Classic pop hooks and a twangy guitar. That’s all you need. The Bottle Kids’ second release ‘Let Me in on This Action’ contains 13 power pop delights. Again, that’s all you need.
It’s quintessential old-school power pop ala The Nerves, Paul Collins or The Plimsouls. Wielding an inherently California blend of pop harmonies, swooning melodies, crunchy driving guitars and pleasantly lingering hooks arranged with an auteur’s precision, The Bottle Kids offer a soundtrack equally appropriate for an afternoon daydream, a poolside party with your crush or a long drive down the rocky, windy coast.
Conceived as the musical vision of frontman/songwriter/producer/engineer Berkeley native, Eric Blakely, The Bottle Kids embody the best of both “then” and “now,” combining Blakely’s deep roots in early 80’s power pop with a keen sense of songwriting and production for a refreshing, innovative and stubbornly irresistible sound.
You sing: ‘Let’s put some power back in pop. Don’t let those guitars ever stop.’. It is not only about the guitars, is it?
In a way it is. It is a nod to my favorite guitar players in Power Pop. I mention Larry Whitman and Bill Pitcock IV in remembrance of them. But it is more a playful way of saying don’t forget to put some big guitars on the song. Talking to myself more than anything else.
The younger days seem to be an important inspiration for this record. Everything was better in the old days or were you (just) reflecting?
I was reflecting on all the records that excited me most certainly. The period for me was from 1976 to the mid 80’s as far as Power Pop goes. Though I like a lot of things after that. But as I write I seem to tune it to that period.
Classic pop hooks and a twangy guitar, that’s what is setting you apart. Does that make sense?
I hope it does. I hope to achieve that. I think that is the formula for any good Power Pop record.
As I was living in Austin, Texas for many years I think the mix of Country and Rock guitars have influenced me in the “twangy” part of my playing.
Never tempted to add a 3-minute guitar solo?
Ha! Good question. Yes, and I have done so on stage live, stretching out solos if the mood and crowd are up for it. But for the most part, I think a great song can be 3 minutes or less, so I tend to try to make the solos serve the song rather than take over the song.
‘I Miss Her Goodbyes’. Parts of that song remind me of Oasis’ Don’t Look Back in Anger. Was she an Oasis fan? 😊
I am sure she would be! As we all know Oasis draws heavily from the Beatles, so she is probably a Beatles fan first. The chord progression does have an Oasis vibe to it indeed.
If you write songs, does the power pop style comes the most naturally?
I think I can tap into that state of mind effortlessly as so many Power Pop records excited me in my formative years, it feels natural to me.
Can you elaborate a bit on how ‘Let Me in on This Action’ came together?
The Bottle Kids project was a happy accident. I was in my studio just recording drums to write songs to. Just a simple exercise to write. I would sit and play the drums imagining music in my head. When I started writing to them it just sort of fell into place and I thought I might have an album here. I decided to create an alter ego, The Bottle Kids. That was the first Album, Such A Thrill.
I decided to do another album and put a bit more forethought into it without changing the creative process.
I recorded a bunch of drum tracks and wrote to the ones that inspired me. I waited a few weeks to listen to the drums to have a bit of objectivity then wrote to the ones that spoke to me. If there was a slight ” mistake” on the drum part I would play to it rather than ” fix” it.
Let Me In On This Action is the result of the same process but with more intent from the beginning.
With the release of First Days of Summer, power-pop veteran (sparkle*jets u.k., Yorktown Lads) Michael Simmons delivers his first album of original music released under his name in 20 years. With his demanding day-job in education, there are only a few days each year where the pressure is off. It’s these first days of summer when, just maybe, some songs might pop out. The first three came in late June 2015, and two more in late June 2016. As June of 2017 rolled around, he was so enamored of the idea of putting out new music that seven more songs came in the space of a week, and suddenly he had an album!
What was the biggest fun during the making of the last album?
Most of the time I was the only one there, but it was fun adding the parts I can’t do like the horns. But the most fun part is making something out of nothing and hearing it for the first time.
She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixtape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?
I’d start with “Do Your Best to Care” and then be bold and say “Let’s Fall in Love” and “Bucket List”. Beyond that, I dunno… ‘Fuzzy Green Hat’ perhaps? Maybe the title track to round things out.
The meaning of ‘success’ has changed over the years. When will the new record be a success?
Never. But it exists, and that’s enough.
Can you still recall the moment music became important to you? What happened?
My earliest memories are of playing records. I probably had records before I could walk. It’s all I’ve ever really cared about and that hasn’t changed.
Which is the song you wish you had written every time you hear it? And why?
“Cruel to be Kind” by Nick Lowe. Such a great but simple song and a killer vocal.
If you could tour the world with 2 other bands, who would you ask to join?
Sloan. And I wouldn’t mind being in ELO either.
If the budget was unlimited, how would you record the next record?
Abbey Road studio 2 with Dave Gregory on guitar, Darian Sahanaja on keyboards, McCartney on bass, Giles Martin in the booth with Jeff Lynne listening in, and the other peeps I normally play with taking turns. I would try not to play a note.
Every family birthday, same story. Again, you have to explain what kind of band you are in. What’s the story this time for aunt Jenny and uncle Clive?
Shut up and drink your Boddingtons, Clive you git.
What would change if Disney would call and tell you they are going to use your song in their next movie?
I’d get a bigger house.
What’s up for the rest of the year?
Work, mostly. But who knows, a song might come out during the first days of summer. It’s been known to happen.
“Hailing from Manchester’s competitive music scene, The Electric Stars are a psych rock’n’roll group with slick guitar riffs and bold catchy lyrics embedded into each of their songs. Their debut album Sonic Candy Soul is appropriately named, as its sweetness is the prominent thread linking tracks together.”
Jason Edge talks about the psych and the rock and roll. And about the look, the sound, the feel, the colours, the production & the vibe!
