THE CROCODILES - New Zealand New Wave

The Crocodiles were a new wave pop band from New Zealand that released two LPs - their debut, Tears, and Looking at Ourselves. Both albums were released in 1980, and Tears scored them a radio hit with its title track. See the link section below to watch the music video.


The music ranges from quirky, peppy new wave to more straightforward pop. Various members of The Crocodiles take turns with lead vocals, but the real star of the show on both albums is Jenny Morris, who went on to become a well known pop star throughout Australia. Morris takes lead vocals on only a few tracks on Tears, but on Looking at Ourselves she moves further into the spotlight, singing on the majority of its songs.

While I find Looking at Ourselves to be the stronger LP, it failed to produce a hit on par with Tears, and The Crocodiles dissolved in 1981. Before launching her solo career, Morris went on to become vocalist of QED. Her new band scored a hit with a revamped version of Everywhere I Go, a track that originally appeared on Looking at Ourselves.

Check out some vinyl rips I made from The Crocodiles LPs:

- The Crocodiles - New Wave Goodbye (from Tears)
- The Crocodiles - Whatcha Gonna Do (from Tears)
- The Crocodiles - Hey Kids (from Looking at Ourselves)
- The Crocodiles - Looking at Ourselves (from Looking at Ourselves)


THE CROCODILES LINEUP:
- Jenny Morris - Vocals
- Fane Flaws - Guitar, vocals
- Tony Backhouse - Guitar, vocals
- Tina Matthews - Bass, vocals
- Bruno Lawrence - Drums
- Peter Dasent - Piano, organ

FOR FANS OF:
The Dugites, Elvis Costello, The Sinceros, Squeeze, Pearl Harbor & the Explosions

WEB LINKS:
- The Crocodiles on Wikipedia
- The Crocodiles on RateYourMusic
- Informational site on The Crocodiles
- Jenny Morris official site
- Fane Flaws official site
- Video clip of Tears on Youtube

BRAM TCHAIKOVSKY - Strange Man, Changed Man

The things you can find on the discount rack...

Last week I made a truly great discovery as I searched through stacks of records on the clearance shelf at a half-price book and music shop. Amidst the legions of Barry Manilow, Barbra Streisand and crappy prog rock LPs I noticed the above artwork. "Bram Tchaikovsky"? Hmmm...I recognized the name, but couldn't place it. I knew I must have seen it on some power pop compilation, and at 50 cents, how could I go wrong?

When I got home and digitized the LP, I realized it was quite possibly the best 50 cents I ever spent. Strange Man, Changed Man, released in 1979, is filled to the brim with highly enjoyable, balls-to-the-wall power pop.

The album kicks off with the 1-2-3 punch of the title track, Lonely Dancer and Robber, all of which are hook-heavy and incredibly high-energy. Then there's the melodic top 40 single, Girl of My Dreams, with it's clever (and slightly creepy, come to think of it) lyrics about pining after a girl in a magazine. Sarah Smiles, a 60s-infused tune with a really catchy chorus, is another highlight. Turn on the Light provides a proper rave-up ending.

Bram Tchaikovsky hailed from the UK, and was originally part of pub-rock band The Motors. After he left, Strange Man, Changed Man was the first album he released with his own, self-named band. They followed it up with two others - The Russians are Coming in 1980 and Funland in 1981 - neither of which I have yet heard. Head over to the excellent Power Pop Criminals blog for more on those.

Good news - in December 2007 Hip-O-Select released Strange Man, Changed Man on CD. There is no bonus material, but it is still a must-have for any fan of power pop. You can purchase it on Amazon.com at this link.

BRAM TCHAIKOVSKY LINEUP:
- Bram Tchaikovsky - Guitar, bass and lead vocals
- Micky Broadbent - Bass, guitar, keyboard and vocals
- Keith Boyce - Drums and percussion

FOR FANS OF:
The Motors, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Pezband, Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Squeeze, The Rumour, The Records

WEB LINKS:
- Bram Tchaikovsky on All Music Guide
- Bram Tchaikovsky on Wikipedia
- Bram Tchaikovsky on Trouser Press

THE DUGITES - Aussie New Wave Gem #2

The Dugites were, hands down, the best band ever named after a snake.

It never fails to amaze me how some bands with very little talent take off and others with loads of talent remain largely unnoticed. The Dugites, a highly melodic, Blondie-esque new wave pop act that came out of Perth, Australia in 1978, are a prime example of the latter.

I first learned about The Dugites when a friend of mine sent me their most famous song, In Your Car. The song was released as a single in 1980 and apparently did quite well on Australian pop radio. It is a fluffy little piece of pop that exudes an enthusiastic innocence completely missing in today's top 40. It is a great song, but as I quickly found out, The Dugites made better songs during their three LP existence. Lots of them.


