New Wave for the New Week #144

Greg Shaw was probably responsible for more fantastic independent music reaching more ears than anyone else in the late '70s and early '80s, through his LA-based record store, fanzine, and later, label, all known informally as Bomp! (Officially, "Who Put The Bomp!," but why quibble over details?)  One of his niftiest finds of the era was a group who had come from Tulsa, OK, to the big city of L.A. to seek their fortune.

It was Shaw's Bomp! label that released the debut single from the band 20/20.  "Giving It All" appeared in 1978, a brightly colored wad of late-'60s/early-'70s bubblegum in the midst of a bland late-'70s disco world.  Crisp, shimmering and joyous, "Giving It All" caught a few influential ears, and before long these kids with their skinny ties, holdover shag haircuts, and mildly anachronistic sound found themselves signed by CBS via their Portrait label.

Their debut LP, the self-titled and absolutely essential 20/20, is one of the most underrated records of the 1970s.  A virtual primer on what power-pop is supposed to sound like, the record boasts several shoulda-been hits that have received much more notice in recent years than they did at the time.  "Yellow Pills," a pseudo-psychedelic trip through producer Earle Mankey's bag of studio tricks, may be their best-known track; "Cheri" is one of the most heartfelt declarations of unrequited love ever put down on vinyl; cuts like "She's An Obsession" and "Out Of This Time" basically laid the ground rules for a thousand power-pop bands to follow. The album is simply a must-have.

The same high praise cannot be offered for their 1981 follow-up LP, Look Out!  While it isn't without its charms (notably "Nuclear Boy"), there were some obvious changes made to the band's overall sound - likely at the urging of CBS in hopes of mainstream sales.  Where the debut glistened, Look Out! could at best offer a dull sheen.  It didn't sell, and CBS cut ties with the band. Both records were reissued on a single CD in 1995.

Undeterred, 20/20 went back to what they did best.  After finding a home with the independent Mainway label, they issued a third album in 1982. Sex Trap was a refreshing return to the sound of the first LP, and offered the band promise: Enigma Records picked up the album, remixed a few tracks, dropped one and added the excellent "Jack's Got A Problem."  This new version of Sex Trap also boasted better distribution and is usually the version you find floating around for sale these days.  (Originals on Mainway sport blue graphics; the Enigma reissue changes the graphics to red.)  For completists, there exists a Japanese CD reissue circa 1999 that includes all the tracks from both versions and changes the graphics color to yellow.  Collect them all!

20/20 split after 1983, but were reunited ten years later.  Two more albums have since been released: 1995's 4 Day Tornado and 1998's Interstate.  Those looking for the 20/20 of old may find complaints, but those who care to hear a solid band who have matured into musicians willing to test waters outside of their comfort zone (especially on Interstate, which veers into country-twinged sounds) should be pleased.

For this week's NW4NW, we go back to that wonderful debut record.  First up, a clip for "Yellow Pills" followed by the simply wonderful "Cheri." Enjoy!

New Wave for the New Week #128

A bit of a highly sought-after New Wave curio to share with you this week, in the form of NYC quartet The Go.  Formed in 1979, The Go were one of the innumerable bands that traced their inspiration back to The Ramones.  Armed with three chords and attitude, they felt ready to take the world by storm.  If they fell a bit short of that mark, at least they made an impression at CBGB's, where they debuted at an open audition night and were the only band asked to return for a paying gig.

The Go broke no new ground.  Their jangly power-pop-with-spiky-hair sound was already being plied by several bands, but something about them stood out from the crowd.  They had an energy, a personality, and they had the knack (pun intended) for writing memorably catchy songs.  The best of their repertoire would become the centerpiece of their lone vinyl release, the 4-song 45 rpm Instant Reaction ep.  Fans of bands like The Shoes or 20/20 will find familiar comfort within these grooves: the title track and "Don't Take Her Away" were both punchy, energetic tracks that became underground favorites; "She Gives A Color To Me" and "Tomorrow Night" showed a moodier side and hinted that commercial success could be theirs if only they'd find that big break. 

They spent nearly four years looking for that break, playing the NY/NJ club circuit, shopping demo tapes around from label to label, making local-access cable TV appearances.  Unfortunately, it just never happened, and by 1983 the band was no more.  Instant Reaction, however, became the stuff of legend over the years.  With only 1000 copies pressed, it remains a holy grail for Punk and New Wave vinyl collectors, and usually fetches quite a price if you can find it (I've never actually seen a copy!)

That collector interest spurred the release of a compilation album in 2005, also titled Instant Reaction, put together by the Japan's Wizzard In Vinyl label, containing all four cuts from the ep and as much demo and studio outtake material as they could find.  The 22-song import was reconfigured into a 16-song abridged version released stateside through Rave-Up Records.  Both go for roughly $20 - take your pick.

This week's clip is one I never knew existed, for The Go's "Instant Reaction." Gotta love the low-budget early music video feel of this one, from the oh-so-1980 clothes to the not quite accurate lip-syncing.  Still, it's a classic.  Enjoy!