What was the biggest fun during the making of the last album?
Making Sonic Candy Soul was great because we basically invented the band in the studio. The whole thing was in our heads, the look, sound, feel, colours, production & vibe. The Electric Stars were created in Vibe Studio! If that’s not fun then what is?
At what point, during writing, rehearsing, recording, did you knew you were on to something special?
We knew as soon as we had written the songs that it was going to be quite something because they were very strong! Songwriting in this band is still the key, although if you switch on the radio these days it would seem like everyone else disagrees..
The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?
The Industry today is knackered. It has no interest in nurturing talent. It is obsessed with stats and likes and hits online. Artists have a very short shelflife and TV creates the next pop puppet from a conveyer belt of blandness. So, rubbish really!
The meaning of ‘success’ has changed over the years. When will the new record be a success?
Success to me is satisfying your soul. I know if we have written, recorded and released a good song. If we are happy that is success. If our fanbase agrees, then that is the holy grail for a band releasing original material.
Do you feel part of a community, the power pop community?
Community. Yes! To be honest we have a strong bond with an older audience because we write classic songs. Some of our material is very 60’s vibed, some more of a 70’s glam power pop style but if you dig real songwriting The Electric Stars will float you off brother!
Can you still recall the moment music became important to you? What happened?
The moment music grabbed me… . Easy, my parents always had Radio 1 on in the house. This is when it was cool not the shitstorm it is now. I grew up with the good stuff. Stones, Bowie, Beatles, Kinks, Eagles, Dylan, ELO & Elton. How can you not be hooked by rock n roll when it’s that good!
Which is the song you wish you had written every time you hear it? And why?
So many mannn… Haha OK, I’m on the spot. I wish I would have written Jumping Jack Flash. The greatest rock n roll 45 of all time
What’s up for the rest of the year?
For the rest of the year, finish off the new album, gig like crazy and write more new songs.
The beauty of Chris Church is that there is an energy that flows through his songs. Whether they are slowed down or move apace, there’s never a disappointment. Fall Into Me and Something Completely bears classic Matthew Sweet comparisons but the trippy Psych Pop of Ostinato has hints of Michael Stipe.
That was all true. Now let’s talk songs, song structures, harmonies, and melodies. Vinnie Vincent. And more.
She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixtape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?
Admittedly, my very happy more than 12 years with my beautiful wife Lori may have dulled whatever mixtape manifesto wooing skills I may have ever possessed, but I have done many and always loved making them, especially back in the cassette days.
Here are 5 songs that I feel pretty strongly about… today (haha)
Raspberries “Tonight”
Marshall Crenshaw “You’re My Favorite Waste Of Time”
Vinnie Vincent Invasion – “No Substitute”
Chocolate Genius – “All Good”
White Animals – “You Started Something”
Do you feel part of a community, the power pop community?
Yes, I have always enjoyed different genres of music, but powerpop is definitely my favorite. The song structure, the harmonies, and when it’s done the way I like it best, the melodic but loud guitars are all irresistible and clever components that I continue to love and revisit.
So yes, I feel like I’m truly a part of the power pop community. Now if I could just convince them (haha)!
Can you still recall the moment music became important to you? What happened?
Absolutely, it’s a very clear memory. I was very young, maybe 6 or 7 and started learning how to use my parents’ record player. There was a 45 of The Bobby Fuller Four’s “I Fought The Law” I eventually played. When I heard those ringing guitars on the solo, I was transfixed.
I don’t even think that record belonged to them, as it was the only thing I remember them having that could be called rock and roll, but I am glad it was in the stack. In some ways, I guess I have always chased the feeling that moment created for me when getting lost in some great musical passage takes precedence over everything else at that time.
If the budget was unlimited, how would you record the next record?
I’m very fortunate to have Scott Cornette, a knowledgeable and very good engineer, as a co-conspirator and best friend. I’m also lucky to have Lori not only as my partner in marriage but as an increasingly helpful part of my music, especially on “Limitations Of Source Tape”.
I had never stepped away and let others take control with some of the producing and all of the mixing before, but that’s exactly what happened with this album. There were several mixing sessions at Scott’s studio when I was cooking for all of us while he and Lori worked.
So, I guess to answer the question, I would take whatever budget I would get and apply it to procuring fine food ingredients and wine… and don’t tell Scott, but maybe some updated kitchen utensils. (Haha)
What would change if Disney would call and tell you they are going to use your song in their next movie?
I would go from doubt about the entire Disney operation to completely expecting and preparing for their imminent expedient demise…but not before I cashed the check!
Frank Gradishar (Lead Vocals, Bass Guitar & Songwriting), Scott Proce (Drums) and Lance Tee (Guitar, Backing Vocals & Songwriting)
Thrift Store Halo (“TSH”) is an American Indie Power Pop band hailing from Chicago, Illinois. Originally formed in 1994, TSH released one EP and one LP before taking a near-20 year break in 1998; the band returned in August 2017, with a new, six-song EP, “POP-ROCKET”.
On April 20, 2018, the trio released a new, two-song, double A-side single, “Every Time With You” b/w “Concrete Sky”.
At what point, during writing, rehearsing, recording, did you know you were on to something special?
By the time drummer, Scott, and I reformed Thrift Store Halo in 2016, after a nearly 20-year hiatus and enlisted Lance to play guitar, I had amassed a sizeable backlog of songs. Lance was the original bassist in Material Issue and was featured on the band’s landmark “International Pop Overthrow” album. So when we went into the studio just a few weeks after Lance joined, to record what would become the “Pop Rocket” EP, I had a bunch of tracks ready to go. We chose four pretty quickly and Lance presented two of his unfinished song ideas – just chords – which he had sitting around, and I took those and wrote lyrics and melodies. Those two tracks became “(Love By) Misadventure” and “Let’s Not Wait” – two of my favorites on the EP.
