂. That was great! I'll see what else I can learn about them. Your list is great, too! I had only not heard of The High Dials...I like what I'm hearing and will dig in more. Thanks for the recs and thanks for watching!
Glad you enjoyed it. This is why I didn't mention the lead singer so you don't have a tainted thought before hand. The album is really really good but I would say great considering. Glad you liked other but don't forget Off Broadway, they have the guys from the Pez Band who are also brilliant@@poprocksradio
@@johnny5475 You know, I actually didn't realize the overlap between Off Broadway and Pezband (like three original members of Pezband!). I think both are awesome. Thanks for that!
Ok, that was pretty great and I enjoyed it a lot. Thank you for all the goodness and I hope we can all appreciate it. Yup. ❣️😁
Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching!
Check out New England's self-titled album from 1979. They sound like ELO crossed with Cheap Trick and Boston, with lots of hooks.
I hadn’t heard them before but listened a bit to their first album last night…really great! I definitely hear the ELO influence, with a dash of Queen, as well. Produced by Paul Stanley (a closet power popper, himself!). I read that Todd Rundgren produced their third album so I’m excited to check that out, as well. Thanks for the rec and thanks for watching!
I have the record, love the song “Don’t ever wanna lose you”
I used to have The Photos’ LP . Great stuff!
Thanks for watching!
ill check these bands out , the snippets on here they sound great .
Awesome...thanks for watching!
Robert Johnson , a guitarist from Memphis who , at one time , was considerd as a possible replacemnt for Mick Taylor when he left the Stones , Johnson later played guitar in John Entwistles Ox.....in 1978 he released his first album , Close Personal Friend , which is classic power pop and a record that is uniformly excellent from start to finish
Listened to a few tracks off that album...that guy is one heckuva a guitar player! I haven't watched this yet, but this gentlemen made a video dedicated to that album, as well: ua-cam.com/video/3nSAWh_eONQ/v-deo.html. Will check that out and dig into it more! Thanks for the rec and thanks for watching!
@@poprocksradio about to watch the link you sent 👍 very much enjoy your channel !!!!!
@@edturner612 I really appreciate that...thank you!!
@@poprocksradiojust wanted to mention , I wrote for PerfectSoundForever at one time and did an article about Shoes (I found Jeff Murphy Linkedn and he was a tremendous help fact checking ) as well as a retrospective on the criminally underrated 70s band , Artful Dodger (another writer put me in touch w/ their bassist Steve Cooper who was a great help with recording dates, who they opened for in the late 70s , and so on).....if you ever do any interviews with band members , I'll be happy to see if Jeff or Steve would like to talk to you..... apologies for this flood of info, but I'm enjoying your channel and just a way to say thank u for puttng this channel together 👍
@@edturner612 Hi Ed...I don't know what to say, but thank you so much! I can't tell you how excited I am at just the prospect...I would absolutely love that. Please, let's connect to discuss further! I'm at bijan@poprocksradio.com. Drop me a line when you have time, if you would. Thank you so much again!
The shoes, 20/20 , Velvet Crush, The Beat, Spongtones, Green, Just to name a few.
Such a great list! I have shorts planned for three of those, but the others are definitely worthy, as well. I have to admit I hadn't heard Green, but what I've heard so far is fun...great energy! Love "She's Not a Little Girl". Thanks for the rec and thanks for watching!
I will look for these bands records as I am a vinyl records collector. I know the drummer from Screams went on to form a pop rockabilly trio in 1982 with his two brothers, The Elvis Brothers. Brad Elvis was the drummer and he has been playing with a fine power pop rock band for a long time, The Romantics (That`s What I Like About You. He still plays with the band or with the main guy from them now, Mike Skill. He and his partner Chloe Orwell have a fine power pop rock band from Chicago now called The Handcuffs - Off The Rails is their latest album.
I had no idea the connection between Screams and The Romantics...thanks for pointing that out! Also, listened to a couple tracks of The Handcuffs' latest...like what I'm hearing. Thanks for the rec and thanks for watching!
Just a minor correction. The Elvis Brothers were/are brothers in the same way that the Ramones were brothers 🙂. For a short time in the mid-to-late 1980s, Brad played in a Champaign-Urbana cover band with Darren Cooper (Three Hour Tour) and Paul Chastain (Velvet Crush). They played Crowded House, Badfinger, and more. Very fun.
Big Star
One of the all-time greats. Thanks for watching!
