WHAT’S GOING AHN – Early June

Boy, I let this get away from me!  I have SO much information share below over the past month that it just kept growing into an massive, unwieldy beast that scared me relative to my time commitments so this is long, long overdue.

But will be cool.

Get ready. As usual, there’s a lot of rapid-fire, quick and extensive news to share in this section.  It’s designed to give you the info quick, a link and then you decide whether you find it interesting and click – or not.

No messing around.  Down ‘n dirty. Fast ‘n tight.  Let’s go.

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POPBOOMERANG RECORDS CELEBRATES THEIR 10th ANNIVERSARY! Which is a big, big deal – surviving the last 5 years(which my old company Not Lame did not) is a great accomplishment and Scott Thurling runs a truly awesome, incredibly power poppy friendly label with a large body of work.  PGH and Scott have put together an exclusive 25-song digi compilation for all of you at THIS LINK…and when you go the end of this  post, there two more links that you’ll find 27 more songs from the Popboomerang catalog to enjoy.

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ONE OF MY FAVORITE POWER POP SITES:  I’ve mentioned them before but for serious power pop geeks, you have to spend time at POWER POP CRIMINALS (at THIS LINK).  Angelo has been doing incredibly important work for over 5 years at this site, putting up rarities and out of print music that keeps the music very much alive and helps grow an audience that appreciates the hard work of so much talent.  Cue, the sound of loud clapping hands.

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THE LATE SHOW – Finally On CD!!  Okay, you big ‘ole power pop geek, you!  You bought “Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Power Pop Guide” from Not Lame years ago(bless you!) and you found a bootleg copy of the music out there on this internet thingie hoping that you’d have the opportunity to actually own and buy the REAL DEAL someday…and, well, ‘someday’ just arrived.  #46 on the Top 200 Power Pop Albums Of All Time can be purchased at THIS LINK and at KOOL KAT – HERE.  Go get ’em, boy!

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HOT FREAK NATION:  Related to THE LATE SHOW, the same label is putting out HOT FREAK NATION, which  has as strong connection to power pop and album coming any day, evidently.  Hot Freak Nation is led by the songwriting team of Greg Roberson (Tiger High, Reigning Sound, Arthur Lee’s Love) and Don Main (The Late Show). Info on the band on Facebook HERE and at the same site mentioned above with The Late Show HERE.

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CLIFF RICHARD:  He’s always been an artist I wanted to explore more of his catalog of. Like many in the United States, our general knowledge of his work connects to a few hits he had here in the mid/late 70s and begins and ends there.  Well, here’s our chance to learn and enjoy more.

Wired For Sound Radio, a new continually streaming 24/7 internet radio station featuring the music of Cliff Richard and The Shadows and friends, was launched on June 1.  The station features more than 50 year’s worth of Cliff Richard’s British and American hits, as well as album tracks, B-sides, duets, live recordings and more.  Additionally, both instrumental and vocal recordings by The Shadows, Richard’s long-time musical associates, are played.  Pop Geek Heaven member Jeff Bleiel is the station’s program director and on-air host.  Jeff was editor of John Borack’s book “Shake Some Action.”  To listen, visitwww.WiredForSoundRadio.com.  For more information, visit www.cliffrichardradio.com.  Also, http://cliffrichardradio.com/cliff-richard-and-shadows-for-rock-hall-of-fame/

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BAND DISCOVERY: Thanks to Pop Pioneer Bruce Brown for this tip:  BUDOKAN(great band name!).  They sound like a garagey, straight-forward version of The Shazam. Sadly, they’ve not answered my emails to share more of their music with you all yet but listen and kick the tires at THIS LINK now.

Speaking of Bruce Brown, he has one of THE best music geek blogs out there – and has for some years now.  He covers a lot of ground and continually does the hard work of putting together some great streaming podcast shows to listen and enjoy.  It’s called FIX IT IN THE MIX.

Bruce just posted a lovely piece about my “Power Pop Prime” books that I’d love for you to read and make sure you listen to the 24 song stream of some excellent power pop from artists covered in the book series. Read and Listen at THIS LINK.

Bookmark the site because he’s continually posting incredibly material here.

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THE SHAZAM NEWS:  Speaking of The Shazam, the rhythm section of the band(Scott Ballew and Mick Wilson) has hooked up with the bass player of Superdrag Tom Pappas for a side project.  Pick up the CD or download of the album HERE.

Shazam leader, Hans Rotenberry is working on a double CD concept album that will be recorded with longtime Shazam producer(and power poppin’ legend to many of us), Brad Jones. It’s called “Doomsday Hotel” and I’ve heard the demos – it’s gonna be a work of genius that only Rotenberry can pull off and it reaches the heights of “Townshendian” reach.  There’s a label in place(details to come but it’s not related or connected to me) so this is a project that IS gonna happen and, hopefully, be out before the end of the year.