I had never sat down and crafted lyrics and melodies to an existing song structure before, but I liked the challenge. In the past, I always wrote chords, lyrics, and melody at the same time and then brought finished songs to the band, and we would collectively work on arrangements. While I really didn’t sit down and collaborate, with Lance, per se, at first, the results of the recording were solid and it felt very natural.
With the new two-song single, Lance and I actually sat down together for the first time and wrote a song sitting across from one another, which was quite enjoyable – bouncing ideas off each other in real time. The result of that pure collaboration was the song, “Every Time With You”, which came to life pretty quickly, and pretty easy. I was really excited about the energy of that song straightaway.
As for the flipside of the single, “Concrete Sky”, Lance had had the chords tucked away after his last band, The Lupins, passed on it – thank God! When he played it for me, I was really intrigued, so I quickly set to work writing lyrics and the melody. After we recorded it and mixed it, I really felt my verse lyrics – and the way I sang them, in almost a whisper – really lacked something. I was very disheartened because I just knew what I was doing just wasn’t going to help people connect with the song; it felt flat. So, I re-wrote the verse lyrics and then sat down with Lance to rework the melody, and went back into the studio to re-track the verses. The result was really exciting. I really felt we had achieved a really strong song; emotional, melodic, dynamic and well arranged.
Taken together, I think the single is very representational of where we’re at, at the moment.
The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?
It has changed. When Scott and I started out in the mid-1990s with Thrift Store Halo, everything was different – Lance would concur, I am sure. It was a lot of work, wasn’t it? We used to need to hire a photographer, get band pictures taken and printed, generate a mailing list at shows, print out postcards for shows, lick stamps, mail them out, send out CDs to clubs, radio, and press. It was a lot of work and it cost a lot of money! Worse, the process for everything seemed to take forever…it took months – or longer – to get a response or a review, or, as was more often the case, a rejection! There were no MPs, no websites, really, and bands seemed to exist in their own little bubbles.
Now, the whole game has changed, in many ways for the better, I think. The internet changed all of it – Facebook, streaming, websites – it’s so much easier connect with radio, reviewers, bloggers and like-minded people. I think that helps create and instill a sense of community, not just among power pop lovers, but the bands themselves. We can send out music via email now so we really can get the music out faster, and in turn, make more connections. That part’s great. It’s a bit sad that the fixed media aspect has really died – killed in part, I suppose, by the likes of Napster and iTunes.
Another bummer nowadays is it is much harder to get people out to shows – there’s just too much vying for people’s attention. But streaming has meant more and more people can find our music and listen, and really, that’s what it’s all about. The fact the royalty rates on Spotify and Tidal are quite low is unfortunate, but honestly, I’m just very happy people are listening.
I still insist on doing some things the old-school way; we still make CDs of every release, we concentrate a great deal on cover art, and we still have buttons and stickers made…I still believe in having something to hold and own. And of course, we are still aligned and associated with the same indie label here in Chicago, Pravda Records, and Pravda Music remains our publisher, just like back in the 90s, which in my mind was crucial. I love having a good team of people around the band.
The meaning of ‘success’ has changed over the years. When will the new release be a success?
Given how crazy life can be, especially as we get older, I tend to think that each of our releases is automatically a success just by virtue of the fact that they actually got written, recorded and released! I got back into the game after almost 20 years off! I wondered if anyone would remember Thrift Store Halo or if anyone would care that we were back. Not to mention that we are all busy with careers and families, so our time is a precious commodity. We do this because we love doing it. Lord knows we’re not going to get rich from this and we’re lucky to break even, so success with this band – as it is in many aspects of life – is what you make of it.
That being said, we are truly blown away by the support and the overwhelmingly positive response we’ve received since reforming and releasing new music, especially when considering it had been almost 19 years between releases! It’s meant the world to us. Since last year, our songs have charted over 240 times on various indie charts, including 34 Weeks on the Radio Indie Alliance Overall Top 40, and we have been played on 75+ radio stations around the world. That’s so cool! We’ve also received really nice reviews on various power-pop websites and blogs which is really encouraging.
One thing which has also stood out for me is that on Spotify, as of April 19, 2018, the day before we released the new single, we averaged 625 monthly listeners, which I thought was pretty awesome. Then, within 10 days of the release of the single, we were up to over 1,500 listeners…and within a few days of that, we were over 2,200! The single had been played over 1,900 times! Considering we are a no-name indie band, that’s really exciting. We’ve actually amassed over 80,000 total plays on Spotify, which really surprises me. I’m thrilled – it won’t buy us a pizza – but it’s still great. Funny, I always thought we were successful in the 1990s because we had songs on “Smallville”, “Party of Five”, MTV, and almost got signed to a major label…but honestly, knowing our songs are getting played somewhere every day, and are added in indie charts, that’s more important than anything else. And hell, we’ve opened for The Zombies…so I’d say we’ve been successful!
Do you feel part of a community, the power pop community?
I really do, yeah. I find most of those in the power pop community to be very welcoming and supportive; they’re excited to listen to new power pop music. All the power pop chat sites on Facebook are great, as are internet blogs like Power Popaholic, Absolute Power Pop, Ice Cream Man, Startrip in Japan, Power of Pop in Japan, PopRock Record in the UK, Broken Hearted Toy in Chicago, Power Pop News, and of course, SweetSweetMusic. Power Pop radio shows and stations have been hugely supportive of us too, which is incredible; Chasing the Essential, The Secret Weapon, The Power Pop Show, Pure Power Pop, Ice Cream Man, Rick’s Records, Radio Candy Hits, Pop Dreams on Radio Dio in France, and many others, have been playing our songs, which is so cool! I think it all helps instill and strengthen our connection to the scene as a community.
