The PPO 2012 Top Ten

Every year I think about the great music that has been presented to us and I find it difficult to come up with just 10!!

So many talented artists and groups, It is hard to make a decision! I am basing my list on the fact that most of these discs were in heavy rotation at home, work and in my car.
Well, here you are... Sorry it took so damn long!

10) The Well Wishers - Dreaming of the West Coast - Based on a solid foundation of melody, songcraft, and the ever important "musical hook", the Well Wishers' deliver a warm, full-bodied sound and engaging take on the typical power pop formula. In addition to five full studio albums,

9) Jeremy - Love Explosion - You can call him Mr. Consistency. Jeremy (Morris) is a lot like Steely Dan. Not in music style, but in terms of consistency and having a pretty good idea of what you can expect to get with each release. And you know, that can be a good thing indeed. Think in terms of high-end musical "comfort food" and you should get a real good idea of what we're getting at.

8) Fay Hallam & The Bongolian - ‘Lost In Sound’ the very first collaboration between Fay Hallam (Makin’ Time, The Prime Movers, Phaze) and Blow Up Records’ The Bongolian. Both share a serious passion for 60’s Hammond Beat and Soul. A variety of styles are covered here: Bossa Nova, heavier 70's grooves and a strong Northern Soul influence.  Not just a rehash of old grooves, Lost In Sound mixes in a good amount of the new with the old.  Always good to hear. Get ready to get Lost In Sound . . .

7) Shoes - Ignition - Self-produced and released on the band’s own Black Vinyl Records, The Shoes have gathered the remnants of their former band, and produced a first class album. Inspired by late 70’s Power Pop, Ignition is loaded with jangly riffs and hook-packed pop vocals. The Shoes craft great pop music that hits you from the first note to the very last.

6) Seven Long Years - Chained To Your Love - The opening moments of "Don’t Break My Heart In Ink" make it very clear that Seven Long Years, the first solo project of Eric Knoxx  , is a Psychedelic/Dream Pop explosion . Layers of sound are stacked one by one until the songs are so full they have nowhere to go but outward in all directions. It's percussive, but pleasingly melodic cover to cover. It's not "all-sound-all-the-time", though. Song writer Eric Knoxx does however leave a little breathing room throughout the entire album, which is good. You'll need to catch your breath.

5) Marty Graveyard - Summer Holiday - The Madd's former drummer /songwriter gave us his first solo album, Summer Holiday on V2 Records ! Filled with relentlessly catchy vocals and hook-laden guitar power pop, this album deserves some many repeated listens! It’s a great pop album which doesn’t get boring, or overcomplicated. There’s loads of fun to be had with this one.

4) Paul Bertolino - Where The Buildings Hit The Sky - Presenting 11 tracks from Brooklyn's finest "unknown" artist! Paul Bertolino, the talent behind the curtain, intermingles psychedelic pop, classic production and some well placed baroque melodies into an appealing blend of Beatles meet Burt Bacharach, constructing a most enjoyable album. Another winner from Paul! As if we expected less.


3) The Trashed Romeos-Where Dreamers Never Go - The Trashed Romeos, led by Greg Roberson (Tiger High, Reigning Sound, Arthur Lee’s Love, Compulsive Gamblers), hail from the very epicenter of rock- n -roll, Memphis, Tn. Roberson has a pretty straight forward mission with his bands debut record Where Dreamers Never Go, to pay homage to his late friend Jim Dickinson (Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, Big Star, The Replacements, Ry Cooder) and to focus attention on some of his hometown heroes and the obscure psychedelic garage rock 45’s they released in the mid 6o’s.  

2) The DomNicks - Super real - Their debut album Super Real marks a coming of age for The DomNicks. Forged by Perth based Dom Mariani and Nick Sheppard, the band is a powerful blend of swagger 'n' roll rock, soul and pop smarts. Among the 12 tracks you'll find the Exile era Stones' sound of Reconcile, the brazen brass and swing of Let's Go Baby, soul flavours in I Wonder What You're Doin' Now, the straight ahead rollicking of Miracle and tantalising twists and turns of the electric sitar driven Winter. It's bound to cause the head and heart to shake.

