Okay – get ready.  A lot of news this past week so I’ll keep it short and let you you dig in and go the links on your own.  Smile – it’s all good!

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NATIONAL RECORD STORE DAY – November 25th.

The United States’ best, remaining independent record stores are starting to announced their exclusives for November 25th, National Record Store day.  The list has some heavy hitters – 7″ singles box sets from The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Doors and Bob Dylan.  10″ vinyl from Wilco, Nirvan and Soundgarden.   Also, I see Brendan Benson, The Byrds, Pete Townsend(w/ demos from Quadrophenia in this one), Tom Petty, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, The Yardbirds also have special releases for this day.  Check out where the list and more details – HERE

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EUGENE EDWARDS – New album coming early 2012!  Anna Borg from Tall Boy Records announced this week that a record is done and in the proverbial can – art work to be determined but she mentioned the picture you see here as being one of the possible cover ideas.   I’ll keep you posted when advance songs from this release become available.  Follow the latest at the Tall Boy site(as well as a truly excellent selection of power pop CDs) – HERE

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THE EXPLORERS CLUB – FREE Tracks from the band are available from Amazon for a limited time – so don’t wait.  Their next album is due in a few months but they are leaking these songs – They are calling the three songs they are giving away are called “The Californian Suite” – grab them HERE

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AUDITIES LIST ON FACEBOOK – If you are a power pop geek from the 90s and onward, you may have heard or been on the Audities list, which as been an online board since the late 90s.  When it started it focused on all things power pop but over the years the activity on the list has withered down to a whisper as it was less focused on power pop.  Now, there’s a new Facebook group that has re-launched and I think it’s going to be a really invaluable resource for fellow pop geeks to connect and find out what’s going on and be a cool resource alongside PGH and the power pop blogs.  Check it out – HERE

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More MIKE VIOLA – I mentioned his new album last week but check out this podcast that has an interview w/ Mike – HERE.  The interview is done my fellow Pop Pioneer Michael McCartney, who is a professional DJ(the real kind) on the rough-living island of Maui in Hawaii.

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PUGWASH – New album!  Now, not sure what I’ve heard next to nothing about this being out!   Not sure why and I’ve not heard it yet but this is BIG news for ‘in-the-know’ power pop fans as Pugwash is a top-tier band for almost a decade now.  I’ll try and set up a profile of a song or two here for you all but in the meantime, check out and order the album from the label’s web site – HERE

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SOME GREAT RARE POWER POP – And More!  I’ve not been to the “Music Ruined My Life” blog in awhile but saw this mentioned online last week with a particular post on a series these guys ran a year or so ago.  If yr a downloader type, you are gonna love this.  Let me leave it at that and you check it all out – HERE

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JOE GIDDINGS – If you were a fan of my old label, Not Lame Recordings, you hopefully heard or heard of one of its releases by a band called The  JTG Implosion that was the band for Joe Giddings.  They did lots of Jellyfish inpired power pop back in the day and the album is, sadly, out of print but Joe is working on new material and you can get a good listen at were his upcoming project is at – HERE .  The album will be called “Change Is Good”.

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THE MONKEES on Rhino Handmade.  If you’ve not heard about Rhino Handmade, now is the time.  It was started up 7/8 years ago by Rhino for special, high-quality limited pressing reissues that were buried away in the WEA archives.  I’ve purchased a lo tof them over the years, my favorite being Iggy & The Stooges “Funhouse” box set(which is worth around $500 now).   Anyway, this box set of “Instant Replay” there will be tons of  rarities, as well as 58 unreleased recordings, backing tracks and a generous selection of stereo and mono mixes for both album and non-album cuts. As a bonus, the set comes with a 45-rpm vinyl single that includes the one-of-a-kind acetate versions of “I Go Ape” and “(I Prithee) Do Not Ask For Love.”

More details on this and other Handmade projects still available can be found – HERE

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ANOTHER COOL FACEBOOK GROUP FOR POP GEEKS – That would be:  Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs FB group – check it out HERE.  What’s really cool is if you go thte PHOTOS link from that FB page you’ll see a developing database of JPGs of power pop albums growing and growing.  There’s almost a 1,000 there alraedy. Check that out HERE

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POP GEEK HEAVEN in the news?  Well, yes, in fact.  Here’s an brief article and interview with me at The AV Club web site by fellow Pop Pioneer Matt Schild.  Read it – HERE

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MATTHEW SWEET performs all of “Girlfriend” LIVE!   He’s touring behind is new album, which I really think is best in many years.   Here’s a short article on Sweet promoting a show this Friday  – HERE.   Tour Date info can be found on his site – HERE

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BUTCH WALKER – did you know he has a new album out?  Well, he does – and here’s an article w/ an interview from him – HERE

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POWER POP BLOG ACTIVITY

As always, Power PopAholic, Absolute Power Pop and Power Pop Overdose stay busy and on top of everything.  The work these guys do is huge and if you are not reading these blogs on a regular basis, you are doing your informed, empowered music geek self a great dis-service. They update their blogs – ALL THE TIME.  That is huge.

I won’t give you a run-down on what they are buzzin on here but  I will give you the quick links to find out what’s going on below so you can jump over there and have a good time. Post some comments and show them some Pop Pioneer love……

ABSOLUTE POWER POP – Here

POWER POPAHOLIC – Here

POWER POP OVERDOSE – Here

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Okay, I have to cheat.  Just heard about this release on Oglio Records from a guy named KURT BAKER from Power Pop Overdose.   Check this video out from his new album.  Find out more about this release and buy it – HERE

Kurt Baker – “Don’t Steal My Heart Away” from Tasty Dude Films on Vimeo.