Power pop people seem to collectively have very good taste and seem to get what we’re doing, even though I think we might now be considered a bit more fringe because we have incorporated some more modern elements to the music now and we’re not necessarily traditionalists. We’re not afraid to add loops, samples and other odd little things here and there, to make the song better. But really, regardless of the sweeteners, the songs are what matter, and it’s still power pop to me.
I listen to all types of music, but power pop is the genre I love the most and the style in which I naturally write. Now, my definition of power pop might not be completely in tow with a purist’s definition…I include everything from the originals like Raspberries, the Knack, Big Star and Badfinger but I’ve expanded my views to include everyone from The Spongetones, Material Issue, Fuzzbubble and Jellyfish, to Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, The Jam, Del Amitri, Velvet Crush, The Gin Blossoms, Smithereens, Teenage Fanclub, The Boo Radleys, The Bluetones, The Strypes and Catfish and the Bottlemen.
To me, if a song is short, catchy, concise, melodic and has harmonies, chunky guitars and strong dynamics, then it’s power pop. There is nothing wrong with producing pop music that rocks…I am not a huge believer in limiting admission or entry to the genre to just bands which emulate and sound like The Beatles or the Kinks…it’s not just jangle-pop. We’re not scared to turn up the volume and add some distortion. After all, it’s about POWER and POP!
If the budget was unlimited, how would you record the next record?
If the budget was unlimited, I would focus on making a full LP again…12 to 14 tracks, instead of just an EP or a single. I would love to release an LP on vinyl, too. I’m not sure I would enlist anyone other than Kevin Mucha to engineer and co-produce, even though we could afford a “big name” producer. Kevin’s gets us, understands our approach and shares our vision; he’s one of the team; one of the family. But I would consider hiring Ed Stasium or Jack Joseph Puig to co-produce with Kevin. AND I would definitely be up for a change of venue and insist we fly to London to record the album at Abbey Road or we could also track at Jack Joseph Puig’s studio!
What’s up for the rest of the year?
It’s amazing to think 2018 is almost half over! Where does the time go? We are becoming – for better or worse – less and less of a live act, although we just played the IPO Fest in Chicago in April, which was fantastic! At this point, the plan is to start pre-production of several new tracks with an eye on getting back in the studio in September to start a new EP. Being in the studio is really the main focus for us now.
We are now just starting to go through the backlog and to 5 or 6 tracks to concentrate on. I am currently finishing up lyrics on a few tracks; several are in contention and ready to go. I am looking forward to sitting down with Lance and Scott soon to finish up the parts and sequence of the tracks and play them through a bunch of times to really hone the arrangements. Then it’s back to Coerce Recording with Kevin to record.
I really enjoy each step of the process of releasing new music, but for some reason as soon as the new release is sent out into the world, I almost immediately start thinking about the next EP or single…maybe another LP someday… The drive to stay fresh, to keep pushing and keep on creating new music is what it’s all about for me. It feels so good to be back and to be excited about the process again.
Jackie, Dag and Freda tell about recording ‘Blue Music’ and the songs they love.
Which is the song you wish you had written every time you hear it? And why?
Jackie:
I can’t limit this answer to a single song, so here are today’s top five:
“One True Love” – Semisonic
That perfect bridge plus Carole King! Dan Wilson can do no wrong as a songwriter, and John Munson is one of my favorite bass players.
“Red Dragon Tattoo” – Fountains of Wayne
Delightful wordplay and impossibly catchy. I love the way the melody on the line “I’m fit to be dyed, am I fit to have you?” is different every time it comes up.
“Sing Me Spanish Techno” – The New Pornographers
I could easily pick a dozen of their songs, but this one always tops my list. The lyrics are typically inscrutable, and I just adore the bridge on this one.
“Vertigogo” – Frisbie
I love the way this song always sounds like it’s on the verge of careening off the rails. Tremendous harmonies and virtuosic bass playing from Eddie Carlson – his ridiculous bit coming out of the bridge makes me laugh delightedly.
“Vanity Mirror” – Redd Kross
Something of a deep cut, I just love the sound of this one.
Dag:
“In Your Bright Ray” – Grant McLennan
He’s such a songwriting hero of mine. I love a million songs of his and this one hit me this morning. His death just gutted me.
“When The Poor Can Reach The Moon” – The Chills
I’ll listen to this song seven times in a row, and it moves me every time. Not only is it a marvelous song but it’s a manifesto.
“PF Sloan” – Jimmy Webb
There’s so much going on in here, and a new bit of it seems to reveal itself every time I listen.
“Surf’s Up” – The Beach Boys
I think this is Van Dyke Parks pleading with Brian Wilson not to let drugs and their accompanying madness overtake him.
“Better Things” – The Kinks
Please don’t make me choose a favorite Kinks song.
If you could tour the world with 2 other bands, who would you ask to join?
Jackie:
The New Pornographers and Sloan
Dag:
I might choose Sloan, too! I think their fans would like us. What about Yo La Tengo, Superchunk, Juliana Hatfield, Buffalo Tom, Dawes, Neko Case, Belly or The Woodentops? Maybe The Shins have some room on their bus? We’re very well behaved, for the most part.
At what point, during writing, rehearsing, recording, did you know you were on to something special?
Dag:
Right away! We were brought in as a trio to help some friends of ours with a couple of shows, and when we played their songs, I think the three of us immediately felt a musical connection. And then when we reconvened at our first practice working on our own songs, the connection was ever deeper. It sounded like “us” instantly.
What was the biggest fun during the making of the last album?
Freda:
I loved everything about being in the recording studio with Jackie and Dag—we share a get-down-to-work ethic and were always productive, collaborative, and harmonious. But the most fun moments for me were when the basic tracks were finished, the pressure was off, and we experimented with overdubs: handclaps, tambourine, backing vocals, most of those tracks were freer, looser. Figuring them out together and recording them felt more like play than work.
She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixtape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?
