20 Explosive POWER POP gems! VOLUME ONE

Power Pop.

If you are absolutely clueless on what those two words mean, that's OK.  You can begin your journey here. There are Power Pop experts that may steer you in a different direction, but if you are here right now and reading this, you may as well stick around and hear what it is all about... unless one of those Power Pop experts threatens your life, of course.  Always listen to the experts, especially if they are wielding some sort of weapon...

Power Pop. 

If those two words make your heart skip a beat, then you are more than likely aware that everyone has their own opinion about what defines Power Pop. The fact is, they are all right. The pure, raw essence of Power Pop is in every band that anyone bothers to fit under this genre, whether other people agree or not.

In all things Power Pop, you're going to get a 3 minute song - give or take 30 seconds - with a cracking tune, killer harmonies, joyful guitars, maybe some keyboards, energy and a chorus that you'll be humming mere seconds after the song has ended.  More than likely, that song will be stuck in your head for the next 24 to 48 hours.  Power Pop bands don't just write smashing melodies, they create universal ear worms that naturally fit anyone willing to listen.

You can search all over the internet for Power Pop lists from respected experts. I agree with nearly everything I see on those lists. As I said before, the experts know what they are talking about. 

However, I am not an expert.  I'm just a guy who loves Power Pop. So, instead of posting a list of bands/songs that I believe define the genre, I thought I'd share 20 tracks that I believe are essential for anyone wanting to explore the outer -and obscure - regions of Power Pop. Everything here was originally released during my favorite era of Power Pop - the late '70s and early '80s. And as you can tell by the subject of this blog post, this is only VOLUME ONE. There is much more to come...

Some of these bands are not generally labelled Power Pop, while other might be some of the genre's most respected artists but I've chosen songs that don't always end up on the experts' 'best of' lists. And some may just be no-brainers but I chose to include them anyway.

P.S. Yes, there are many bands and songs I've left out for now... gotta save some great ones for future posts!

Enjoy!

Your BFF,
SPAZ

GRUPPO SPORTIVO/Happily Unemployed

THE LAUGHING DOGS/Reason For Love

THE KILLERMETERS/Twisted Wheel

SQUIRE/I Know A Girl

THE SCOOTERS/Someone Tonight

THE PLIMSOULS/Now

YACHTS/Semaphore Love

THE KNACK/I Want Ya

THE INNOCENTS/Sooner Or Later

SHOES/Okay (Single Version)

4 OUT OF 5 DOCTORS/Heart On A Chain

THE RECORDS/Hearts Will Be Broken

THE MONROES/What Do All The People Know

PHIL SEYMOUR/Baby It's You

THE JAGS/Back Of My Hand

THE LAMBRETTAS/Da-a-ance

20/20/The Night I Heard A Scream

THE LAST/This Kind Of Feeling

THE PINKEES/I'll Be There

THE KEYS/I Don't Wanna Cry

THE JAM/The Gift: Info on the Deluxe Edition and the Super Deluxe Edition!

THE JAM

THE GIFT (DELUXE EDITION)

THE GIFT (SUPER DELUXE EDITION)

When The Jam announced their split in 1982, they were the most popular band in the UK.  The news shocked the music industry because the band had continued to go from strength to strength and were finally beginning to make waves in the U.S. ("Town Called Malice" received more radio play than any other track in their catalog). The trio had outlived Punk, Mod and New Wave and were more successful than any of their contemporaries apart from The Clash, who had successfully cracked the U.S. market.

The band's final album, released the same year as their split, was The Gift, a release that ditched the sometimes cold and clammy production of longtime knob-twiddler Vic Coppersmith-Heaven and replaced it with the more focused and spacious sounds of producer Peter Wilson. The Gift went on to become one of the band's most popular albums.  It includes "Town Called Malice" as well as it's funky b-side "Precious" alongside "Happy Together", "Running On The Spot", "Ghosts" and other songs that are now considered Jam classics.

Paul Weller and The Gift 2012

December 2012 sees two expanded versions of the album hitting the shelves as The Gift celebrates it's 30th Anniversary...

The two CD DELUXE edition of The Gift (pictured at the top of this page) includes the remastered version of the album plus 10 bonus non-album A and B-sides on Disc One. The second disc is made up of 15 remastered demos and alternate tracks, 13 of which are previously unreleased.

The SUPER DELUXE box (pictured below) contains three CDs, a DVD, a hardback 72-page, full-color book including new interviews with Paul Weller, a new essay by John Harris and a forward by Paul Weller. a set of postcard prints and a replica 1982 tour program. Disc One and Two have the same content as the two CDs in the DELUXE edition. Disc Three contains Live At Wembley December 1982. The complete concert from the last ever Jam tour (previously unreleased), featuring 23 remastered tracks. The DVD includes promo clips ('Town Called Malice', 'Precious', 'The Bitterest Pill'), Trans-Global Unity Express tour  live tracks from Birmingham show, Danish TV special (DR) The Gift album live in small studio with audience and Top Of The Pops performances of 'Town Called Malice' and 'Precious'.

NINE BELOW ZERO/Live At The Marquee: Expanded CD/DVD Edition available NOW!

NINE BELOW ZERO

LIVE AT THE MARQUEE:

Expanded CD + DVD Edition

Available NOW

Digitally remastered and expanded two disc (CD + NTSC/Region 0) edition of this classic 1980 live album from the British Blues rockers.  Nine Below Zero’s debut Live At The Marquee notoriously captures a hard-working, constant-touring London blues band at the peak of their powers and highlights just how intense and electrifying the atmosphere at one of their gigs was. Originally released as a 14-track vinyl LP and without the 7 bonus tracks featured here as the encore the show has never before been available commercially in its entirety. All 21 tracks have been newly remastered in partnership with the band. The package also includes a very special bonus DVD featuring live footage from their incredible Marquee show again, none of which have been previously released commercially. The booklet includes sleeve notes from various band members and others associated with Nine Below Zero as well as a selection of exclusive and very rare photographs.