Love the channel Bijan. Nima just hooked me up. Jeff the 2nd bassist from Turning Point. Still playing? Nima and I still at it.
Jeff! Man, it's been a while...great to hear from you! I remember you well...had a great time with you, Nima, and Robert in the band. I do still play (probably no better than I was back then). Would love to hang with you and Nima when I get home. We can get a drink (since I wasn't old enough to drink last time I saw you!). Thanks for watching too, man!
Let’s do it. Do you have Nima’s info?
@@jeffreywolcott5424 I do! I'll be home in a few months for my mom's bday. Let's set something up!
@@poprocksradio super. What timeframe are you thinking. Got to make sure I’m in town. That would be great. I also have some recordings of unsung band I’ve been in that might fit your format. We can connect somehow.
@@jeffreywolcott5424her bday is in July. If I get there sooner, I’ll let you know! Interested to hear about your band! Hit me up at bijan@poprocksradio.com
The Brains, SHOES, etc. Great video!
Thank you! I had to look up The Brains - didn't realize "Money Changes Everything" was their song! Great rec! And Shoes - if everything works out, we have something kinda cool planned for them on the channel in January. 🤞. Thanks for your kind words and thanks for watching!
Brains songs: One in A Million,,, girl in a magazine, don't give your away, Heart in the street. Great band.
So I couldn't send you the link......sorry. but if you Google : wildfire band California Brownwood " you should find wildfire. They played a show at the junior high school. I was in elementary but my sisters had to watch me.
Brownwood Texas was their destination to record. They even have music on their site. They used Orange Amps, and I remember thinking how amazing, while everyone there was up and running around. The music freed every one. The hair seems like it was to their belt line, unwashed, and this was not really done in San Angelo tx.
@@milesmcmillan-kr6ti Ah, yup...that's them...thanks!
Has anyone mentioned The Pursuit of Happiness yet? '88 single & video "I'm An Adult Now" 😎
Great shout-out! Their album "Love Junk" never gets old...really underrated band. Thanks for calling them out and thanks for watching!
Check out The Explosives from Austin, Texas. In addition to their own music, they sometimes backed Roky Erickson.
I have to admit I had to look them up, but love what I'm hearing so far! (Listened to "I Won't Go Back"). Thanks for the rec and thanks for watching!
Does anyone know of the Screams album is available anywhere? I can't seem to find it!
Hey! Think it’s long out of print, but check discogs.com. Last I checked, they have a bunch listed for sale there. Good luck and thanks for watching!
Thank you for sharing. this just reminds me again how much good music from that era never really got its due. When it comes to power pop, I remember Dwight Twilley and liked what I heard but never found the album. But I think power pop as a genre really got the shaft. Just about anyone around when MTV first came out would remember The Producers, and who talks about them today? Crying shame.
I'm hoping to bring whatever attention we can to artists like The Producers and Dwight Twilley to our little corner of the internet...so underrated! Thanks for watching!
@@poprocksradio Just a few names and tracks that come to mind which you might enjoy. Most have actual music videos, though our beloved Wannabes never got any made. If any of these give you trouble add "Austin" to your search...
Sixteen Deluxe - Idea
Rockland Eagles - Rocket
Sincola - Bitch
Ron Flynt and the Bluehearts - I See Blue, Picasso II
Pong - Foot Foot, Secret Meat
Cotton Mather - Pillbox Hat Made Of Love, April's Fool
Wannabes - August, Itching Jenny, I Am God!
@@KenLieck Working my way through this list...great stuff! Started with Ron Flynt (20/20 is one of my all-time faves)...that guy is amazing. And watched Sixteen Deluxe (I swear in the first band shot of the video she's using a cocktail strainer as a pop filter on her mic...ah, the 90s!). 😂 Loved the Rockland Eagles song, too! Whoever posted the video put this in the description: "The most important music video in history". Amen. 😁. I'll dig into the others, as well...keep them coming! Thanks!!
@@poprocksradio I saw Dwight Twilley about 15 years ago and Ron Flynt of 20/20 was playing bass! I had knocked back a few and yelled for (his absolutely perfect song) 'Cheri,' and he shot me a dirty look- hey, it was Dwight's gig!
@@alzo7891 😂
Great bands!! Artful Dodger and The Records are two of my very favorite Power Pop groups.