New Wave for the New Week #123

Here's another NW4NW entry from the "Hidden Gems Just Waiting To Be Rediscovered" file: Brisbane, Australia's The Riptides.

Between 1978 and 1983, The Riptides released four outstanding singles, one excellent mini album, and one fantastic full-length LP that essentially collected everything on one slab o' vinyl.  Despite a rabid fanbase and at least two comeback albums, they sadly remain under-appreciated today.  Here's me doing my part to, hopefully, help right that wrong!

At the time calling themselves The Numbers, Mark Callaghan and his band's first release was a three-song 7" called Sunset Strip.  A raw and ragged affair, the punchy, punky tunes were catchy despite their stripped-down, bare-bones sound.  Only 500 copies were pressed, making this a truly difficult-to-find collector's item.  There existed another Aussie band calling themselves The Numbers at that time, however, so - after a minor shakeup in personnel - Callaghan renamed his band The Riptides, and reissued Sunset Strip in a remixed/remastered edition of 2000 copies.  The lead track, "77 Sunset Strip," caught on like gangbusters, and defined The Riptides' surf-twang/power-pop sound.  Quickly thereafter, the follow-up single, "Tomorrow's Tears," proved just as popular locally and reinforced that musical direction.

Their first venture into 12" vinyl was 1981's 6-song mini album Swept Away.  The lead single was a stomper called "Only Time" that fell only slightly short of the mark set by "77 Sunset Strip" and "Tomorrow's Tears."  The Riptides were still playing solid material, but the frustration caused by lacking a big breakout record was becoming evident.

1982's "Hearts and Flowers" single, sadly, was a misguided attempt at that commercial success, and lacked the punch and personality of their previous efforts.  About the same time, the full-length The Riptides album hit the shelves, neatly combining the existing material with newer stuff. The Riptides' moment in the Brisbane sun was over, however, and in 1983 they called it a day.

Four years later, a live album, The Riptides Resurface, appeared to some acclaim; four more years passed before a reunited Riptides issued the comeback attempt Wave Rock.  But it all been done before, and again The Riptides faded into history.

Presently, none of The Riptides' material is in print, but everything from "Tomorrow's Tears" on shows up with fair regularity on eBay.  There is a present-day Canadian band called The Riptides, so be aware if you go looking and make sure you've got the right band.  And if you ever find a reasonably-priced copy of The Numbers version of the Sunset Strip EP, let me know!

For today's entry, we celebrate The Riptides with their first three singles: "77 Sunset Strip," "Tomorrow's Tears," and "Only Time." Enjoy!

New Wave for the New Week #113

Time for another New Wave footnote that is deserving of far greater attention.  This time around, we celebrate a fantastic skinny-tie power-pop trio from Staten Island who called themselves Dirty Looks.

Having each been veterans of the New York bar band scene, neither Patrick Barnes (guitars/vocals), Peter Parker (drums), nor Marco Sin (bass) were unfamiliar with toiling away in seedy clubs playing in front of drunken crowds when they began hitting the stage at CBGB's as Dirty Looks in late 1979. It seemed that luck was on their side this time around, however: those early sets resulted in almost instant interest from Stiff Records, and within two months of their first gig, they found themselves in the studio recording their first LP.

That self-titled debut was released in 1980, and remains one of the great hidden gems of the era.  Solid, punchy songs with clever lyrics and just enough attitude made the album a critical success, but the single "Let Go" didn't catch on as Stiff (and particularly their American distributors, Epic) had hoped.

The following year brought about both a second album and, thanks to Epic's woefully misguided meddling, the beginning of the end of the band.  The band recorded Turn It Up in early 1981, submitted it to the label, and went out on tour.  Epic decided they didn't like the record - too edgy, needed to be more polished and mainstream, they said - and asked Stiff to remix the recordings.  Stiff brought in Elvis Costello's production team to clean it up, but Epic still didn't like the result, and refused to release the LP in the US.  The revised version did hit the shelves in the UK, and it was only upon hearing the released version that the band became aware of Epic's 'help.'  Epic withdrew all support for the LP and the tour, leaving Dirty Looks high and dry, and understandably discouraged.

The final straw, though, came later that same year when Island Records offered them a chance to record some demo material for a proposed third record.  Island President Chris Blackwell decided he didn't care for Patrick's voice, and told the band they should do an album of instrumentals.  Without a label, the band trudged on, but when their manager died of a heart attack in 1984, Patrick Barnes dissolved the band and quit the music business for good.  Dirty Looks soon became a forgotten band, suffering a final indignity when a late-80s hair metal band swiped their name.  Nowadays, if you do a Google search on the band, you find a ton about that metal group but almost nothing on the original Staten Island power trio, sadly.

Both albums fell out of print over the years, but both can be had for cheap on a handy CD released about five years ago.  Well worth the price of admission, if only to have that wonderful first record.  For your listening pleasure, here are two audio clips from Dirty Looks: first, my personal favorite of their songs, the 'you-just-don't-dig-our-scene' anthem "You're Too Old," and then the shoulda-been hit single "Let Go." Enjoy!