In Your Car was culled from the band's eponymous debut album released on Deluxe Records in 1980. The entire album is filled with clever, fun, instantly catchy songs written by keyboardist Peter Crosbie and exuberantly sung by lead vocalist Lynda Nutter. On The Dugites, the band turns to 60s girl group for inspiration on noteworthy cuts such as Goodbye and Mamma Didn't Warn Me. Other highlights include the epic, eight-minute long Gay Guys, with its outrageous, humorous lyrics and chugging beat, and the sing-songy No One Would Listen.

The Dugites followed-up their debut with an equally strong release in 1981 titled West of the World. The most successful single was the slow, reflective Waiting, but as with In Your Car, there is better material on the LP. Follow-up single Part of Me is my personal favorite. Its strange and captivating lyrics, breezy melody and flawless vocals add up to make it one of the greatest lost singles of the era. Another highlight is Who Loves You More, the B-side of Waiting. This is an infectious number that really should have been the A-side. Malcom's Got a Problem is another energetic track that fuses punk and new wave quite effectively. Being Used is also a noteworthy cut that wouldn't have sounded out of place on an early Pat Benatar album.

By 1984 The Dugites were nearing their end, but fortunately managed to produce one final album, Cut the Talking. The release marks a shift from new wave pop to funk and soul-infused dance pop. Fortunately, a good pop song is a good pop song, and Cut the Talking is nearly as enjoyable as the band's first two albums. The best song is the charming, brassy Juno and Me, which was the second single. The first single, Cut the Talking, is an enjoyable piece of dance pop, but one that definitely shows its age. Other highlights include Michael and Rodney, a peppy song that's as strange as it is entertaining, and the fast-paced closer, Ain't Like That.


Currently, Nutter and some other original members of The Dugites are performing together again in a new band called Snakefish. While Nutter's sheening vocals remain in tact, the new songs have taken on a more relaxed, earthy feel. Check out an animated video clip of one Snakefish song, Kangaroo, here.

The Dugites released a "best of" compilation CD called Hisstorical: The Best of the Dugites in 2004. Unfortunately, the CD looks to be out of print already. In 2007 Blue Pie Productions made The Dugites and Cut the Talking available to purchase as digital downloads. You can find them on itunes and sites such as emusic.

Below I have posted a few of my vinyl rips, including my favorite Dugites single (Part of Me) and its B Side (Never Touch), Who Loves You More (the A-side-worthy B-side to Waiting) and Decide, the punchy, rare B-side of the No Money single from 1982.

- The Dugites - Part of Me (7" single, 1981)

Track listing:
1 - Part of Me
2 - Never Touch

- The Dugites - Who Loves You More (stellar album track from West of the World, 1981)

- The Dugites - Decide (B-side of No Money single, 1982)

THE DUGITES LINEUP:
- Lynda Nutter - vocals
- Peter Crosbie - keyboards and primary songwriter
- Clarence Bailey - drums
- Gunther Berghofer - guitar, 1978-1983
- John Crosbie - guitar, 1983-1984
- Paul Noonan - bass

FOR FANS OF:
Blondie, Flaming Hands, The Tribe, The Sinceros, The Crocodiles, The Photos, Martha and the Muffins, Josie Cotton, Altered Images, The Tourists

WEB LINKS:
- The Dugites on Wikipedia
- The Dugites on RateYourMusic
- 2005 Interview with Lynda Nutter
- Snakefish Official Site
- The Dugites In Your Car Video on Youtube
- The Dugites Waiting Video on Youtube
- The Dugites Cut the Talking Video on Youtube
- The Dugites Juno & Me Video on Youtube

THE SINCEROS - More of the Best Power Pop You've (Probably) Never Heard

There are many artists in my music collection who have made a healthy number of albums, yet somehow I rarely find myself listening to them, or when I do, have to dig to find songs I actually want to hear. And then there are bands in my collection like The Sinceros.

The Sinceros were a London-based band active from 1978 to 1981 that straddled the line between quirky new wave and more traditional, straightforward power pop. Their brief existence spawned only two LPs - 1979's The Sound of Sunbathing and 1981's Pet Rock - but somehow I never get sick of listening to them, and constantly find myself coming back to both albums - especially Pet Rock.

The now-obscure Sinceros consisted of Mark Kjeldsen, Ron François, Don Snow and Bobby Irwin. Kjeldsen was the band's primary singer and songwriter, but François also contributed a considerable amount of material and vocals.