Freda:
1. We Five “You Were on my Mind”
2. Hank Williams “Hey Good Lookin’”
3. The Lovin’ Spoonful “You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice”
What was the biggest fun during the making of the last album?
As I was going into the studio with the Affiliates to record Party Music!, I did it knowing that I had accepted a new job in Chicago. I had yet to break the news to them. We were still a band based in Burlington, Vermont. While breaking the news to them after recording the album was bittersweet for me, I had a blast bashing out these tunes with the guys. I played with Raph (Worrick, on bass) and Kevin (Stevens, on lead guitar) for seven years and Jake (Blodgett, on drums) for five years. I love those guys. Any new musicians I play with as Phil Yates & The Affiliates have to fill Raph’s, Kevin’s, and Jake’s giant shoes. Normally I find recording to be a tedious process. Knowing that this is a document of possibly the final batch of tunes I get to play with those guys made the process more fun and full of love. Plus I got to play through a Marshall stack in the studio. My normal amp is a Vox AC-30. It made me feel like I got to channel my inner Paul Westerberg in the studio. Always a fun thing to do!
She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixtape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?
Oooooo. I love this question! Sloan’s “Bells On” would have to be on the list. In fact, I think I have put that on quite a few mixtapes and CD’s. Big Star’s “Kizza Me” would be kind of cool to put on there since you can never have enough Big Star on a mix. “Kiss Me On The Bus” by The Replacements is a rare sweet song from the band. It’d be better to put that one on instead of “Gary’s Got A Boner.” Maybe Prince’s “Kiss” would be fun. I am a die-hard Elvis Costello fan. I would wrap up the mix with “Everyday I Write The Book”; however, just to make it more hard hitting, I would use the alternate version that is found on the bonus disc of the Rhino reissue from 2003.
Do you feel a part of a community, the power pop community?
It’s weird. I have always joked that my ceiling as a musician would be a cult musician in a cult genre. When I was based out of Vermont, I felt that other musicians liked my songs. There were a few bands that my band got along with swimmingly. There was a bit of a community. Unfortunately, I never felt it translated to the rest of the Vermont area – music fans and what not. It caused me to have a chip on my shoulder and write a song like “One Man’s Trash (Sour Grapes)” for the Party Music! Album. As far as the power pop community goes, I do feel like people in that scene have started to notice my songs and my band. It feels good. I think having Keith and Futureman Records in my corner goes a long way in feeling more at home in that scene.
If you could tour the world with two other band, who would you ask to join?
Hmmmm. That’s a tough one. A world tour? The first one would be Guided By Voices, mainly so I can see them crush it on stage every single night. Also, having a liver is overrated, right? Oh, the drinking on that tour. The other one? I would want to share the joys of playing with GBV every night with one of my favorite bands from the Burlington, Vermont scene. That band is Black Rabbit. If you don’t know them, check them out. Black Rabbit. Burlington, Vermont. I’d be more than willing to be the opener for that global tour.
The meaning of “success” has changed over the years. When will the new record be a success?
I’m a realist. I’m 42 years old. I have a day job (teaching at a university) that most days I enjoy. I’m married with a family. I don’t see music being such a financial windfall for me where I’ll be doing this full time as my only source of income. That said, what would be a success for Party Music! in my mind? Not having copies of the vinyl and CD taking up precious space in my basement. But seriously, at the end of the day, I want the listeners of the album, no matter how many or few of those listeners there might be, to think that they are listening to an extremely solid collection of ten songs that they would want to listen to years and years and year from now. If the financial windfall does come my way, count me in! So long teaching!
‘Out of My Head’ will be released in September. What can we expect?
I’m very proud of this record, it’s the first time I have played the drums on an entire record since The Nerves! Not only that I also play almost all the guitars including the lead guitar on a lot of tracks. It was very exciting. Some of the songs are in the direct lineage from The Beat and others are a progression hopefully showing a more sophisticated approach to the power pop song form. It’s a record that moves around a bit above all we able to get a fantastic sound.
Can you elaborate a bit on how the record came together?
We recorded at my friend Tony Leventhal from The Mockers new studio. He built it himself from scratch at his place in Bushwick BKLYN. We were hanging out one day and he said “ I got this studio but I’m not exactly sure how to use it, would you like to be the test case” I said sure! The first day we all stood there, me and my songwriting partner Paul Stingo and Tony. Tony said he wasn’t sure exactly how to plug everything in, we said OK and we started trying to record. Eventually we got it going, then one day Tony turned to me and said, “You know we are making a record!”
We took our time and it really shows. The sound is luscious!
Do the songs still come easy? Or was/is writing always tough?
Songs have never come easy, it’s a constant challenge to try and come up with a really good song.
After all those years, what does a song need to end up on a new Paul Collins record?
Paul and I get together and work on new songs we always say the same thing, “We got to hit out of the park! We need a grand slam!” Basically it’s about trying to be as good as you can be. There is nothing like a good song!
Can imagine you have pretty high standards.
I grew up listening to the masters. I learned a lot from listening to the radio. Then in The Nerves I learned a tremendous amount from not Jack Lee and Peter Case about what it takes to write a good song.
I play your records a lot, especially the first two with The Beat. Still. Over and over again. My children sing them along as well. These songs stood the test of time, big time! Were you aware you were creating something special at that time?
I am very proud of the early Records, we did our homework and it shows! I wasn’t exactly sure but I was hoping that it would be good!
Young bands like Telephone Lovers almost copy your sound. Proud?
I think it’s very cool that the new bands are looking back to the older groups for inspiration, that’s exactly what we did!
Will you tour to promote the new record?
Yes, touring is an essential part of the process, you have to the bring the music to the people!
If you read this article do me favor, check out my new record, these days it’s easy to do!
Sweet Sweet Music talked to Christina, Rex, and the bands involved, about this mission. And more. Lots more…!
This is the Big Stir story so far.
