Arlis

Arlis was a power pop band from Omaha, Nebraska. It was named after frontman Arlis Peach. The group was noted for its remarkably close similarity to The Raspberries, with Arlis himself sounding just like Eric Carmen. The group is perhaps best known for the 1980 single "I Wanna Be", released by Titan. [SOURCE: LAST.FM]

 

The Tweeds

The Tweeds were led by Marc McHugh, formerly of 60s band The Bone (with apparently a great song "Everybody's Gone Into April" cut on 7" in 1969). The Tweeds where from Massachusetts and issued a small string of singles and EPs from 1977-1981, the most famous of which is probably 1980’s 'Perfect Fit' which contains their most lasting tracks “I Need That Record” and “The Girl Who Said No". The band apparently included Kenny Gorelick (aka Kenny G, the band of your elevator existence) on keys at one point but its unclear how much of the material he may have played on. In general the band has a lot of delightful, but not especially hard hitting power pop. [SOURCE: PLAIN AND FANCY]

 

The Orbits

Scott Krueger's first band was called Marilyn with Mark Schneider, Jerome Brisch, Caleb Alexander and a flurry of rotating drummers. They played garage-y tunes including sixties staples from The Yardbirds, Mindbenders and others. They only played out a couple times before morphing into In A Hot Coma. At that time in Milwaukee, there weren't many places to play and no one else doing that style of music, so they often got a poor reception at their shows. Scott eventually left and Jill Kossoris joined the group on keyboard. Later deciding that she wanted to front her own band and play her own material, she went on to form The Shivvers. 

 

From there, In A Hot Coma became The Haskels and the Milwaukee music scene started to erupt. Meanwhile, Danny Zelonky put out an ad looking for people to play in a band influenced by The Stooges, Velvet Underground and Roxy Music. Scott Krueger and Breck Burns answered the call and started playing guitar and bass, respectively, in this new group called The Drones. They played out a few times, covering songs by Badfinger, Flamin' Groovies, and even tried a couple originals. In fact, the first original composition Scott and Breck wrote together was "Life Without You," which would later surface when the two joined The Shivvers. 

 

After their time with The Drones, Scott (now on bass) and Breck (now on guitar) formed The Craze with Jim Richardson (drums, later in The Shivvers) and Howie Epstein (vocals/guitar, later in Tom Petty's band, now deceased). Having a repertoire of 60s covers, they played out a lot but Scott and Breck eventually parted ways from the group. Breck then found Bob Wren and the two started rehearsing together. They even played a show as a guitar/drum duo under the name Bob and Breck. After about six months of writing material and perfecting their songs, Breck tapped his old friend Scott to join the band. 

 

The sound of The Orbits was initially very pub rock-oriented, but they soon morphed into a very tight and aggressive, mod-sounding group with heavy British influences. The band went in the studio to record two songs, "Having Fun" and "Smart Suit, Shirt, and Tie" to release as their first 7". Unhappy with the results, they scrapped the idea and it was never released. They went to Shade Tree Studios in Lake Geneva a short while after that to lay down two more tracks, "Make The Rules" and "Phenomenal World." Using the late night hours at the studio to get a better rate, they hammered out all the music tracks in a single four hour session and finished all the vocals and dubs the next night. The single was released on their own No. 1 Records in an edition of 500 copies. They sent records out to try and get reviews in magazines like Bomp and Trouser Press and also pushed to get airplay (which they achieved on Chicago's WXRT). 

 

All in all, the band played around 40 shows in the year and a half they stuck it out. They had about 10 original songs (written by Scott and Breck) as well as some covers. Hammering out short and sweet 20 minute sets, they primarily stuck to the Milwaukee club circuit, frequenting Zaks, the Palms and Starship. They did however venture to Madison where they got to open for Ultravox. Unfortunately, after having built a strong, steady following, Breck decided to take a break. They regrouped a short while later, but it wasn't the same. The crowds had greatly dissipated by then so the band ceased to be. After that, Scott tried out and promptly secured a spot as bass player for The Shivvers. Breck followed suit about a year later as the guitar player for The Shivvers, but by that time the band was winding down. [SOURCE: CHEAP REWARDS] 

The Secrets

The Secrets were a Kansas City area powerpop group that got its start as Gary Apple's backing band. The Secrets' lineup has included Brent Hoad (guitar, vocals), Kevin Davis (lead guitar), Steve Davis (lead guitar, replaced Kevin Davis), Norman Dahlor (bass), Pat Tomek (drums), and Randy Miller (drums, replaced Pat Tomek). They released a 1979 single on Kansas City’s Titan Records. Only 1000 copies of  'It’s Your Heart Tonight b/w Get Your Radio', two Brent Hoad songs, were pressed and were quickly gone. The Secrets were a good match for the power pop record company, but the one single is all they ever did for Titan. 