Shortly after forming, The Sinceros scored a record deal with Epic, and quickly released The Sound of Sunbathing. The lead single, Take Me to Your Leader, is the band's most recognized tune, a minor hit that comes close to being a novelty track. Some 7" copies of the sci-fi themed song were even pressed on martian-green vinyl. While I like the song, I actually consider it to be one of The Sinceros' weakest and most dated. For me, The Sound of Sunbathing yielded even greater treasures in the likes of So They Know, second single Worlds Apart and album closer Good Luck (To You), all of which are energetic numbers with memorable melodies. In fact, the entire first Sinceros album is pretty great.


As much as I love The Sound of Sunbathing, I really felt like I struck gold when I found Pet Rock. The album evolved from the failed, unreleased sophomore record, 2nd Debut. The Sinceros took many of the songs they recorded for 2nd Debut, gave them a face lift, threw in a few others and released Pet Rock in 1981. Pet Rock has become one of my favorite albums of all time, and one that I consider absolutely essential for any fan of power pop or new wave.

The album kicks off with a trio of insanely catchy songs. First single and album opener Disappearing is sparkling, pretty, full-on pop with a lead vocal by Snow that should have been a number one hit. The bittersweet Memory Lane continues down a similar path, while Socially goes back to the energy and fun of their debut - only the hook is much stronger. Another highlight is the jangly side one closer Barcelona, which is probably the most lyrically interesting track. Falling in and out of Love is a short and sweet 60s-pop-inspired song later covered by Tracey Ullman. Girl I Realize is Motown on a sugar high. The pristine Midsong is the perfect end to the album - reflective and gorgeous.

Pet Rock is power pop ear candy of the highest quality from start to finish. Criminally, both it and The Sound of Sunbathing failed to take off as they should have, and The Sinceros called it a day in 1981. Kjeldsen went on to perform with the Danny Adler Band, and reportedly became a taxi driver in Holland before sadly dying of AIDS in the 1990s. Snow went on to work with Squeeze and a variety of other artists, and now goes by John Savannah (link). Life after The Sinceros for François consisted of work with bands such as The Teardrop Explodes and Eurogliders, while Irwin has played with Nick Lowe.

It is also criminal that neither of the Sinceros albums has been released on CD. Do yourself a favor and track down vinyl copies. In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite Sinceros songs ripped from my very own LPs.

- The Sinceros - Disappearing (from Pet Rock)
- The Sinceros - Socially (from Pet Rock)
- The Sinceros - Worlds Apart (from The Sound of Sunbathing)

FOR FANS OF:
The dB's, Shoes, Pezband, 20/20, Squeeze, The Dugites, Pearl Harbor & the Explosions, Phil Seymour, The Rubinoos, The Kings

WEB LINKS:
- The Sinceros on Wikipedia
- Informative Sinceros discography site
- The Sinceros on Rateyourmusic.com
- Take Me to Your Leader video on Youtube
- The Sinceros on AllMusic Guide

PEZBAND - Tasty Chicago Power Pop

While I've been a major fan of classic power pop bands such as The dB's and Shoes for years, I only very recently found out about the magnificent Pezband. Pezband came out of Chicago and onto the power pop scene in 1977 with their eponymous first album on Passport Records, and not only did they have a great name (makes me think of the candy), they had a canon of strong songs to boot. The band holds a unique place in Chicago power pop in that they sounded rawer than Shoes, but less hard rock than Cheap Trick. Even so, any fan of either of those classic Chicago bands should find much to love about Pezband.

The band's first album is by far my favorite of their three LPs, and I would rank it very highly in my list of essential albums for any fan of power pop. The album opens with Baby it's Cold Outside (no, not the cheesy pop standard), a must-include song for any power pop mix CD. The album never really loses steam, jumping from classic to classic with tunes such as Tracer, Princess Mary, Gas Grill and Please Be Somewhere Tonight. There is an irresistible 60s-inspired innocence to these hook-filled songs, but they are also marked by a sheer enthusiasm that gives the collection an edge. In addition to the songs themselves, the distinctive vocals of lead singer Mimi Betinis add to Pezband's charm.

Pezband went on to release two other albums - Laughing in the Dark in 1978 and Cover to Cover in 1979. While both of these are very enjoyable releases, for me they don't quite reach the level of greatness set by the first album.

Laughing in the Dark is a burst of rock and roll energy from start to finish (there's really not one mellow song in the bunch) and a bit rougher around the edges, bringing in some pub rock sounds to the classic power pop formula. The album spawned one hands down classic in Stop! Wait a Minute, which is generally considered Pezband's second signature song after Baby it's Cold Outside, and an additional single in On and On. While the raw energy of this album can't be denied, I personally find the hooks to be a bit stronger on Pezband.