Can you tell me a bit about the how and the why?
It really started out of gratitude for the other bands on the live scene, and respect for them and for ourselves. LA is the very worst for live bookings: spaghetti-on-the-wall bills and pay-to-play. But we discovered a whole community of these amazing pop bands that mostly only played once a year at IPO (David Bash’s International Pop Overthrow Festival). They all wanted to be part of a scene and they all deserved better. We decided to do that on a live level (with no experience at all) in LA.
Somehow it resonated beyond geography. A watershed was when our friend Don Valentine (I Don’t Hear a Single blog and radio show), publicly spoke of wanting a “Big Stir” in the UK – that blew the door of global possibilities open. Our dear friends in Spygenius took up that mantle and we were suddenly worldwide. “Big Stir” as a name was a sly little nod that Christina came up with in tribute to power pop greats Big Star, but suddenly it was a trusted “brand”… it seemed silly not to roll with it.
How should ‘Big Stir’ look 5 years from now?
Bigger! Monthly shows all over the world that also serve as tour stops for everyone on the scene. DJ’s, bloggers, and journalists sharing the stuff that we release and support on sister labels like Futureman, Spyderpop, Kool Kat and so forth, so that there’s a place to go to find the “good stuff”, like in the old days. Employees! We’d like to make to be making enough money to be able to pay people to help us! But essentially – a solid framework for the community that already exists.
And a bit of a voice beyond that community to let the greater world know what they’re missing. Everyone loves The Beatles, The Byrds, The Who and The Kinks, but they’re settling for… well, let’s not names, but mainstream rock ain’t what it once was is it? Pop-rock on our level is as vital as ever and it belongs in movies and TV and anything that reaches the masses. It’s accessible, resonant, and timeless. It’s “music that needs to be heard”, (Dave Boogieman Kaufman of Radio NewYork International), or “music that deserves to be heard” (Boris Boden of Secret Weapon). Maybe our biggest goal is to, after bringing everyone who’s already in the know together, to bridge that gap to the public at large.
A record label in 2018. What’s that about in this DIY world?
It’s about moving from DIY to DIO – Do It OURSELVES, together. Having created a space for bands to play together live, we, of course, all started talking about the records we were all making and financing and promoting on our own (on little personal labels which only had one band on them). And those records were really excellent and deserved a wider audience.
“We’re stronger together,” said our dear friend Steven Wilson of Plasticsoul; “A strong tide lifts all boats”, said Matt Mincey of Suite 100 – we took that to heart. Let’s pool our resources, cross-promote, and be labelmates. More of a collective than a corporation. Little did we know that brilliant folks like Keith Klingensmith of Futureman (and The Legal Matters) had already come up with the same idea, but no matter, we all support each other’s efforts now.
So what’s up for 2018?
The new Blake Jones & the Trike Shop record. Big Stir Magazine (under the auspices of our genius illustrator Joseph Champniss) becoming the go-to source for anything power pop and all associated genres, without losing any of the heart-and-soul whimsy along the way. Tours on both sides of the pond with The Trike Shop, Spygenius, The Armoires, The Fast Camels out of Scotland, and Hux & the Hitmen from Boston. New monthly concert series in a few other noteworthy towns in California to go along with LA and South London. Compilations and more records from more bands that we can’t announce but can’t wait to release.
And more… Radio shows hosted by, like, us. The second album from The Armoires! Basically, anything we can do for the global community. We have a lot of crazy ideas that shouldn’t work, but that’s been Standard Operational Procedure with Big Stir from day one, and a surprising amount of our crazy ideas have worked so far, so why stop?
BLAKE JONES OF BLAKE JONES & THE TRIKE SHOP
Do you feel part of a community, the power pop community?
If you’ve talked to Rex Broome and Christina Bulbenko of the Armoires, and if the subject of the Big-Stir-CoOp-Turned-Record-Label has come up, or if you’ve read the Big Stir ‘Zine, then you know that Community is a big deal to our band, and all the other bands involved in that sprawling adventure. We’ve pooled our limited knowledge, our limited resources, and our nearly unlimited enthusiasm, and together, I believe we’ve hit that point of critical mass, that excitement. We’ve found a communal home working with one another, a ‘scene’ if you will, and it’s very organic and very home-made. Home-made is always better than store-bought.
If you could tour the world with 2 other bands, who would you ask to join?
Anyone from the Big Stir roster….see above. (and we do this!)
Magic can happen when you are playing for a crowd. What was the first time it happened? And what did happen?
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. Last year I did a show at a local performance festival called “Art: Why Do We Bother?”….and rather than being a listing of the discouragements that may happen to an artist/performer (as the title, read one way, might suggest), it was rather a discovery (for me) of all the ways that music is, as John Lennon has been quoted as saying, “not peripheral to society, but absolutely necessary”. There is indeed magic: magic in the making, magic in the receiving, magic in the sharing. It’s all very important stuff…and I’d have to go on way too long. Ha!…There are a couple of songs on our new album that grew out of that show, and in some ways, the whole album grows out of this very idea.
If the budget was unlimited, how would you record the next record?
Very much like we did the current one, and the ones before it. Very home-made. It’s an old 8-track reel to reel and a very simple recording desk. At a certain point, one’s method of ‘making’ becomes a very important and integral part of what you ‘make’.
What’s up for 2018?
We’re deep into 2018, and deep into this ‘we’ve bitten off a lot and are chewing furiously’-type year. Whenever I even *hint* at complaining, my wife reminds me that I do it to myself and that this is exactly the sort of thing I enjoy—-the diving in, and the making….not the complaining. We have, of course, finished and put out a brand-new album that we’re very happy with. We are also very close to taking off on our fourth tour of Europe.
This trip takes us from Glasgow, then through England, and then a couple of shows in Germany….So we’re happily busy.
PATRICK “POOCH” DIPUCCIO OF THE CONDORS
What was the biggest fun during the making of the last album?