1) Kurt Baker - Brand New Beat - This is what a Power Pop Album should sound like! Part time librarian and full time Ass Kicking Power Popster Kurt Baker  has bestowed upon us an unquestionable pearl of Power Pop goodness. Baker and band does not disappoint on their sophomore release. 10 addictive songs, each better than the last, it is difficult to put this album down, even more difficult to wipe the smile off your face when you are finished listening to it. Thank you Kurt Baker!

The PPO Top Ten Power Pop Albums of 2012/rs
or
The PPO Top Ten Power Pop Albums of 2012/zs

1. Escape the Light / The Well Wishers
2. Gotta Find A New Love / The Trashed Romeos
3. Don't Break my Heart in Ink / 7 Long Years
4. Do You Really Wanna Dance / Marty Graveyard
5. Where the Buildings Hit the Sky / Paul Bertolino
6. Freefall / Fay Hallam & The Bongolian
7. The Joke's On You / Shoes 3:05
8. I Wonder What You're Doin' Now / The DomNicks
9. Rise Above The Clouds / Jeremy
10. Don't Go Falling in Love / Kurt Baker
11. Black Eyed Girl / The DomNicks
12. Lost In Sound / Fay Hallam & The Bongolian
13. See Me Now / Paul Bertolino
14. Honoree / The Well Wishers
15. Stop What You're Doin' / 7 Long Years
16. Weekend Girls / Kurt Baker
17. Working Man / Marty Graveyard
18. I Thought You Knew / Shoes
19. My Way Of Thinking / The Trashed Romeos
20. Not Of This World / Jeremy

New Releases from Cheap Rewards Records!

Cheap Rewards has released the great San Francisco powerpop bands The Rockers (EP) and The Finders (LP)

THE ROCKERS formed in 1977 by longtime songwriting team John “Rock” Perga and Phil Schraub. They wanted to put a live act together to showcase their pop sensibilities, so they added Bryan Allinsmith and Carl Jeppesen to the line-up and began perfecting melodies that incorporated two and three-part harmonies. The Rockers primarily played shows in the bay area and built a significant local following. At the end of 1979, they went in the studio and recorded four of their original songs. Trying to emulate the sound of their favorite British Invasion recordings, they succeeded in producing a highly polished and remarkable sounding 7" EP that was released on their own Alcatraz Records in 1980.

Regarded by many power pop enthusiasts as one of the top records of the genre, Cheap Rewards Records is proud to offer this fully authorized reproduction for a budget price so that fans new and old can enjoy this timeless masterpiece.

Pre-Sale Begins: January 3, 2013
Ship Date: January 7, 2013
Pressing Details: 100 copies Red; 400 copies Black

THE FINDERS continued the power pop path set by their previous incarnation, the Rockers. After solidifying a new line-up consisting of John “Rock” Perga, Phil Schraub, Bryan Allinsmith and John San Filippo, the band began working on a series of demos before entering the studio to record their first single featuring “It’s So Insane” and “Which Way.”

The tapes from their last recording session sat in the Mobius Studios vault for over 20 years before Phil and Dennis rescued them. Now for the first time ever on vinyl, Cheap Rewards Records is honored to deliver the best recordings from those session along with quality studio and demo material in one great package.

Pre-Sale Begins: January 3, 2013
Ship Date: January 7, 2013
Pressing Details: 100 copies Blue; 400 copies Black



You can get more info about the bands at cheaprewards.net

Livingstone Daisies: Don't Know What Happiness Is

Popboomerang is very excited to announce the first for 2013 & the very first ever vinyl album with new Melbourne band “Livingstone Daises” (the members will be no stranger to fans of Australian pop/rock)

Livingstone Daisies are a band are already well known for overdosing on harmony, jangle and fuzz and who made a grand and ambitious statement by recording two albums before even playing their first gig.

The band members - Van Walker (Vox, Guitar, Scotch & Coke) Liz Stringer, (Vox, Guitar, Scotch & Dry) Michael Barlcay (Vox, Drums, Cheap Red) Cal Walker (Vox, Bass, Expensive Port) will be no strangers to fans of discerning Australian Rock’n’roll and have teamed up as the Livingstone Daisies to create of Australia’s most formidable and exciting pop/rock bands.

