SUPRISE BOX #126
I’m 51 yrs old and since I’m a child of the 70s(mostly), musically speaking – I always love a band that reminds of the raw, DIY ethos of the mid70s, the sound of indie bands influenced by the New York Dolls, Velvet Underground and Iggy. That was my domain and BLOW UP was band that was similiar to my own band during its years of its operating(1976-1980).
BLOW-UP was a fixture on the Los Angeles scene throughout the late 70s and early/mid 80s, recorded for Bomp Records, got some songs on a few soundtracks that that time and had members who went into future influential activity, including Tommy Dunbar(the Rubinoos) and Pat DiPuccio(future editor of Flipside magazine, the Condors). While the music is not going to be forging new revelations and music ephipanies, the recently released “Teenage News: 1976-1980” is a document, a soundtrack to passionate kids coming together to make a ruckus based upon the refined inspiration of some of the most influential artists of the 70s and leave their mark on the music scenes they were participating in.
Pick up the CD on CDBaby or from www.blowupband.com (there’s also a DVD available of the band’s 80s years)
ENJOY these two prime tracks below, including the unreleased Bomp since that was released by Syl Sylvain a year later(1978) on his debut solo album, a truly NY Dolls inspired track if there ever was one!
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“TEENAGE NEWS” – Download – HERE (right click and ‘save as’)
“KICKING UP A FUSS” – Download – HERE (right click and ‘save as’)
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LINKS:
BAND SITE: http://blowupband.com/index.html
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/
OFFICIAL BIO:
Compared endlessly by enraptured critics to Mott the Hoople, Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan and New York Dolls, Blow-Up made their debut as teenagers the final days of 1977. They became a fixture on the L.A. scene, recording for legendary indie Bomp Records and providing key songs for motion pictures Up the Academy and Flashback. Their 1984 LP Easy Knowledge made best-of-the-year lists from Mikal Gilmore and Robert Christgau and they were nominated “Best Underground Band” at the 1987 L.A. Weekly awards alongside Social D. and Jane’s Addiction.
Shared the stage with acts such as Billy Idol, Scandal, the Replacements, Jim Carroll, Southside Johnny and the Jukes, Television, Richard Lloyd, Dead Kennedys, Donnie Iris, Icicle Works, Screaming Blue Messiahs; as well as L.A. bands like Thelonious Monster, the Plimsouls, Rave-Ups, Plugz, Green On Red, Rain Parade, 20-20 and Three O’Clock.
Pleasant Gehman, BAM Magazine:
“For those of you who don’t know, Blow-Up formed in Berkeley but relocated to L.A. in 1977. They made their debut at the legendary Masque and gigged with everyone who was anyone in those days, including Berlin, the Dead Kennedys, Jim Carroll and the Replacements. They made quite a few singles and records, were always raved about by critics, and played raw, raucous rock with cool pop elements. Everyone used to say they were glam throwbacks… as in Mott the Hoople, not as in Poison. In fact, they were such a great band and so far ahead of their time…”
Mikal Gilmore, L.A. Herald Examiner:
“Best garage-pop band in L.A… Strives for transcendence in the face of mundane fortune… They’re pretty amazing…
EXCERPT FROM THE DVD:
