It is clear that the music was influential on subsequent punk acts. Though punk can be traced back to The Saints, Rocket from the Tombs, New York Dolls, and The Ramones and then even further back to the MC5 and The Stooges. (Any further back and there may be the punk energy in individual acts though not the direct stylistic influence IMHO). What is unacknowledged on punk is the less aggressive and more straight forward rock (powerpop) acts that influenced it like Grin ( with Nils Lofgren), Earth Quake, Big Star, The Nerves, Cheap Trick, The Sneakers, The Flamin Groovies and even Bruce Springsteen. What they shared were songs that were short, sharp, in your face, and punchy. Which, in the early to mid 70s … a decade of glam excess, bloated jazz rock fusion, ponderous prog rock pretentious, middle of the road country rock and all forms of disco, sounded quite revolutionary and progressive, despite the fact that lyrically the music rarely rises above boy + girl songs.
allmusic defines power pop as: Power Pop is a cross between the crunching hard rock of the Who and the sweet melodicism of the Beatles and Beach Boys, with the ringing guitars of the Byrds thrown in for good measure. Although several bands of the early '70s — most notably the Raspberries, Big Star, and Badfinger — established the sound of power pop, it wasn't until the late '70s that a whole group of like-minded bands emerged.
Without dwelling on this point much I should say that the term "power pop" is attributed to Pete Townshend referring to what The Who played in 1967. I have said in the past that I cannot see The Who link mainly because they were so focused, at least in the 60s, on being a R&B band and like most London R&B bands they had little time for (and some animosity towards) the pop rock of the Beatles (especially their pre-1966 material) and The Beatles are central to this discussion, as are the Byrds and The Beach Boys.
I do not disagree with that statement though I must say that the more powerpop I listen to the more I hear Buddy Holly, The Everly Brothers and even the Bobby Fuller Four. In fact the last quote could be applied to any of them also. At least two of those mentioned are acts the Beatles openly admired so I do not think I'm saying anything scandalous when I say the musical source point for powerpop is probably Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers though the 'power" was added sometime later.
In relation to The Beat, allmusic: "A Los Angeles-based power pop outfit formed by Paul Collins (ex-Nerves), the Beat recorded its self-titled debut LP after signing to Columbia Records in 1979. Despite good reviews and some regional success, the album failed to make much impact. A second attempt, 1982's The Kids Are the Same (this time credited to Paul Collins' Beat), also failed and effectively broke up the band. However, Collins returned the following year with a harder-rocking line-up including Patti Smith Group drummer Jay Dee Daugherty. Their EP, To Beat or Not to Beat, was again ignored; it proved to be the band's last recording. While it seemed that the Beat's only claim to fame would be forcing the (English) Beat to change its name in the U.S., their albums are now seen as classic examples of power pop. Paul Collins returned to a solo career into the '90s, signing to Wagon Wheel Records".
- Rock and Roll Girl – (P.Collins) – A great song – a perfect example of power pop. The music is immediate and unambiguous. The opening sounds suspiciously like the start to a less menacing "Holiday in Cambodia" by the Dead Kennedy's from 1980.
I saw the people dancing on the floor.
I wish there was an easier way
To meet the girls of today.
And if I had a chance, this is what I’d say:
I want to be with a rock and roll girl.
I want to be with a rock and roll girl.
I want to be with a rock and roll girl.
I call up the number, but nobody is home.
But I saw it on my TV.
They said they have someone for me.
I wish she would answer and give me her name.
I want to be with a rock and roll girl.
I want to be with a rock and roll girl.
I want to be with a rock and roll girl.
I hear them talking, then they are done.
I wish there was an easier way, hey hey!
To meet the girls of today.
I really want to talk, but what can I say?
I want to be with a rock and roll girl.
I want to be with a rock and roll girl.
I want to be with a rock and roll girl.
- I Don’t Fit In – (P.Collins) – a guitar crunching stomper which is not dissimilar (lyrically or musically) to "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" by The Kinks
- Different Kind Of Girl – (P. Collins, S. Huff) – some silly guitar but a generally satisfying mid-tempo song about girls, naturally.
- Don’t Wait Up For Me – (P.Collins) – this is in Cheap Trick territory and that's a good thing.
- You Won’t Be Happy – (P.Collins) – This song is in Dwight Twilley territory and reminds me of his hit "I'm on Fire".
- Walking Out On Love – (P.Collins) – short and sharp.
- Work-A-Day World – (P.Collins) – short and sharp and dealing with another powerpop theme – how work intrudes onto time when you should be having fun or chasing girls.
- U.S.A. – (Paul Collins, Peter Case) – co-written with old Nerves band mate Peter Case I assume this is an old song dug up. This sounds like a more restrained version of The Ramones which may not be surprising as The Nerves toured with the Ramones.
- Let Me Into Your Life– (P. Collins, Eddie Money) – Guitarist vocalist Eddie Money was a Nerves supporter (and also a big advocate for The Beat) which is not odd as Money likes 60s guitar rock though his own recordings, from what I have heard, is pretty ordinary 70s guitar based wankery. Still, the man has taste.
- Working Too Hard – (P.Collins) – originally recorded with The Nerves and quite meaty.
- You and I – (P.Collins) – The obligatory powerpop ballad (?) about a broken romance. it is not dissimilar to something by Mick Jagger or Johnny Thunders.
- Look But Don’t Touch – (P.Collins) – not quite powerpop but it fits in … though it is a little reminiscent of Springsteen around the same time. The last line as this last track fades out, "Is that enough for ya?", is perfectly appropriate.
I would like to say more but after all it is a power pop record. It works on the visceral not on the intellectual. And there's nothing wrong with that. For thirty or so minutes this record is never dull, and is totally infectious and fun. How many LPs can say that ?
I'm keeping this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7cI4-605-0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTAZLTklfA0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDe54dQX6jQ&feature=related
Let Me Into Your Life
attached
- The Beat from the UK (yawn a minute ska revivalists) had to change their name to the "English Beat" … and yes the LA Beat are much better than the Engrish Beat … that last line is comment not trivia.
- according to Paul Collins' youtube site his influences are: Ray Charles, The Beatles, Hank Williams, The Ramones, Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, The Byrds, The Who, Tom Petty, AC/DC, The Kinks, Sex Pistols, Elvis Costello, The Jam, Eddie Money, Paul Weller, The Nerves, The Plimsouls, Jack Lee, Cheap Trick, Peter Case, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, Argent, The Zombies, Paul Westerberg, The Replacements, Ray Davies.
- In the ever-changing world of music, singer/songwriter, businessman and author Paul Collins has launched a new program where each homeowner becomes a virtual concert promoter. Households hire Paul Collins and agree to host his live concerts, often inviting guests and sometimes charging a fee at the door to cover expenses associated with hiring and hosting a performer….The house concert tour has found Paul Collins performing in living rooms throughout Canada, The U.S. and Europe, the same regions where Collins regularly tours with his full band The Paul Collins Beat. Audience numbers range from 2 to 200. Recently, Paul Collins performed a house concert at a mansion in Los Angeles to a private crowd of 200. The concert was held in a couple’s “media room". http://tourtv.ning.com/profiles/blogs/innovative-living-room-house?xg_source=activity