With the release of their debut album Don’t Know What Happiness Is, The “Daisies” have crafted a record that is truly Australian yet tips it’s hat in appreciation to the members influences and inspirations (such as Teenage Fanclub, Tom Petty, Wilco, Bob Dylan, Big Star, Neil Young etc.)

As a listener you will work your way though the lush jangle of Wednesday, the honey coated gravel of Redhead, the powerful pop of Blue Solitude, the dusty country roads in Safety In Numbers, the rumbling and rambling Die On The Vine and the sun scorched melodies of Everything Has Got To Go and Keep Searching. Just when you think you have the band pegged they close the album with the mournful and epic “I Still Believe In You,” the perfect way to keep you guessing and (the album is 8 tracks long), keep you wanting more.

The Replacements - Songs For Slim

On February 19th, 2012 former Replacements guitarist Slim Dunlap suffered a massive right brain stroke, exacerbated by a fall which caused a hemorrhage in the left brain and was further complicated by extensive brain swelling. He was hospitalized for nine months and his recovery has been slow – hindered by pain, paralysis of the left side and the inability to swallow. He is currently at home being cared for by his family and a team of aides, nurses and therapists.
His sharp intellect, wit and photographic memory are all, thankfully, intact.
Insurance does not pay for long term care and the general prognosis for Slim is that he will likely need around-the-clock care for the rest of his life.  He needs our help.
Songs For Slim was devised to raise money for Slim and his family by having various artists cover his songs, pressing them as a limited edition series of split 7” vinyl 45s in beautiful, numbered picture sleeves and putting them up for auction.
Commencing with the special edition Songs For Slim 10" vinyl EP by The Replacements, the series will include other friends and fans of Slim including:

• Steve Earle
• Lucinda Williams
• Jakob Dylan
• John Doe
• Joe Henry
• The Jayhawks
• Frank Black + The Suicide Commandos
• Craig Finn from The Hold Steady
• Tim O'Reagan & Jim Boquist
• The Minus 5 (Scott McCaughey, Peter Buck, Nate Query & John Moen) featuring Curtiss A
• The Young Fresh Fellows
• NRBQ
• You Am I
• Tommy Keene
• Deer Tick
• Ramblin' Jack Elliott
• Lucero
• and more to be announced!

All songs will be available for purchase digitally following their respective auctions.
The Songs For Slim series is administered by New West Records, with assistance from Motivation Music Management and Manifest Destiny Music.  
Jewlicious Festivals is serving as fiscal agent for the eBay auctions.
If you'd like to contribute to Slim outside of these auctions, his old friend Dan Baird has set up a FundRazr account that accepts donations on his behalf.

In September 2012, Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson reunited and entered Flowers Studio in Minneapolis (with Kevin Bowe on guitar and Peter Anderson on drums) to record Slim’s song “Busted Up.”  Knocked out by the result, they roared through a few more numbers including Leon Payne's (by way of Hank Williams) "Lost Highway," Gordon Lightfoot’s (by way of Nico) “I’m Not Sayin',” and “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” from the Broadway show Gypsy.  Original Replacements drummer Chris Mars had already recorded a scorching one-man-band version of Slim’s “Radio Hook Word Hit,” and all 5 tracks were combined onto this EP to launch the series.
This is the first new Replacements release since 1990's All Shook Down.  Only 250 numbered 10” vinyl EPs are being made.
Additional features include:

• Cover autographed by Paul Westerberg, Tommy Stinson & Chris Mars
• 4 glossy prints of never-before-seen band photos
• Collectors’ poster of Slim
• Print of the full Chris Mars cover painting on the inner sleeve
• Digital download card of entire EP
• 180g vinyl

Tracklisting
Side A:
1. Busted Up (Slim Dunlap)
2. Radio Hook Word Hit (Slim Dunlap)
Side B:
1. I'm Not Sayin' (Gordon Lightfoot)
2. Lost Highway (Leon Payne)
3. Everything's Coming Up Roses (Stephen Sondheim/Jule Styne)

OTHER VERSIONS

All tracks will also be made available for digital purchase worldwide on March 5, with a commercial 12" vinyl version hitting stores in April 2013.  There may also be an album compilation of the tracks later in the year.