Recording again in the studio with my former Blow-Up brothers Jody Worth and Robert Williams.
At what point, during writing, rehearsing, recording, did you knew you were on to something special?
In the middle of recording songs for what eventually became “Joie de Vivre,” I decided to focus on songs from my former band, Blow-Up, even though we had basic tracks done for several other tunes. I couldn’t remember any act putting out a record as an homage to the leader’s previous outfit. Kind of like if ELO just did an ep of mostly unreleased Move numbers. Which, of course, I’d love to hear!
Do you feel part of a community, the power pop community?
Yes, the Big Stir contingent. As for any Power Pop community, not as a whole per se; but with acts that bring a more powerful edge to their melodicism.
Magic can happen when you are playing for a crowd. What was the first time it happened? And what did happen?
Blow-Up opened two shows for Billy Idol at the Roxy, just when he was starting to climb. The acts played off each other, increasing in energy. The final sets from both bands were pretty explosive.
What’s up for 2018?
Placing songs on Big Stir compilations and perhaps releasing the Blow Up anthology “Boom” on CD. Also, looking forward to writing new material, and co-writing with people I’ve wanted to work with.
STEVEN WILSON OF PLASTICSOUL
At what point, during writing, rehearsing, recording, did you knew you were on to something special?
I knew the songs were good – I liked them at least. It was my first time mixing an album and it took a long time. I’m a pretty hard critic of myself but when I heard the final master of the album I knew it was something good. There aren’t many records like it these days. It sounds like music made by people instead of machines.
She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixtape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?
“Girl Go” by The Jazz Butcher – “Love Goes On” by The Go Betweens – “I’ve Been Waiting” by Matthew Sweet – “Millionaire’s Waltz” by Queen – “O Saathi Re” by Kishore Kumar
Yeah – seems a little heavy for a second date – but I move fast
The meaning of ‘success’ has changed over the years. When will the new record be a success?
It’s out in the world and people seem to love it – it’s already a success.
Do you feel part of a community, the power pop community?
Absolutely! Musicians tend to be very social, communal folks. Power pop people even more so. Our Big Stir community is like a big, happy (slightly dysfunctional) family
Which is the song you wish you had written it every time you hear it? And why?
“The Kiss” by Judee Sill – If I believed in angels I imagine this is what they would sound like when they sing. It is one of the most inspired pieces of music I have ever heard. There are times it can make me weep because I’m overwhelmed by its beauty. There are times it can make me weep because I’m so jealous that I’ve never created something so magical.
CHRISTINA AND REX OF THE ARMOIRES
The meaning of ‘success’ has changed over the years. When will the new record be a success?
Our first album “Incidental Lightshow” was a success just by existing, as it took some minor miracles to get it there. It was released into a vacuum, though; all the work we’ve put into the community we’re now a part of happened afterwards, and there’s an audience now who knows us – which brings about the bizarre flipside of hoping we don’t disappoint them! The heart and soul answer, though, is that when anyone engages us in a conversation that goes beyond “that’s a good record”, and gets into the specifics of the songs, be it what the lyrics mean to them, or what obscure band a specific song reminds them of – especially if they’re right! – that’s the best feeling in the world, knowing your work means something to someone else and is part of their life now.
Do you feel part of a community, the power pop community?
We’re humbled to be where we are now, having been embraced by that community, and that’s why we’re compelled to give back to it. We probably talk about that too much, to be honest, but what else can you do when you feel that your life has literally been saved by the privilege of being part of something beautiful and bigger than yourselves? So, in a word, yes.
Which is the song you wish you had written it every time you hear it? And why?
So many – many of them by our dear friends. Songwriting is about seeking the perfect expression of a unique or even bizarre impulse, and when someone else nails it, you stand in awe and regroup to try to rise to that level, and on you go. Blake Jones’ “Alchemy C’Mere” is the anthem we can’t dream to live up to (but we’ll try). Plasticsoul’s “New Town Different Day” thrills with details that make you want to start the tour all over again. But sometimes it’s just one line: our friend Josh Gordon of The Living Dolls sings “I can see the jacarandas floating in her eyes” and we think, hell, if we’d just written that one line, we’d be good.
Magic can happen when you are playing for a crowd. What was the first time it happened? And what did happen?
We think we’re lucky in that the core of our band is a duo of like-minded best friends so we can cross-check each other about when that magic stuff happens and make sure we aren’t just imagining it. It’s always when you feel connected to something bigger. We did a lovely show on tour in Northampton shortly after the Manchester bombing last year; a national moment of silence was scheduled right in the middle of our set, and as Americans touring a country in mourning over an attack on a live music event, we felt very much a part of it. We stopped the song we were playing at the appropriate moment and the club went completely silent for a minute… then we picked right back up where we’d left off. It was extremely powerful and our tour band was at peak performance and the Northampton community had already been so kind to us… we won’t forget that, ever.
If the budget was unlimited, how would you record the next record?
We don’t have lofty ambitions to record with super expensive gear or in any kind of historic studio… either would be nice, but what we really long for, as a band who plays live a lot and has no lack of material, is simply the time for everybody to tuck in and play all the songs together in a room, all in one go, ideally somewhere that’s “not home”, so that the entire record could be the focus and we could sustain a “vibe”. Day jobs make that almost impossible… so the budget would be to compensate our wonderful bandmates for time off of work!
PETER WATTS & RUTH ROGERS OF SPYGENIUS
What was the biggest fun during the making of the last album?
Well, we had a lot of Mario Kart Marathons! But more seriously, it’s really great when we have a general but unfinished idea of what a song should be about musically, and then the collective band mind takes over and it goes off in unexpected directions and becomes greater than that sum of the parts – like on Back Door Son of Man, when we dreamed up an imaginary musical duel between Wilko Johnson and Patrick Moore – telecaster versus xylophone in a grand battle to establish once and for all who is the Astronomer Dominé… or on You And Me and Jiminy C, where we were kind of daring each other to make the arrangement more and more complex and weird as the song progressed… it was also great fun for the band to be able to work with Champniss on the look of the CD and all the associated artwork.
