There is very little information on this band out there.
They seem to be one of the many power pop bands signed during the New Wave rush of the late1970s.
The Now were:
- Jeff Lennon – (Geoff "Lip" Danielik)
- Mamie Francis
- Robin Dee
- Bobby Ore – (Bobby Orefiece)
They were from NYC.
“Hailing from New York City, Jeff Lennon (Geoff "Lip" Danielik), Mamie Francis, Robin Dee and Bobby Ore were The Now. They were playing the Max's Kansas City scene when they signed to RCA distributed Midsong International Records and hooked up with producer Bobby Orlando. An album was "produced, arranged, engineered and concieved" by Mr. Orlando and sold about 200,000 records – enough to warrant a second LP which the band started to record. Then the label literally disappeared from their New York City offices. The band never received a dime and that was the end of The Now. The band splintered off into various bands but none achieved any level of success. A live disc recorded in 1979 was released on CD. Check also the Japanese import from Wizzard In Vinyl that unearths a retrospective from Geoff "Lip" Danielik who during 1978-1981 had 4 bands (Alter Ego, Peroxide, T.K.O and The Now) all which did the major label flirting thing but never quite getting to where they all had hoped. Danielik`s closest call was with The Now, which power poppers from this time period will recall”. https://www.israbox.life/3137504540-the-now-bobby-orlando-presents-the-now-2013-remastered.html
“Hey, I was in "The Now" … there was a live recording (unofficially released) and what's not mentioned is that we did record a complete second album in just one evening "Bad Publicity Is Better Than No Publicity", we were going to mix the record a couple of weeks later when the record company strangely disappeared basically overnight. So it goes in the music world! Oh, and that's correct – none of the band members made a penny – Go”. http://lostbands.blogspot.com.au/2007/04/now.html
Only Bobby O (Orlando, Orefiece) seems to have had a career (quite a major player) in Hi-NRG (pronounced "high energy”) electronic dance music (similar to up-tempo disco) that originated in the United States and United Kingdom during the late 1970s and early 1980s. http://80seurohi-nrg.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/godfathers-of-hi-nrg-part-2-bobby.html
Bobby had been into (and in ?) a number of glitter and New York Dolls type bands in the 70s and, seemingly, The Now was his last hurrah for rock n roll and, perhaps, his vision.
All songs were written (or co-written) by him, he also sings lead vocals and the album was "produced, arranged, engineered and conceived" by him.
The album seems to cover almost all the New Wave stylistic motifs … there is ( a lot of) power pop, there are retro 60s sounds, there is punkish new wave, there is garage, there is some Jamaican sounds, there is some pure pop.
The covering of every musical base reeks of New Wave opportunism …
but
it works.
It works because the songs are so genuinely catchy and there is a real sense of fun going on. There is no danger in the music just good times. There is, also, a vivid sense of the past which was always there in the New Wave but with a punch, and directness, as you would expect. It is a bit like what Elvis Costello was doing in England though with a wider musical palette (Costello’s palette expanded later). To that end this album is ambitious and a little ahead of the curve but, importantly, it doesn’t sound too disjointed.
It should have been much bigger because it is much better than a lot of similar albums coming out at the same time.
And, the cover art is superb.
This is great fun and a very good album..
All songs by Bobby Orlando unless noted.
Tracks (best in italics)
Side One
- Can You Fix Me Up With Her – a 60s flavoured tune.
- He's Takin' You To The Movies – some jingle jangle being introduced here over a theme which is very 60s and very power pop.
- T.V. Private Eye – (Orlando, Diliece, Orifice) – some reggae-ish sounds creeping in here. Luckily it's short.
- You Are The One – more 60s influences with some Ramones light sounds … fun
- Reaction – another 60s flavoured winner
Side Two
- What's Her Name – more power pop. I am a sucker for this.
- I Wanna Go Steady With You – another fun power pop with more 60s vibes.
- Baby I'm Bad – cartoonish punk which sounds like from England circa 1977
- Flex Your Muscle – a punk imitation and very punchy.
- Christine – (Mamie Danielik) – more punk with creeping keyboard (?) in the background. Better on re-listens. Quite good, though it reminds me on something else I can't put my finger on.
And …
This album is great fun and vastly underrated … I'm keeping it.
Chart Action
Nothing no where
Sounds
Can You Fix Me Up With Her
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdV8_Y-faW0
He's Takin' You To The Movies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiGvjxf1YeM
T.V. Private Eye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y-rAn_9A4Y
You Are The One
mp3 attached
Reaction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ny7IwGT9T4
What's Her Name
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tjqPn0FaE8
I Wanna Go Steady With You
mp3 attached
Baby I'm Bad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH4QIuUh7jg
Flex Your Muscle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ_Hd731X-A
Christine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dqCNwPYP44
Others
Bobby O
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOcbvB3-dEo
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJuTglSpCb-o70PtIYZR1Sg
Review
http://www.mistersuave.com/2009/07/mod-day-now.html
Bio
http://lostbands.blogspot.com.au/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Orlando
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bobby-orlando-mn0000073040/biography
https://www.globaldarkness.com/articles/bobby_orlando_bio.htm
Website
Trivia
- "In late 1983 and early 1984, Chris and Neil recorded thirteen of their early songs in New York City with their first producer, Bobby Orlando, better known in the music world as Bobby 'O'. A songwriter and recording artist in his own right as well as producer, Bobby 'O' was the man primarily responsible for (among many other things) the 1982 cult dance classic "Passion" by The Flirts, which proved a major influence on the early style of the Pet Shop Boys". http://www.geowayne.com/newDesign/lists/bobbyo.htm
http://www.magnetmagazine.com/2016/07/08/magnet-classics-the-making-of-pet-shop-boys-please/
- Orlando also wrote and produced Divine’s debut album.
- There was another “The Now” are a Peterborough, England punk band circa 1977.