Stephen Lawrenson - OBSCURiOSiTY

Stephen makes quite a pop splash here on his 2013 Kool Kat debut! And to drive home this point, the crack "Pop Squad" of Kool Kat insiders / contributors cheerfully chime in! "Playing every note on the record, he proudly wears his pop influences on his sleeve. Tell me 'Small White House" wouldn't pass for a Brian Wilson-penned song. His inner Jeff Lynne pops up on both 'Pale Yellow' and the 12-string laced 'Words To Say'." - Count Keef "It's intelligent, well written, and completely catchy. Awesome, just awesome power pop, with loads of great hooks, melodies and harmonies. It rocks. It moves you. A masterful melange of 60's, 70's, and 80's guitar rock mixed and matched with no concern for the namecheck. That's how good this is. Five stars isn't enough. Six, maybe!" - MR Gomez "What do you think would happen if you threw The Goldbergs, The Beatles, Three Hour Tour, Teenage Fanclub (in their fuzzy period), Big Star, The Posies (circa 'Frosting On The Beater'), 'Pet Sounds' period Brian Wilson, and the Electric Light Orchestra into a giant pop blender? You'd get Stephen Lawrenson, that's what!" - Max Humphries Well guys, you've summed Stephen up quite nicely we must say!


New album now available at Kool Kat, Amazon, iTunes and CDBaby.

Jacco Gardner's Feb 2013 LP 'Cabinet Of Curiosities' and Euro/US Tour Dates

Yes, psychedelic music has had quite a renaissance of late. The past year saw all manner of variations on the theme gain rave reviews, chart placements and accolades.

The 24-year-old maverick artist Jacco Gardner however is something else entirely, both light years ahead and 45 years behind his contemporaries. Syd Barrett was the initial flame that set the mind of this young Dutch native alight. In Barrett’s winsome arrangements and surreal wordplay he saw the possibilities of being able to recreate the shimmering childish delight and nightmarish fear of old 70's fairytale-like films like the Czechoslovakian masterpiece Valerie A Týden Divu by Jaromil Jires, the Swedish Bröderna Lejonhjärta and the sweet yet surreal patina of Studio Ghibli in music. Curt Boettcher, the similarly tortured American sunshine pop legend, is cited equally. And indeed, it is the disparate combination of the pastoral Lewis Carroll vision of London’s Middle Earth club combined with frighteningly complex Californian pocket symphonies that are signature in Gardner’s impressively detailed pieces. Cabinet Of Curiosities’ instrumental title track is certainly reminiscent of the best of Curt Boettcher's projects like The Millennium and Sagittarius with its playful baroque arrangements whilst ‘Puppets Dangling’ has a steely retro futurism, part Broadcast, part United States Of America, but with a far more delicate approach that recalls Nirvana or teenage Immediate signing Billy Nicholls. A toytown popsike feel is resplendent in ‘The Ballad Of Little Of Jane’ which has been rarely heard since Mark Wirtz did his thing at Abbey Road, Jeff Lynne was learning his craft with The Idle Race and Klaatu were being mistaken for The Beatles.



Recorded and engineered at his "Shadow Shoppe" Studio in Zwaag, The Netherlands, Cabinet Of Curiosities features Jacco playing every instrument (save the drums, deftly played by Jos van Tol) and was pre-mastered by Jan Audier – famed engineer of Dutch garage/psych heavies Q65, The Golden Earrings and The Motions on his vast array of authentic ’60s analogue gear. Of his treasured items Jacco says: “I own a couple of Hohner Pianets, the same ones The Zombies used. I also love my cheap Dutch Philips transistor Philicorda organ a lot. Another keyboard that I’m really glad to have is my Optigan organ, which is similar to the Mellotron and makes use of recorded samples on a disk that sound really spooky and lo-fi. When using very mechanical instruments, like the Hohner Pianet, it will always beat using a virtual plugin version on your computer.”

Distinctly Dutch, marked by the damp, chilly air and melancholic longing of ’60s masters Group 1850 but also utterly 2013, Gardner is on par with the finest new artists, yet somehow more honest and in awe of the source material with a keener ear for a strong tune than many of his peers. He’s definitely an emerging talent unafraid to follow his own unique path.