You named two of the best, in my humble opinion! If you haven't seen it already, check out the interview I did with Steve and Gary from Artful Dodger: ua-cam.com/video/Y18TN_peH6M/v-deo.html. Such great guys. Thanks for watching!
@@poprocksradio I'll watch later today. Just discovered you channel last night and didn't have time to scroll through. Thanks!!
Nice video! Love that Heats record. Would be great to see you do something on the LA power pop band Candy featuring future GN'R guitarist Gilby Clarke. Their loan album can fetch a lot on the likes of eBay
Thank you! I love it when I find people who know and love The Heats. And great idea about Candy! I think “Whatever Happened to Fun” is just awesome.
@@poprocksradio Agreed! Have you ever heard the album by the Candy spinoff band, Electric Angels? It's also great and was produced by Tony Visconti.
@@therowanmorrison I hadn't heard them but just listened to a few tracks off their s/t debut...so Sunset Strip! Love it!
@@poprocksradio They may have been put into that scene by the record label marketing dept. But much of the album is very power pop in nature. Check out "Head Above Water." Cheers!
@@therowanmorrison oh yeah...great song! The whole thing reminds me a bit of Enuff Z'Nuff - power pop band disguised as hair metal (gotta love these labels and their marketing depts.). Thanks!!
Wow! I don't know any of these bands. I bought a lot of albums then. I wish i would have known them then.
Honestly, me too. But it's never too late to learn about great music, I think! Thanks for watching!
I went to the University of Illinois in the late 1970s and don't remember The Screams. There was a local band named Kool Ray and the Polaroidz (or something like that). I don't know if they released any record.
Had to dig a little to find Kool Ray and the Polaroidz, but what a great find! They seem like a fun band, and "I Heard You Fell" is a great power pop song. Thanks for the rec!
Love every single one of these bands!! Especially The Keys
I say this about a lot of artists, but I have no idea why The Keys weren’t bigger…that album is just great from start to finish. On another note, The Heats are actually back in the studio recording new music…can’t wait! Thanks for watching!
Atlanta's the Producers deserve a big mention.
Good call! I think "Who Do You Think You Are" and "She Sheila" are great songs. Thanks for watching!
@@poprocksradio Thanks for the tips here- I look forward to checking out these five in order!
Saw them live in college in the '80s. Fun band!
Here are a couple of bands that might make a future list. The Cold were huge in the southeast for quite a while in the late 70s and early 80s. Their bass player was Vance DeGeneris, who was a bigger star in New Orleans that Ellen at the time. Another regional band that did well was The Producers. They put out two very sold albums.
Two fun bands! I hadn't heard The Cold till now..."You" is a great song! Looks like there is a bunch on the web about them so I can dig in. And I love The Producers..."Who Do You Think You Are" and "She Sheila" are two of my favs. Thanks for the recs and thanks for watching!
I saw The Cold play in Hammond, La and do a really fun cover of Petula Clark's "Downtown". They were really great. You're right: Vance was more famous than Ellen at the time. She was often introduced as Vance's sister.
The Keys sound really good from this clip. Reminds me of The Squeeze mixed with XTC.
I mentioned The Hitmen on another of your videos. Even if they don't fit your format, I highly recommend their album Torn Together. I think they are more power pop than new wave.
That album from The Keys is really pretty great...not easy to find, but someone has it up on UA-cam. Now that you mention Torn Together, I realize I had the wrong Hitmen when I listened before. 😂. Listened to the right one this time...loved "Bates Motel! Looks like their bass player (Neil Brockbank) produced a ton of Nick Lowe's albums, too. Great stuff...thanks!
Red Rockers, Novo Combo, and Wire Train.
Ah, I remember Red Rockers and Wire Train - boy, I miss stumbling upon bands like these on MTV binges back in the day. Thanks for the recs and thanks for watching!
Great job! what about the Atlanta , Georgia Band The Producers?
Thanks! You know, The Producers keep coming up…people really like them! I think “She Sheila” and “Who Do You Think You Are” are great songs. Maybe I should do short on them! Thanks for the rec and thanks for watching!
The Exploding Hearts have been my favorite band since I heard them in 2004. I didn’t know what happened to them until later that year. Guitar Romantic and their singles are an amazing collection of work.
So glad Guitar Romantic got a proper re-release last year...hope it reaches more people cuz they really deserve to be heard. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for opening up my eyes, ears, and mind. I've always liked to discover new bands, new variants of power pop.
