Cowpunk.
A silly name perhaps, but when I was 18 I thought it pretty cool. And in the early to mid-80s all the new music I seemed to be listening to was Californian or with predominantly Californian roots:
I owned all the Rank & File, Green on Red and Blasters records and almost all the Beat Farmers, Lone Justice, True Believers, and Jason and the Scorchers albums.
The attraction of Cowpunk, musically, is that it crossed a number of styles of music I liked …rock, punk, rock revival and rockabilly. It was here, partially, where I learned to love the predominant “country” element of the music and I was encouraged to move backwards in time to listen to more country music.
I don’t know if the bands themselves identified themselves as Cowpunk at the time but it is clear that there was a distinctive sound of rock music played with country influences. The overladen “punk” edge distinguished it from country rock.
Wikipedia define Cowpunk as “Cowpunk or Country punk is a subgenre of punk rock that began in the
The entire Allmusic entry is “A precursor to the alternative country-rock of the decade to follow, Cowpunk was a 1980s phenomenon incorporating the mood and texture of traditional country music with the energy and attitude of punk”.
The Cowpunk genre is not precise in itself, but what musical genre is?
Cowpunk encompassed parts of rock revival, rockabilly, roots rock, folk rock, jangle rock, country rock, power pop, the Paisley Underground,
Likewise the music wasn’t exclusively Californian though that’s where it had its greatest success. And even then a large number of those Californian bands were bands from other parts of the country who had been attracted by the bright lights of LA, specifically, and
One thing is certain, as the day is long, the whole alt-country movement did not start with Uncle Tupelo and the No Depression scene. They made the music “hip” but the roots were fully formed at the time of Cowpunk.
The difference of course was though that no one was listening in the mid-80s. Well maybe no one apart from Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy of Uncle Tupelo.
Listening to Cowpunk now it’s interesting to note that none of it sounds particularly punk or particularly country. What it does sound like is roots rock and alt country with haphazard and varied 80s production.
The genre is so small that only two or three dozen bands released albums in the genre, only a few of which have transcended time and are still quite listenable.
The music also led to the wearing of neckerchiefs (both round the neck and boot), string ties, cowboy boots and belts, country and western shirts, fringed jackets and if you were game, cowboy hats (I wasn’t game,
The Rave-Ups flew under by radar at the time and since. Only in doing this comment did I find out who they were though none of the songs sounded familiar to me. My wife instantly picked up on them when I played the record as she loves the film “Pretty in Pink” and The Rave-Ups play the band in the film and contribute a couple of songs.
The band were originally from
The Rave-Ups are usually referred to as “Cowpunk” or “roots rock” and there are certainly elements of both those styles in their music. There is also a little jangle rock which was popular at the time) and a little indie rock (which was emerging at that time).
The songs, almost all written by the singer Jimmer Podarsky, are well constructed, very literate songs but slightly derivative. The biggest strength is their pop sensibility and expected (new wave) quirkiness.
The biggest problem is the 80s production which plagues a lot of underground bands. The sound is sparse and tinny where it should be punchy.
Tracks (best in italics)
- Positively Lost Me – a good song. Very much of it’s era but very catchy. Some very mild country stylings but quirky. In other hands it would be standard heartland rock.
- Remember (Newman’s Lovesong) – bluegrass updated
- Better World – could you have a 80s indie band be without a socially relevant song? This one is gentle and gently biting – not angry but rather slightly sad and melancholy.
- Class Tramp – could you have a 80s indie band be without a class conscious song? This one references, thematically, Ray Davies and predates Pulp’s similarly themed “Common People”. Here it’s done with a nice, gentle chuggling beat.
- In My Gremlin – a real “Wild Child” (sic) rip off done as a Beach Boys car song. Catchy nonetheless.
- Radio – A gentle, haunting rumination (albeit obscure) on love (perhaps)
- By the Way – another gently critical song again none too distant from some of Ray Davies musings.
- Not Where You’re at (But Where You Will Be) – a gentle country bounce – possibly a little too gentle.
- You Ain’t Going Nowhere – (Bob Dylan) – The great Dylan country rock song recorded by Dylan and The Band and released on “The Basement Tapes”. The Byrds recorded it in the 60s and then later Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman recorded it as a duo in 1989. It has been recoded by many others. This version is good, but then again the source material is great.
- Rave up/Shut Up – it certainly is but it’s a bit light on.
And …
Not the best of the genre but there are quite a few endearing moments. In fact for a “cowpunk” records the best moments are the slower ballad type songs …. I’m keeping it. I think it will grow on me even more. Since I wrote the last couple of lines the album has, in fact, grown on me even more. Pleasantly subversive….
Chart Action
US
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Sounds
Positively Lost Me
From “Pretty in Pink” (1985)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfdcbZxzKWc
Better World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IPURgn5LWk
Radio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJA5eNMlsqQ
Rave up/Shut Up
Photo montage from “Pretty in Pink” (1985)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPPCPjpkgkM
Others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKGrdXKBqVg
Review
http://www.allmusic.com/album/town-amp-country-mw0000523154
http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=The+Rave-Ups
http://coolalbumreview.com/?p=14892
Bio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rave-Ups
https://sites.google.com/site/pittsburghmusichistory/pittsburgh-music-story/rock/the-rave-ups/
Other
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowpunk
Website
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Trivia
- Pedal-steel master Sneaky Pete Kleinow plays on two tracks.
- 80s brat pack actress Molly Ringwald was a big supporter of the band. Her sister ended up marrying the lead singer. It was Ringwald who apparently encouraged director John Hughes to see them which led to their appearance in “Pretty in Pink” (1985). In the earlier “Sixteen Candles” (1985) their name is scratched with ball point pen into Ringwald’s three-ring binder.
- Actress Shannon Doherty, who was briefly engaged to Jimmer Podrasky, helped the Rave-Ups book an appearance on the television show
- Podrasky formed the band the Lovin’ Miserys with ex-Concrete Blonde drummer Harry Rushakoff and released the “Happy as Hell” CD in 1996.