After two strong singles last year that caught the attention of everyone from Shindig! to Pitchfork and NME the next step in Baroque pop has arrived. Jacco Gardner’s Cabinet Of Curiosities is a box of delights of intricately crafted melodies guaranteed to conjure visions of sugar plum fairies and fireside stories from even the dullest imagination.

TOUR DATES

JANUARY

10 Eurosonic, Groningen (NL) w/ Temples

12 Noorderslag, Groningen (NL)

24 VPRO filmnacht IFFR, Rotterdam (NL)

30 Subbacultcha! @ OT301, Amsterdam (NL) w/ Silhouettes + Earth MK II

FEBRUARY

02 Manifesto, Hoorn (NL)

08 Subbacultcha! @ dB's, Utrecht (NL) w/ Earth MK II

09 Merleyn, Nijmegen (NL) w/ traumahelikopter

13 Trix, Antwerpen (BE) w/ Cosmonauts

14 Prinzenbar, Berlin (GE) w/ Zulu Pearls

15 TBA - Cologne (GE)

16 Supermarkt, Den Haag (NL)

18 013, Tilburg (NL) w/ Dignan Porch

21 Monsieur Moustage, Brussel (BE) w/ Cosmonauts

22 La Mécanique Ondulatoire, Paris (FR) w/ Dead Ghosts

23 De Klos, Emmeloord (NL)

MARCH - US

01 Wesleyan University - Middletown CT

02 Death By Audio - Brooklyn, NY

03 Middle East Upstairs - Boston, MA

06 Golden West - Baltimore, MD

07 The Pinhook - Durham, NC

08 Savannah Stopover Festival - Savannah, GA

10 E.A.R.L. - Atlanta, GA w/ Turbo Fruits

12 till 17 – SXSW, Austin, TX

18 The Bishop - Bloomington, IN

19 Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL

20 Case Western Reserve University - Cleveland, OH w/ Dirty Ghosts

23 Mercury Lounge, New York, NY (Early show)

UK

31 - Le Beat Bespoké, London (UK)

APRIL

04 Haldern Pop Bar - Haldern (DE)

05 Metropool - Hengelo (NL)

06 Motel Mozaique festival - Rotterdam (NL

JACCO GARDNER
Cabinet Of Curiosities

 Cat. No:  TIM047

Formats: LP/CD/Download
Release Date: February 2013

Greetings from Popdose.com!

When Benevolent Power Pop Overlord (and generally righteous dude) Curty Ray asked me to contribute some titles for a Best Of 2012, I had a lot of thinking to do. There were plenty of records I appreciated this year, but I wanted to make sure to offer up a shortlist of things guaranteed to make the listener happy, or at least not want to hunt me down in retribution...so here we go.

1. Brendan Benson - What Kind Of World: It would be petty to say this record asks and answers the question, "Jack who?" Benson, the "other guy" in The Raconteurs not only nailed it with this release, he recorded what may be his finest moment thus far, the killer track "Bad For Me." Seek this out!

2. Bill Lloyd - Boy King Of Tokyo: This is probably the album I have shared with people the most this year. Has Bill Lloyd ever let us down? No, never, and of the releases from 2012 this is the one I wish was on vinyl because it is such a warm, fuzzy throwback to the best pop of yore. I dare you to not hum along to "Up In The Air" or to laugh at the dark humor that surfaces in "Com-Trol."

3. Imperial State Electric - Pop War: Nicke from The Hellacopters has captured '70s power pop in a concise bottle called Pop War without sounding like a rip-off. It's a little glam, a little Cheap Trick, but it never is little in the hooks department. It's crunchy, it's tasty, and it demands to be played ever so loudly.

4. David Myhr - Soundshine: The album that is most like the title of the album, this disc is designed to put a big old stupid smile on your face from ear to ear. To crib a line from Mike Viola, this was the soundtrack to my summer with windows rolled down all the way. For anyone who wishes the Merrymakers would reunite, I don't know how that would be possible, but the overall joy of this recording helps one to forget the prospect (if temporarily).

5. Calexico - Algiers: Okay so it isn't technically a power pop record, but when you need a disc to chill out with, the band co-founded by Joey Burns and John Convertino make a truly international flavor of Americana. The song "Fortune Teller" is easily one of their best out of a sterling career of bests.