I thought I'd return the favor and thus present my list of relatively obscure and/or greatly underappreciated bands:
Dukes of Stratosphear
Flamin' Groovies
Long Ryders
The Nerves
The Plimsouls
Raybeats
The Reivers
Smithereens
The Spongetones
I was going to list my fave songs but stopped short. I'd rather you see if they're worthy and then see what you pick if you decide positively.
I will subscribe to see the verdict.
Keep it jingly-jangly!
Great list! Of the ones I know, my faves are Flamin' Groovies The Nerves (I have a Short in the works for them), and The Plimsouls. I had to look up a couple - The Raybeats first album I really enjoyed. I have always loved surf rock (seeing Dick Dale live was life-changing for me!). I really enjoyed The Reivers "Translate Slowly" album, as well. Love to see your fave song list if you still want to share. Thanks for the recs and thanks for watching!
Tinted Windows (2008)
Great call...one of my favorite power pop albums! Thanks for shouting them out and thanks for watching!
Shoes: "Tomorrow Night" Shivvers: "Teen Line."
Both great bands! I have a short planned for Shoes (so hard to believe they were not HUGE). Thanks for watching!
Shoes released an album on their own label called "Stolen Wishes" in 1989. Every song is great ! 15 power pop gems and not one clunker.
@@zkxe-mr6vy One more record to buy...(I bought the Shoes record "One in Versailles" after it had just come out years ago from an indie record store called Strawberry Fields in Waukegan, Illinois. I imagine the record store owner stocked the record because he probably knew the band as they had been living in Zion, Illinois, at the time, quite close to the record store).
@@jbb-cj1md Wow...great buy! According to Jeff Murphy in his book, they only stamped out 300 copies of that originally! Not sure if there was a wider release later. Very cool!
@@zkxe-mr6vy Great album!
Does anyone remember a great band called Glass Moon? How about Shooting Star? How about Piper (Billy Squier's original band)? (late 70's-mid 80's).
Oh, I like that second Piper album, "Can't Wait"...great stuff! I looked up Glass Moon and it also recommended Shooting Star! Will check them both out. Thanks for the recs and thanks for watching!
Autographs , new album live 17 tracks out now on detour records , worth the wait all originals no fillers ❤new wave power pop
oh, you may have just sold an LP for them! 😊. Listened to one track on the Detour website and really like it. Thanks for the rec and thanks for watching!
The Cavedogs were a great Power Pop trio from Boston in the late 80's.
Had to look them up...really like the song "Leave Me Alone"! Going to dig into their catalog a bit more (only two albums...shame!). Thanks for the rec and thanks for watching!
Top hits were "Boy In The Plastic Bubble" and "Bed Of Nails". They also did a killer version of "Porpoise Song" by The Monkees.@@poprocksradio
Years ago, I found that Photos record at the Ballard Goodwill on 8th. I could tell by the cover it was going to be in my wheelhouse.
Ah...a fellow Seattle-ite! Lots of great finds at that Goodwill. Such a great album, as well. Thanks for watching!
Great sounding bands!!
I only get such excellent recs from Stephen Schnee. You two have amazing taste.
Thank you for those kind words. I love that guy...I continue to learn a lot from him! I really appreciate that compliment and thanks for watching, as well!
Fun fact about Screams - their self-titled album was produced by Terry Luttrell, original singer for REO Speedwagon, and who would go on to sing for prog band Starcastle!
Oh! Had no idea...very cool! Funny, but someone else brought up REO Speedwagon the other day (and some of their power pop explorations)...will have to dig into that more. Thanks for watching!
Love the Keys LP. I bought it in a used record shop in the early 90s and it became a fave. In terms of recommendations for lesser known bands, I'd say a partial list is 1970's Mod Revival bands the Lambrettas (1st LP), Squire, Canada's Tranzmitors, and Marvelous Darlings. Of course the Primitives, the Darling Buds, and The Flatmates. More recently, especially if you believe that the sound can evolve and you like power in your power pop, don't mislabel anything poppy and loud as "garage" and feel like the Who/Kinks/Easybeats is the holy trinity of power pop, and not so much Badfinger/Dwight Twilley/Paul McCartney you might like the bands Gentleman Jesse, The Rubs, The Fallen Leaves, The Deathray Davies, Kids on a Crime Spree, Dott, La Sera, Big Eyes, Baby Shakes, and unabashedly, The Decibels.