The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?
Back in the dark ages before Spygenius we’d all worry a great deal about the demands of the music industry and whether we had the right stuff to ‘make it’ – the music industry, on the other hand, was pretty much indifferent to us… then we just thought, ‘stuff that for a game of soldiers’ and set up Spygenius as a vehicle to allow us to write, record and perform original music, to as high a standard as we could muster, for as long as we could get away with it, with absolute indifference to everything going on around us. And when we did that, a whole universe of musical wonder opened up in front of us, glowing and pulsating invitingly like the entrance to Toontown at the end of Roger Rabbit… and then along the way we bumped into Big Stir Records and found they shared our vision – they laughed with us, not at us! So, we found ourselves a ‘music industry’ that fitted us, and what it brought us was friendship and beer… as well as a lot of opportunities to get our music heard, of course!
She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixtape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?
My Pal Foot Foot (the Shaggs); The Champion Dung Spreader (Adge Cutler and the Wurzels); Magic (Pilot); Sag Mir Wo Die Blumen Sind (Marlene Dietrich); It’s a Small World (Disneyland – not the souvenir album version, the continuous loop from the ride) …but don’t you think it’s a bit weird that she wants to date an entire band? It’s not the go-go 1970s anymore, after all…
The meaning of ‘success’ has changed over the years. When will the new record be a success?
Well, like Dylan said, “a man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do”. But then again it’s also pretty cool when people actually lend an ear to what you’re doing… so, the Spygenius Codex TM defines musical success as the moment two things come together: (i) creative enterprise fashions an artistic opus which effectively realizes the artists’ inspiration and effort; (ii) someone, somewhere, hears it and really, really gets it, to the depths of their soul. In these terms Spygenius’ initial Moment of Success TM was some years ago when we were playing at a wedding reception and one of the guests, a guy we didn’t really know, just closed his eyes and drank in our harmonies – we think his name was Robyn Hitchcock – anyway, we had a bit of a jam with him afterwards. The Moment of Success TM for our latest record ‘Pacéphale was when Rex and Christina heard it and thought, hmm, maybe we should release this in the States on Big Stir…
Do you feel part of a community, the power pop community?
We certainly feel part of a musical and artistic community… and we know that people who like power pop, jangle pop and the poppier ends psychedelia tend to appreciate what we do in Spygenius… but the community that we’re part of is pretty broad and it has a very fuzzy boundary. It absolutely centres around Big Stir nowadays, but it extends rhizomatically in a multitude of overlapping forms – there’s the International Pop Overthrow crowd (thanks for everything, Mr. Bash!), like-minded musicians local to us in the South Eastern corner of England, and a world of bloggers, DJs, artists and artists, well-wishers, fellow-travellers, weird blokes in bars and occasional sympathetic pub proprietors… is that the ‘power pop community’? Well, it might be? Er… we dunno… what we do know is that through all these connections we constantly get to hear loads of great new music …
THE GOLD NEEDLES are from Hull. PEARLS has been described as Power Pop with psych and prog elements. All true but, most important, melody is king on this 18 track delicacy.
Mark English and Simon Dowson talk about their new record and more … .
She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mixtape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?
This was really hard and we had a good discussion about how best to woo a lady. We wanted to appear cool but not obscure so we went for the following:
It’s My Life – Talk Talk
And Your Bird Can Sing – The Beatles
Skin Deep – The Stranglers
Air That I Breathe – The Hollies
Untouchable – Rialto
Hopefully that selection would secure a second date. If not then we would have to question her taste and we wouldn’t want to be with her anyway…….
Which is the song you wish you had written every time you hear it? And why?
We would have loved to have written Yesterday or Merry Xmas Everybody so we wouldn’t have to ever work again! Failing that, Dancing With Myself by Gen X is the perfect powerpop song. It builds, it’s simple with a great beat, it has a great riff, great lyrics and a great hook. And the album it’s from, Kiss Me Deadly, is grossly underrated. Well worth a listen.
If you could tour the world with 2 other bands, who would you ask to join?
I’m going to cheat a little here and jump in a time machine back to 1977. We would have loved to have been part of the Stiff Live Stiffs tour. Imagine the package of Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and Wreckless Eric. Although we would probably have needed a spell in rehab afterwards! For a current band we would plump for King Crimson. Their shows are awesome, often featuring 3 drummers, countless guitarists and Robert Fripp’s outrageous and inventive lead guitar.
If the budget was unlimited, how would you record the next record?
A big studio would be perfect with a top class producer. Abbey Road with Tony Visconti or Andy Partridge would be ideal. Failing that our local studio, Fairview, with Bill Nelson would be excellent. And not just because I could walk there and back! Simon would love Trevor Horn in Sarm Studio. Now that would test the budget.
What’s up for 2018?
This is shaping up to be an incredibly busy year. We’ve just released our album, PEARLS, on US label koolkatmusik. It’s available on cd and download however, if we can get enough interest, it will be released on vinyl as well. In May we are appearing at the world famous Cavern Club in Liverpool as part of the IPO Festival and in June we are supporting Duncan Reid and The Big Heads. At the beginning of August our cover of SMELL OF INCENSE is being released on Fruits de Mer Records. The single is being launched at their 16th Dream of Dr Sardonicus Festival at which we will be performing an acoustic set. In September we are bringing The Darling Buds to Hull to do a gig with them. We’ve also submitted a track to Canadian label, TBM Records, for their tribute album to Adrian Borland and The Sound. Our cover of COUNTING THE DAYS will feature. This album should be released later this year. And we continue to write and record. Exciting times ahead!!!
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