Best reissue(s): Has to be Jellyfish landing on vinyl via Omnivore Records. The label released the band's two classics Bellybutton and Spilt Milk with the respect we always knew they deserved.

Biggest disappointment of 2012: This kills me to say it, as there are a few really good cuts on it AND it appears to be a huge hit, but Some Nights by fun. is nowhere near the majesty that was their debut Aim & Ignite. Just sayin'.

There are plenty more great records from the year, but they don't quite fit the power pop mode, so I'll leave it here. But remember, folks. If you like what you're hearing, go out and buy it. That's how we keep this thing going. Have a happy holiday, whatever yours may be, and be ready to rock in 2013. We're counting on you, so don't let us down!

John Wicks - Works In Progress now at Kool Kat

John Wicks is currently taking a break from live Records' shows for a while to concentrate on his songwriting activities, and also to resume recording brand new Records' songs. In the meantime, this 12-song collection of demos, rare and unreleased recordings from 1982-2012 is the perfect conduit between The Records of yesterday and tomorrow and is a must have for any fan! Features track by track annotations and insight by John. TRACK LISTING: "Cry A Million Tears" ("Rock-Ola" demo), "Her Stars Are My Stars" ("Rock-Ola" demo), "Union Jack" ("Rock-Ola" demo), "Holding On To A Dream", "Every Word We Say" ("Rock-Ola" demo), "The Heroes", "She's All I Need", "Forever Blue" ("Rock-Ola" demo), "Golden Sunlight", "Liverpool" ("Rock-Ola" demo), and "Nowhere Left To Run". EXCELLENT!!

This is a special CDR release priced to move at $12, so order it while you can. You can hear audio clips here or ORDER YOUR COPY HERE.

xo for the Holidays

When is it the right time to start pushing holiday music… WHEN Justin Bieber’s holiday album is charting top 20 on itunes! YIKES!

Christmas is almost here and I am sure there will be no shortage of gift ideas placed in your path during the next few weeks. Newspapers, Radio and TV will be filled with ads offering novel, interesting, compelling, and occasionally useful gifts for those on your list!

Home of the fabulous Backsliders, xo publicity offers up their fifth installment of "xo for the Holidays"! Best of all, this one is free! Ho Ho Ho! Happy Holidays from xo!

V/A - xo for the Holidays - 2012

xo-kaytea
www.xopublicity.com
http://xopublicity.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/xopublicity

No Secret Saturday this week, but it will return next week

Sorry

Green - Green - 1986

In the mid-'80s, Chicago's music scene was dominated by muscular, hard-edged punk-inspired acts like Naked Raygun, Big Black, and the Effigies, and in this context Green stuck out like a sore thumb, as Jeff Lescher and his bandmates wrote smart, tuneful, and energetic pop tunes and played them with the appropriate degree of spunk communicated through simple, well-crafted arrangements. Listening to Green's first full-length album years after the fact, it often seems as if Green were pushing the aggressive factor of some of their songs in order to better fit in with their peers; the anger of "Hurt You" and the snarky attitude of "Big in Japan" and "I'm Not Going Down (Anymore)" feel forced, and while these guys could rock out when they wanted, they were always at their best when they were willing to fly their flag for the hooky stuff they loved. And there are some top-shelf pop tunes on Green's self-titled debut; the nervy "Gotta Getta Record Out" is an anthem for every band with more ambition than experience, "Curry Your Favor" is full of heartfelt romantic yearning, the mostly acoustic "For You" shows off a folk-rock influence that fit this band nicely, "I Don't Wanna Say No" does the same for rhythm & blues, and "I Play the Records" is a irresistible rocker with a snaky guitar line. Lescher's guitar and vocal work is strong throughout, bassist John Diamond and drummer John Valley fill in the empty spaces and keep the music moving forward at all times, and if the production is a bit thin in spots, it captures the essence of the band very well indeed. Green may not have been the hippest band in Chicago in 1986, but the album they made that year shows they could write a great song and make it work on tape, and that's a skill to be appreciated whatever the time, place, or fashion. -AMG

