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 were 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). 

 

 

Gary Charlson

Gary Charlson was a guitarist and singer-songwriter from Kansas City, Missouri. Although unable to find mainstream success, his melodic tunes for Titan Records from the late 70s have long had a long cult following among power pop/new wave fans. Stylistically, he is similar to contemporaries Todd Rundgren and Squeeze. Primarily known for a string of late 1970s to early 1980s recordings, Charlson began playing in '60s and '70s tribute party band The Crayons in 1982, three members of which (Steve Davis, Larry Kips, and Gary Butler) would go on to play in KC Beatles tribute Liverpool after The Crayons broke up in 1988. The original lineup regrouped in 2013 and continues to play occasional performances at venues such as Knuckleheads. [SOURCE: LAST.FM] 

The Notes

"Rough School Year", the only single by The Notes, it's all about arrangement. Unusually for an US pop band, the Massachusetts group features prominent keyboards (and not just a Voxx) and is Zombie-esque at it's best. The initial response to this track is that it is a precurssor to today's lush powerpop sounds, a la Jellyfish, etc. And since both Paley Brothers as well and Erik Lindgren (keyboards, synthesizer, vocals), Jan Wolverton (lead guitar) and Bobby Bear (drums, vocals, percussion) are involved, you'd be spot on.

 

The Infidels

The Infidels, from Youngstown, Ohio formed in late June 1983, when a virtual inseparable pair of 15 year olds, John Hlumyk and Pete Drivere, decided to start the first and (arguably) the last punk rock band in West Middlesex, Pennsylvania. Their high energy, melody-driven punk/garage rock style quickly drew more and more fans at every performance. The band has played with Cheap Trick, Dead Boys and Collective Soul to name a few. [SOURCE: INSTAGRAM] 

The Shivvers

The roots of Milwaukee power pop outfit The Shivvers lie in In a Hot Coma, one of a series of local bands pairing bassist Scott Krueger and drummer Jim Richardson -Krueger's girlfriend, aspiring singer/songwriter Jill Kossoris, also played keyboards with the group in its final months. After In a Hot Coma split in 1978, Krueger formed The Orbits while Richardson signed on with local punk unit The Lubricants -meanwhile, Kossoris teamed with guitarist Mike Pyle to form The Shivvers, and when their respective bands dissolved, Krueger and Richardson joined the lineup as well. Guitarist Jim Eannelli completed The Shivvers' roster, which honed a repertoire of pop classics both familiar and obscure -Kossoris' originals rounded out the set list, and the group soon entered the studio to record her "Teen Line," issued on the Fliptop label in 1980. In addition to gigs in support of The Romantics and Iggy Pop, The Shivvers earned the endorsement of one of their heroes, ex-Raspberries frontman Eric Carmen, who even expressed his desire to produce their planned LP. After Eannelli resigned, former Orbits guitarist Breck Burns signed on in time for readers of the Milwaukee Journal to name The Shivvers' the city's best band of 1982 -at this point the group began mulling a move to a larger market like New York or Los Angeles, ultimately settling on Boston instead. After a handful of final hometown gigs, Pyle and Richardson packed up and relocated, but Kossoris began suffering health issues, and after Krueger opted to enlist with L.A. combo The Wigs, The Shivvers disbanded. Kossoris, Krueger, Richardson and Burns reunited in 1989 to record one more single, "Remember Tonight" -not long after the session, Burns was diagnosed with leukemia, and the disease claimed his life in 1993. Kossoris later relocated to Nashville, working as a songwriter and in 2001 issuing a solo LP, 'Invisible'; in 2003, the Hyped to Death label issued The Shivvers retrospective 'Til the Word Gets Out'. [SOURCE: ALLMUSIC] 

The Smirks

The Smirks were an English new wave band from Manchester who played from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. Although they failed to meet with commercial success, they built a small but loyal base of fans. They are remembered mostly for a quirky vocal style and for a curious campaign "Smirks against Travolta", simultaneously a homage and a parody of Rock Against Racism. Despite being more of the new wave/power pop genre, they did support Killing Joke and Joy Division at the ULU gig in London, 1980. 

 

Their acrimonious dispute with Beserkley Records, for whom they recorded an album that was never released, is also noteworthy and was the subject of a BBC Radio 4 documentary. The album was finally due to be released in October 2007, but was delayed by the sale of Sanctuary Records to Universal Music and is still awaiting release. 

 

Bassist Ian Morris and drummer Mike Doherty both played on the demos for the Jilted John single. Ian Morris and guitarist Simon Milner later released a single under the pseudonym Captain Mog and Private Sigh. Mike Doherty went on to play for The Freshies. Simon formed The Bernhardts, a predecessor to The Oscar Bernhardt Ensemble, who play 1930's and 1940s Swing and Latin Music. Ian Morris, now presents a show on ALL FM called "Standing in the Shadows of Lev". Guitarist Neil Fitzpatrick and Simon Milner were part of the group Distant Cousins, who released two albums with Doreen Edwards. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA]

 

Telegents

The Telegents were a London-based power pop band formed in 1979. They released one single, "Get Out" b/w "Telephone Romance," in 1982. They recorded a second single, "Seen It Before!," later that year, but broke up before it saw distribution. [SOURCE: LAST.FM] 

 

The Resistance

The Resistance was an english band offering power pop a la XTC and formed by Mark Damron (vocals, guitar), John O'Leary (bass), Ian Reid (vocals, keyboards) and Martin Saunders (drums). Saunders later played in Funhouse, a short lived band named after The Stooges track and formed by members of Another Pretty Face, including future Waterboys founder Mike Scott. The Resistance released two 7" singles, 'Kidnapped' (1979) on Maquis Records and 'Survival Kit' (1980) on Fontana. Fontana tried twice with this release issuing it again a year later in a different picture sleeve. 

The Quads

The Quads were a new wave band from Birmingham, England, active in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The band was formed in Birmingham by three brothers, Josh Jones, Colin "Jack" Jones and Terry "Johnny" Jones, plus bassist Jim Doherty. Their 1979 debut single "There Must Be Thousands" was a favourite of the BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, who selected it as his "single of the decade! Despite receiving considerable airplay on the main BBC Radio 1 daytime programmes, "There Must Be Thousands" only reached No. 66 in the UK singles chart, but in 2001 John Peel still listed it as one of his all-time favourite records.

 

Then, in 2013, to coincide with its use on a promotional video by natural skincare company JooMo, the track was re-released by Big Bear Records. The band released further singles, including "Gotta Getta Job", which they performed during the People's March for Jobs in 1981, a march in which they took part. They continued to perform until the mid-1980s, when Doherty left. They reformed in the 1990s and made further recordings for Don Arden, but they were not released. Josh Jones later moved to Auckland, New Zealand and became an Anglican priest, while still creating and recording new music. [SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA] 

 

Yeh-Yeh

Yeh-Yeh is a power pop band from Blackpool in Lancashire, England. They had some local success in the mid-80s, and they released the single "You Will Pay" in 1986. Influences came from the popular mod style of the time, with the group looking at bands such as The Jam. However, Yeh-Yeh never were able to break through commercially to the rest of the U.K. After years of inactivity, the band reformed, and it has resumed touring, inspired by the 'Mod Aid' 20th Anniversary recording session in February 2004. Reformed and gigging in 2020 as a 3 piece featuring Andy Houghton (Bass, Vocals), Dean Kelly (Guitar) and Emma Page (Drums).