"Walking Down The Kings Road"! I loved Squire! Also The Purple Hearts, The Chords and The Circles too! Does Secret Affair count?
Incredible list! There are a handful I will need to dig into...thanks for the recs! Thanks for watching, too!
I will check all of these out. My fave power pop band was The Elvis Brothers, never understood why they weren't huge.
Great shout-out! Based on how many times they come up in the comments, I don't know how they weren't huge either. Amazing energy and just great songs. Brad Elvis was the drummer for Screams, too! Thanks for watching!
This is really a list of his top 5 obscure bands who enjoyed local success. The only group on this list I'd heard of is The Keys.
If you know one of these bands on the list, can't go wrong with The Keys. Thanks for checking us out!
Susan…falling in love again from 1979 great power pop band with Tom dickie and ricky Byrd from Joan Jett band.
Hadn't heard of these guys, but listened to a couple tracks, "Takin' It Over" and "Really Gonna Show"...great rec, thanks! And thanks for watching!
20/20 from Tulsa. Their debut album is so fresh.
Absolutely one of my favorite bands! I have a video planned for them...hope I can do them justice. Thanks for watching!
I have recently gotten into Power Pop as a fan of hard rock/metal for many years but less interested as I age. Even in college I liked Huey Lewis and the News and the Spin Doctors so seeds were always there. Thanks for the list
Welcome to the club...we're glad to have you! (and thanks for watching!)
Oof
@@marknewbold2583 😂
Nice
Thanks for watching!
Ever heard of Wyldfire? California band from the 70's that had the longest hair I'd ever seen! Great Channel!!
Thank you! Had a little hard time finding that band (so many bands with that name!). Are these the guys? wildfire-smokin.com/index.html. Thanks for the rec!
The Japanese band known as ‘the pillows’ are awesome! They really carried the goodness of power pop into the audiences of Japan! 😊
Thanks for bringing them up! Someone else recently turned me on to them...great band! I admit I'm ignorant of other power pop bands from Japan, other than The Pillows and PUFFY (who are also very cool). Looking forward to digging into this more...thanks for the rec and thanks for watching!
Purple Hearts, London Mod band check out the Album "BeatThat". Or Live at 100 club 1st track "I've Been Away"...To bring it up to date..Take a look/Listen to New band Sharp Class who play with that power pop edge..Track "Tales of a teenage mind".
Had to look them both up...love the Purple Hearts song "Jimmy"...will dig into the rest of that album. Like the energy of Sharp Class! Forgive me for being reductive, but reminded me a bit of The Jam (another great band!). Thanks for the recs and thanks for watching!
The Records, The Dwight Twilley Band, The Kings, Bram Tchaikovsky, Ian Gomm, The Bongos, The Plimsouls, The Flamin' Groovies.
Not a bad name on this list! If you haven't, check out the Dwight Twilley Band video on the channel. I'm also planning a short for The Records (their first album is one of my all-time faves). I think The Kings' song "Switchin' to Glide" is such an underrated gem. Thanks for shouting these guys out and thanks for watching!
@@poprocksradio You're welcome! One band comes to mind whenever I think of an early "Power Pop" band who flirted with Psychedelia -- "Nazz." "Open My Eyes" is still a big favourite of mine. Merry Christmas 2023! Cheers! -- W
@@walterfechter8080 Any friend of Todd Rundgren is a friend of mine. 😊. Thanks, and Merry Christmas to you, too!
@@poprocksradio 🎅🌲🎸
Never heard of any of them, despite listening to the radio a lot in the late 70's and early 80's.
Check them out...you won't be disappointed. Thanks for watching!
A lot of them were on college radio stations.
20/20 made a name for themselves for a while, but have largely been forgotten. Their debut album is brilliant. I have a soft spot for an '80s band, The Three O'Clock, who have gotten some attention since being asked to reunite for Coachella 2013. Michael Quercio, that band's leader, later formed Permanent Green Light, which has also reunited from time to time in recent years. Jason Falkner, who was with the Three O'Clock towrds the end, has made some great power pop as a solo artist. Over the last few years, Ed Ryan, a friend of mine who used to be in NYC bands back in the day, has released fivef thoroughly enjoyable solo albums available on Bandcamp. And I have long been a fan of The Black Watch--not the Scottish bagpipers, but a pop-psych-rock band that has released 2 dozen albums and EPs over nearly 3 dozen years.