The Zippers

The Zippers were a Los Angeles-based punk/pop band from the late 1970s and early 1980s formed by Lou Cammarata (guitar, vocals, and member in the 60's and 70's of the soul bands Nicky C & The Chateaux and CRYSTAL), Danielle Faye (bass, vocals, also a member of Venus & The Razorblades), Bob Willingham (guitar, vocals) and Bill Willett (drums, vocals, also in The Imperial Dogs). They debuted in 1977 with the 7" single 'He's A Rebel / You're So Strange' on the Californian label Back Door Man Records. In 1981, Rhino released the 'A Six Song Mini Album' EP, produced by The Doors' Ray Manzarek.

 

SVT

San Francisco based outfit fronted by ex-Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna bassist Jack Casady. Casady brought with him Nick Buck from Hot Tuna and added Brian Marnell and Bill Gibson from Airplay (ex Sound Hole). The band was formed early in 1978 as Jack Casady Band but evolved rapidly into SVT. 

 

While the band became live favourites in the Bay Area they never managed to crack into the big money markets. Apart from their EP and LP, SVT had two 45s on 415 Records and a cut on the Ambition Records compilation 'Declaration of Independence' (AMB 1) in 1980. Their debut single "Heart of Stone", became a hit on local FM station KSAN. 

 

Bill Gibson, who had been a founding member of SVT, did not play on any of SVT's albums -only on the singles. Although, he is playing drums and singing backing vocals on two tracks that were added to the re-released and extended 'No Regrets' album. Bill left SVT in 1979 to form what was to become Huey Lewis and the News. He was replaced by local drummer Paul Zahl. 

 

With Zahl on drums, SVT recorded 'Extended Play' in 1979 and after Nick Buck left SVT early in 1981, the remaining trio recorded 'No Regrets'. The later album dissappeared very soon after its release because the band had difficulties to find a bigger audience -mostly due to the fact that the San Francisco audience had problems with SVT's 'punk/new wave style'. They expected different things from Casady. Eventually the lack of success and changing lifestyles led to SVT's end in 1982. Marnell's death on August 19, 1983 would also end any reunion ideas -if they ever existed. [SOURCE: BAY AREA BANDS]

 

The Marshalls

The Marshalls were a Boston power pop outfit with the core of the Marshall's brothers -Kevin Marshall (lead guitar, piano, vocals), Barry Marshall (drums, vocals) and Kenny Marshall (bass, vocals). Later on they were joined by their sister Ellie Marshall (guitar, vocals). They played with The Cars, Real Kids, The Stompers, Fox Pass and The Nervous Eaters. Their tracks are in the vein of the first album from Pezband, early Rubinoos, Scruffs, Innocents and Titan Records (Arlis, The Boys, Gary Charlson). [SOURCE: POWERPOP OVERDOSE]

 

The Pop

The Pop was a Power pop band from Madison, Wisconsin, active in the early 1980s and formed by Cliff Fredricks (Guitar), Merlyn Stark (Vocals, Guitar), Rick Hagopian (Drums) and John Dubats (Bass). They only relased the 7'' single "Wait A Minute" on their own Straight To The Point Records label in 1981. They later changed their name to Four 1 Four, taking its name from Milwaukee's area code and recording again "Wait A Minute" for the local double LP compilation '93QFM Hometown Album Project No. 2' (1982). At least one of the guys in The Pop's involved in a new act called D'Pop!, whose self-titled CD leads off with a really Merseybeat-era Beatles-sounding remake of "Wait A Minute".

 

Reaction Formation

The suburban wasteland of Downers Grove, Illinois spawned the band Reaction Formation in the early 1980s, and they eventually became an often-gigged and sometimes-touring juggernaut of youthful free energy. Tuneage ranged from classic Midwestern jangle-pop and indie rock; they were “pop” enough to also appeal to the mid-1980s Chicago Mod scene (Green, The Slugs, 007, I-Spy, The Dig). Guitarist Jim “McGuinn” Slusarek became a national powerhouse in alternative radio (he now resides as Program Director for Minnesota Public Radio’s The Current) and singer Steve Timble became publisher of Time Out Chicago (now at The Wall Street Journal).

 

Revolver

Revolver was a californian pop rock band formed in the 1980s as a Beatles sound alike act and formed by Mark Estes (rhythm guitar), Howard Lea (lead guitar), Jim Wootten (bass) and Rolo Sandoval (drums). They only relased the "Some Other Guy b/w I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry Over You" 7" single in 1983. Howard Lea formed The Jigsaw Seen in 1988 with Dennis Davison (ex United States Of Existence, whose influential debut album “Introducing” was released by Bam Caruso in 1986).