1979's Cover to Cover is another worthwhile release and an enjoyable listen all the way through, although the album lacks a surefire classic in the vein of Baby it's Cold Outside or Stop! Wait a Minute.

Unfortunately, despite three fantastic albums, Pezband never quite gathered enough steam to gain them widespread recognition, and the band ended its first run in 1980. Despite an unsuccessful attempt to restart Pezband in late 1981, little was heard from the members until 2006 when the band reformed and began playing new, well-received shows, much to the delight of both old and new fans.

With any luck, we'll even be treated to some new Pezband recorded material.

All three Pezband albums have been released on CD, but unfortunately only as pricey Japanese imports. However, the inflated price of these discs is well worth it considering the high quality of the music, and they can be purchased through Not Lame Records (link) or other outlets such as Amazon.com.

Below is a vinyl rip of Baby it's Cold Outside for your listening pleasure. If you like what you hear, please seek out the full Pezband albums. You won't likely be disappointed.

Pezband - Baby it's Cold Outside

PEZBAND LINEUP:
- Mimi Betinis - lead vocals, guitar
- Tommy Gawenda - lead guitar
- Mike Gorman - bass, vocals
- Mick Rain - drums, vocals

FOR FANS OF:
Shoes, Cheap Trick, The dB's, Sneakers, Badfinger, Big Star, The Beatles, Dwight Twilley, Phil Seymour

WEB LINKS:
- Pezband Official Myspace Site
- Pezband on Wikipedia
- Pezband on Allmusic Guide
- 2007 Youtube video of Pezband performing a new song live in Chicago

THE TRIBE - Aussie New Wave Gem #1

For my first unearthed new wave treasure, I want to introduce The Tribe, number one in a series of stellar Australian 80s band I have recently discovered.

The Tribe emerged in the early 80s, and consisted of Jan Preston on vocals, Phil Wichett on keyboards, Gary Evans on bass, Mina Motu on drums and Guy Le Claire on guitar. Their musical output, as far as I know, consists of a mere three singles and one EP, but within that tiny catalog exist some true pop classics.

The releases include:


- Angel (of the Junkheap) b/w I Aint Waiting (Single, 1984)
- Dreams b/w No Music on My Radio (Single, 1984)
- Even in Russia b/w Caught in the Crossfire (Single, 1985)
- War Cry (6 song EP, 1985)

There are three songs by The Tribe that I would consider lost pop classics. The singles, Angel of the Junkheap, Dreams and Even in Russia are lyrically clever and full of hooks, shimmering keyboards and Jan Preston's soaring, flawless vocals.

The Tribe didn't last long enough to put out an LP, but I'm glad they left behind these few treasures. Apparently, after the band broke up Jan Preston went on to become a respected blues singer and songwriter (site) and Guy Le Claire is now based in Hong Kong playing and teaching guitar (site), but I haven't come across any information on what the other members of The Tribe have been up to.

Unfortunately, The Tribe singles and EP have not yet been released on CD. Check out my vinyl rip of the War Cry EP, and while you're at it follow the link to view the Even in Russia video on Youtube!

- The Tribe - War Cry (1985)

Track listing:
1 - War Cry
2 - Dreams
3 - Angel of the Junkheap
4 - Even in Russia
5 - Caught in the Crossfire
6 - What's Goin' On?

If you have any other information on the band, or just want to comment, please drop a note.

WEB LINKS:
- The Tribe on RateYourMusic.com
- Even in Russia video on Youtube.com

VINYL GOLDMINE - Lost New Wave & Power Pop Gems - Welcome

Welcome, and thanks for visiting! The purpose of this blog is to drum up interest for some fantastic bands from the past (most from around 1977 to 1985) that seem to have been largely forgotten with the passing of time.

I love seeking out quality music from the golden age of power pop and new wave, when strong melodies, tons of hooks, raw passion and creativity seemed to be much easier to find in pop music. This music speaks to me more than almost anything that is being released today, and it's very satisfying to dig up bands that nobody else seems to remember. In fact, the more obscure, the better!

It's even more satisfying to introduce these tunes to others who will also appreciate them. Ever since I became the proud owner of an Ion USB turntable (top-notch product, by the way), I'm no longer limited to hearing only old music that record labels have decided to put onto CD. This ability has led me to countless vinyl gems of the new wave and power pop era, which I will write about in this space.

I hope this blog leads you to some new discoveries of your own, and I'd love to hear from you with suggestions of music you think I should know about, or just with your general comments.

Enjoy!