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POWER POP RARITY:  DIRTY ANGELS – This band released an  album in 1976 on Private Stock Record(owned and produced by Richard Gottherer, the put out the first Blondie record a few months after this one) called “Kiss TOmorrow Goodbye” that contains two perfect power poppin’ gems(along with some other strong, more hard rocking album tracks), “Tell Me” and “Radio”.  Never been on CD but you can get a custom CD-R on Amazon(or buy the digital songs) if you go to THIS LINK.  Also, thanks for Pop Pioneer Bob Felberg for making sure I knew about some unreleased Dirty Angels that posted there that I was not aware of.  Nothing earth shattering but a lot of fun for fans of the band. Check it out HERE.   (By the way, avoid their self-titled 1978 A&M album which has some re-records of “Kiss” songs but is an anemic waste)

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PILOT:  David Patton, lead singer of 70s band Pilot(“Magic” and many more) has a new solo album out that is pretty darn good and well worth checking out.  Go to THIS LINK.

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A TRIBUTE TO THE WHO’S “SELL OUT”:  This tribute was put together 12 years ago with amazing line up of artists and bands that was, sadly, shelved when Paranoid Lovesick(and the man putting the project together) leader Rick McBrien died suddenly derailing the project entirely.  It’s now available digitally from Futureman Records at THIS LINK. If this artist track listing does not make you drool, then you are in the wrong place!  Artists on the tribute include:  The Rubinoos, The Shazam, Brendan Benson, Zumpano, Willie Wisely, Myracle Brah, The Pearlfishers, The Andersons, The Grip Weeds, Chris Von Sneidern, Splitsville and many more!

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JOEY MOLLAND/BADFINGER INTERVIEW – Read it HERE

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MARTIN NEWELL/Cleaners From Venus:  Interview w/ Martin at THIS LINK but also check out the latest release from him just out on Kool Kat HERE.  Look for a Newell track in The Surprise Box very, very soon!

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JOE GIDDINGS OF JTG IMPLOSION AND STAR COLLECTOR:  He’s been working on new material for some time and it’s all really, really good!  It’s gonna be a cool project when it’s all done. Listen to the latest song from it HERE.

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POWERPOPAHOLIC always is finding cool stuff for music geeks like us – Thanks to them for posting this creative video of The Spinto Band.

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GERALD LOVE OF TEENAGE FANCLUB has a new solo album just released – Listen to samples of HERE.

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AMAZING POWER POP GEEK NEWS!!!  Listen up – this is gonna be huge for many of you!  Chicago-based ultra-cool reissue label(none better) The Numero Group have announced some incredible upcoming power pop projects coming later in this year.  Now, the label has released two important power pop projects the last five years, a compilation covering the history of Titan Records and a compilation of power pop rarities put together by Yellow Pills founder, Jordan Oakes.

Now, they announce that they are going to….get this…REISSUE OUT OF PRINT and RELEASE RARE, NEVER RELEASED songs from…SHOES.

In the labels press releases words:

The Numero Group is pleased to announce an LP reissue campaign that beings with Versaillesand revisits Black Vinyl, but adds the never issued on wax Bazooka and an entire of album demos that would become their landmark LP Present Tense.

Each LP will of course be packaged to Numero’s highest standard, including reprints of the stickers, lyric sheets, and even iron-ons that accompanied the original issues. We’re working closely with the band to remaster the LPs from the original master tapes, a marked improvement over the DAT conversions that past reissues of their catalog have been subject to.

How freakin’ awesome is that?!  Get going – NOW.  Read some of the initial details HERE. (have tissues ready to wipe away your tears of joy…)

Second, The Numero Group announced another two compilations of super-obscure power pop rarities called “Buttons: From Champaign To Chicago”.  Go to THIS LINK andbookmark it – pre-orders are coming soon!   If you do vinyl, there’s a version that adds two tracks compared to the CD. THIS is one I’m picking up!

AND…..

All that….AND….

A NEW SHOES STUDIO ALBUM!!!!

Pinch me.

Shipping on July 3rd – LISTEN the clips from the album at THIS LINK.

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ELTON DUCK UPDATE:  Last month I mentioned the Kickstarter campaign that his obscure late 70s Los Angeles-based power pop band was doing(they were signed to Arista and the album was shelved).  I know many Pop Pioneers went out and supported this project in droves – THANK YOU for making an impact.  There’s a song that was in The Surprise Box area last month, in case you missed it.  It’s HERE.  The CD should be shipping in July.