That first 20/20 album could possibly be my favorite power pop album! Love those guys...so talented and so underrated. I hadn't heard Jason Falkner before (and didn't realize he was on the first Jellyfish album, another classic!). I listened to a few tracks off Presents Author Unknown...really good album! Going to dig into him more. All great recs (listening to Black Watch now - Led Zeppelin Five)...thanks for that and thanks for watching!
Outhouse. Maybe not Power Pop but more Power Punk Pop. They opened for Cheap Trick in the mid 90's. Their album "Welcome" is beyond excellent. Well worth checking out.
I admit I hadn't heard them, but I listened to a few tracks off Welcome...great stuff! The title track is awesome, and "Genius Boy" is really pretty badass. The term "power pop" is so fuzzy, but I think they fit in there like some other 90s alternative bands (check out this video if you haven't seen it: ua-cam.com/video/xz8TpjXyTuA/v-deo.htmlsi=CFQG_9Y6jXKkvVBc). Thanks for the rec and thanks for watching!
Love Dirty Looks, a little like the Knack , there are 2 bands with this name , the one I am talking about was a 3 member band from Stanton New York
Great rec! Someone else mentioned them, as well. I hadn't heard them, but love the song "Let Go" and have it in the show on MixCloud www.mixcloud.com/poprocksradio/ for next week. Great stuff! Thanks!!
How about the Kingbees?
Fun band! "My Mistake" is a great song! Thanks for giving them a shout-out and thanks for watching!
Three come right to mind. Now they could still be alive, I just haven't kept up or they moved to LA, I just know I haven't heard head nor tail about any of them: Blue Rodeo, The Rockets, Hudson & Ford and the Outlaws. They were all pretty popular, got lots of air time, had one maybe two albums slash CDs. Hell, they could be playing at the bar down the street I just haven't heard anything about them since back in the day (1980s).
Looks like at least Blue Rodeo is still playing! Hope they’re down the street for you, as well. 🤩. Thanks for the recs and thanks for watching!
To be forgotten you would actually have to have heard/seen/known about them.
lol...for sure, I definitely wasn't cool enough to know about them early on, but they have been great discoveries (though I still am not cool enough). 😂 Thanks for watching!
The SaddleSore Boys' debut is quietly impressive. Anyone else heard it?
Are you referring to this "band"? ua-cam.com/video/qtWtEZRPOGQ/v-deo.html. If so, this video really cracked me up (I think it's "he invented dog food" that did it)! 😂
One really far out band that I still dig is The Helen Reddy Band !
Thanks for the rec! I can't seem to track them down (unless you mean the actual band that played with Helen Reddy!). 😂. Please send a link if you would...would love to check them out! Thanks!!
One of my favorite Power Pop/New Wave bands was The Producers. Great catchy tunes & fantastic musicianship. They might still be playing in Atlanta, I'm not sure.
Love The Producers! I think "Who Do You Think You Are" and "She Sheila" are awesome songs. Thanks for watching!
Gunhill Road a band from Mount Vernon New York had a hit back in the early 70,s back when my hair was short . I see since then they’ve gotten together again over the years . The good Rats another band from Long Island New York had a couple good albums too . I remember Rat city in blue .
At first, I thought you were talking about your own hair...then I found the album. 😂. Produced by Kenny Rogers, too! I had to look up Good Rats, as well..."Does It Make You Feel Good" sets that album off with a bang! Thanks for the recs and thanks for watching!
Made me think of The Buoys with Timothy
@@brianruyack7632 Ah! I actually know that one...finally! 😁
I liked the Yachts (Yachting Type is great tune), the Records, Grupo Sportivo (beep beep love, my old Cortina), and the wonderful Shonen Knife!
The Yachts were a great band...I like "Suffice To Say". The Records are one of my all-time faves...have a short planned for them. Didn't know Grupo Sportiva...fun band! Haven't listened to Shonen Knife for some time...thanks for helping me correct that! 😎
All these bands are soooo underrated.
They should all be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Amen! Thanks for watching!
Two suggestions - 20/20 (song - My Yellow Pills) and The Kings (song - This Beat Goes On/Switching To Glide).
Both great bands! 20/20 is one of my all-time faves, so I have something special planned for them. Thanks for watching!
MIA: The Spongetones, The Real Kids, Shoes, Urge Overkill, Paul Collins Beat, Guadalcanal Diary, BoDeans, Fire Town, Great Buildings, Horslips, Stiff Little Fingers, etc.