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Speaking of Kickstarter, THANKS AGAIN to Pop Pioneers for helping take Cliff Hillis’ latest CD project over the top at that site, too.  It was amazing the response that happened in a matter of 48 hours of updating PGHers about this.  The CD ships this coming week.  Details at THIS LINK and at Tall Boy Records HERE and order the CD at KOOL KAT – HERE

This is exactly the kind of energy and movement that makes me feel very good about what Pop Geek Heaven can do and has done in a very short period of time.  Helping in our own modest way to get the word on projects by artists that matter to the power pop community.  Please tell your music loving friends about Pop Geek Heaven and have them join become part of it all.

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LAST KICKSTARTER NEWS – JOHN FAYE:  I just heard about this by accident the other day – just tripped across it, actually.  But ex-Caufield/John Faye Powertrip leader, John Faye has a new project he’s working on and there’s a Kickstarter campaign connected to it.  Check it – HERE.

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MITCH EASTER INTERVIEW:   Rockerzine posted a cool interview with the one and only Mitch Easter at HERE.

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Let’s talk THE BEACH BOYS:  Of course, you know about the new album but here’s two links to some interesting discussion on the band.  The first comes from the music business insider Bob Lefsetz’s The Lefetz Letter blog HERE and…after you read that, read Eric Carmen’s response on what Bob wrote HERE.  Very cool.

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ATTENTION MUSICIANS: I know there are hundreds of musicians inside Pop Geek Heaven and those are only the ones I’m aware of personally.  I came across two interesting posts that you will find interesting.  Check them out.  Link #1 is HERE and then Link #2 is HERE.

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LIMBLIFTER:  if you are a serious power pop geek, I just grabbed your eye just now.  Canada’s Limblifter released a three albums in a 8 year period, one of which was/is an absolute TREASURE that you need to find(yes, yes..it’s called “Bellaclava”), the others less so.  Anyway, the band is back and releasing an album on vinyl!  Read about it and an interview HERE.

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THE dB’s:  The new album is OUT – Listen HERE but order at KOOL KAT – HERE.  Read some reviews at THIS LINK, THIS LINK and how about HERE.

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REDD KROSS: mentioned this before but that new album arrives August 7th and they are doing some advance show sin July.  Grab one of the news song in The Surprise Box at THIS LINK. More info at HERE.

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NEW POWER POP FACEBOOK PAGE – POWERPOPALOOZA – Check it out and join at THIS LINK!

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THE CORNER LAUGHERS CD is out! This San Francisco band(featuring KC Bowman) gets better and better with each release. I’ll have a song in The Surprise Box for you in a few days and on the July digi-compilation but check out the full release HERE.

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ATTENTION – MOD POWER POP FANS!  Just came across THIS SITE called Mr. Suave’s Mod Mod World which is a lot of mod-poppin’ fun with good information and interviews with modsters and links to other mod and power pop related sites that are not the typical ones pop geeks see.

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DUROCS:  File under:  Moderately obscure power poppy-like band from the late 70s. I was never a big fan of them, but I know a lot of power pop geeks who are.  Came across an article about the band’s self-titled album at THIS LINK and you can order the CD at KOOL KAT – HERE.

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PAUL WILLIAMS: He’s very much alive and very well, too!   Read about what he’s up at THIS LINK.

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BIG STAR’s “THIRD” TRIBUTE SHOW:  This happened in London last month and while I’m sure the show was amazing and I do wish I could have been there I kind of have my own way of loving and enjoying the album. I bought “Radio City” on January 10th, 1975 along with an original ‘dressed in drag” Bowie “Man Who Sold The Earth” and had my 12 year old mind blown that afternoon playing those two albums.  In fact, “Radio City”, to this day, push come to shove is my all-time favorite album so when “Sister Lovers” finally made it out on PVC in 1978 it was a big event for me.  It was perfect. It still is. I was young but hearing the soundtrack of a soul breaking down, falling apart with no certainty of any of the King’s horses putting Dumpty(Alex) back together again was…profound.

Yeah, yeah – there’s always talk about “Induct “XXX” into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame” and I try not engage in such silliness because the RRHOF, sadly, has never had any relevance to my own personal definition of rock ‘n roll greatness.  If I’m every in Cleveland, I’ll visit it but until it gets it shit together, it’s not a special trip.

If we crown any greats into such a place of lasting legend, remembrance and honor, some systemic way of acknowledging the profound influence so many artists and bands have had on millions and, in the case of Big Star, hundreds of thousands, I have to pass.  Which saddens, not angers me.

Fan or not a fan, but the fact that acts like Kiss, Rush or Yes are not in there yet stretches beyond incredulity.

Anyway, I finishing off this update with “Ramble On” – please read about Big Star’s “Third/Sister Lovers” at THIS LINK.

Over ‘n Out.