Such a great list! The Real Kids is a band I haven't thought about for a while...thanks for bringing them up...they go on the list! Shoes and PCB are personal faves (check out my interviews with Jeff Murphy and Paul Collins on the channel!). Thanks for watching!
What about the Posies?
Love the Posies! Their first three albums are really just perfect, as far as I'm concerned. I saw them a few times around Seattle before they made it big...such a fun band live back then. Thanks for watching!
And the Hoodoo Gurus?
I will also add SPYS and The Breaks. The Breaks had 1 song om mtv around 84 She Wants You.
Ok, you keep stumping me with these. I liked the Spys song "Don't Run My Life", and I am trying to figure out how I didn't know The Breaks...watched their video and it was good! Memphis band, as well. Definitely the best hair I'm going to see today, for sure. 😎 Thanks for the recs and please keep them coming!
Payolas, from Canada. With the holidays around, check out "Christmas Is Coming".
I had heard “Eyes of a Stranger”, but never “Christmas is Coming”…what a great song! Thanks for the rec and thanks for watching!
The Records as well, I’d recommend them as well
Great rec! That first Records record (ahem...) is perfection, in my opinion. Planning something more in-depth on them for the channel, as well. Thanks for watching!
I’d also give a shout-out to The Keepers who formed in Oxford Ohio in the early 80s and released one album called “by the same name” as well as a compilation CD entitled “In The Meantime.” I read somewhere that they moved to Boston for a short time but sadly didn’t find too much success and called it quits in 1985, but their music lives on!
I hadn't heard them, but listened to "Before Love Goes" and "Takin' Candy"...great stuff! (EP added to my cart on Discogs!). Thanks for the rec and thanks for watching!
@@poprocksradio Couldn’t agree more! I was actually the one who put the picture of the band up on Discogs, and I happened to get the last available copy of that aforementioned CD (Yes But No is my favorite by them so far… that guitar hook is just so darn catchy)
@@JacqueBruce0 Found that one, too...great song!
@@poprocksradio I do have quite a few more bands to recommend if you’d like (I know you’ve gotten a boatload of comments already so I wouldn’t be surprised if one or two of them were already mentioned previously but let me know!)
@@JacqueBruce0 Thanks! Always love new recs! One of the best parts of doing this channel is all the great bands people have turned me on to. I appreciate it!
Went to many “ Heats” shows around Seattle during their heyday. I never thought the album did them justice, much better live.
Wow, that says a lot, then. 😎. I haven't seen them live...still hoping to get my chance! Thanks for watching!
the records self titled album power pop.
Great call...one of my favorite albums! Thanks for watching!
Not sure if this could be considered power pop, but John Foxxs' "metamatic" is super cool earworm fertilizer.
Wow...haven't thought about that guy for a long time. That whole album is pretty cool!
I really like this record. Thanks again
The Poodles, Crazy Lixx, Off Broadway, Cats In Space and Crashdiet. They all deserve better.
Thanks for the list! I have to admit, I had to look most of these (I knew Off Broadway...great band!). Is it The Poodles (Swedish band) or the Fabulous Poodles (UK band)? Just listened to FP song "Doctor" and loved it! Will dig into the rest of your list, as well. Thanks for the recs and thanks for watching!
@@poprocksradio Poodles, the Swedish band.
@@JESUS-SAVES_1975. Ah, gotcha. I like their song “The Greatest”! Will have to get into their catalog a bit more. Thanks!
How about the Mosquitoes? Saw them open for the Ramones..
Oh, that's a great shout-out! I love "You Don't Give a Hang About Me"! So many great bands...I think I may have to do "Another 5 Forgotten Power Pop Bands..." Thanks!!
Jellyfish. Belly Button.
Both of those Jellyfish albums are just sublime! Thanks for watching!
Check out Kangaroo- Skyscraper Spaceship and Hindu Rodeo -Hindu. Rodeo… two of my favorites
Listened to a few tracks from both (the Hindu Rodeo album was a little tougher to find!)...great stuff! I really liked the Kangaroo album ("Right in the Face" and the title track are awesome!)...going to dig into them some more. Thanks for the recs and thanks for watching!
Dwight Twilley Band.
Love them! Check out the video on the channel about them: ua-cam.com/video/-RL0lxyCw1w/v-deo.html. Thanks for watching!