George Usher - Dutch April - 1998

They just don't write pop songs like George Usher's anymore -- jangly, sparkling and effortlessly irresistible, his music is a throwback to another era, with rich melodies and sugar-sweet arrangements harking back to the glory days of the Beach Boys and the Left Banke (with a considerable tip of the hat to the Byrds as well). Dutch April is a small treasure, a virtual primer in pop craftsmanship -- highlights like "You Better Let It Go" and "Begging for Rain" possess a timeless quality that's all too rare, being instantly memorable but also fresh upon each repeat listening. -AMG

The Pencils + bonus disk available this week at Kool Kat

Available for the first time ever on CD is the self-titled, ridiculously rare, previously vinyl-LP by 80's British power poppers The Pencils! And, in true Kool Kat style, we've fleshed it out with an additional two discs worth of previously unreleased material! The Pencils were a band that were never even a blip on the radar of power pop experts and aficionados, but once you hear them I think you'll agree that a true "lost gem" of a band/record has been unleashed upon pop fans everywhere! COMES WITH AN EXCLUSIVE BONUS DISC - "EARLY SKETCHES" - AN 8-SONG COLLECTION OF EARLY "HOME DEMOS" RECORDED BY THE BAND IN 1981.  To order, simply click here ! If you're a fan of Squeeze, The Kinks, The Pinkees, The Romantics, Elvis Costello, and Sire Records-period Searchers, then you're gonna LOVE this!

Drink A Toast To Innocence: A Tribute To Lite Rock

Longtime friend of Power Pop Overdose , Andrew Curry, is putting together an album that pays tribute to the Lite Rock classics of the late '70s and early '80s. Scheduled for a spring 2013 release, "Drink A Toast To Innocence: A Tribute To Lite Rock" will spotlight those songs originally made famous by the likes of Robbie Dupree, Randy VanWarmer, Ambrosia, Rupert Holmes and many more, and features an artist roster that includes Mike Viola, Bleu, Linus of Hollywood, and David Myhr, among others. Join the Facebook page devoted to the project to learn more about the album, the participating artists, and the songs they'll be covering (https://www.facebook.com/DrinkAToastToInnocence).

Here is a quick teaser for the album featuring Michael Carpenter's contribution of Cliff Richard's classic, We Don't Talk Anymore.

The Condors - Tales of Drunkeness and Cruelty - 2001

With jumping rhythms and catchy guitar figures running throughout the album, the Condors find a comfortable sense of energy; it's the link between rockabilly, classic R&B, mod and first-wave punk. With a slightly dirty sound, the band cranks out down-home rockers smacking of fun times. Songs like 'Got No Reason,' sparkling with the spice of mod-pop guitar work, or the chicken-pickin' country-rock guitar of 'Drinkin' Myself to Sleep,' offer nothing but good, clean rock'n'roll fun. -Matt Schild, AVERSION.com 

The Lightning Seeds - Cloudcookland - 1990

Taking what he learned from his days in Big in Japan and his '80s production work with A-listers Echo & the Bunnymen, Ian Broudie created the Lightning Seeds project to better serve his cravings for shameless, lush pop. Even in these early days, with singles like "Pure" and "All I Want," you can hear why comparisons to a less burlesque Pet Shop Boys or a Matthew Sweet synth tribute band didn't have to be unpleasant criticisms. Ian Broudie has always had an evident love for freshly squeezed, exquisitely produced conservatism, but as in the decidedly odd "Control the Flame," not without the awareness of discovering it with well-constructed unsophistication. For some, Broudie destroyed his subsequent career by trying to recreate the gelatinous flavor of Cloudcuckooland without its flaws, relying too much on its John Hughes sonics, and mistaking his very strengths for hard and fast rules that would not and should not be deconstructed again. -AMG

Kurt Baker live on BreakThru Radio

Serious Business on BTR is hosted by Travis Harrison, head of Serious Business record label, and each week he invites a new band to his studio for exclusive interviews where anything goes. This week's episode features Portland singer/songwriter, Kurt Baker. Check it out.

The Men - The men Return - 2006

The Men is a Mod outfit from Lund, Sweden, and something of a small “supergroup” since they formed out of four already established Swedish garage bands, The Sinners, The Girls, Thee Expression and Colubrids. They got together a few years ago to form the ultimate live-band; explosive, stylish, tight, groovy, cool and fun (No shoegazers!) – a band the members themselves would love to see. For their first album The Men picked their songs from the same sources The Stones, The Who, The Action and The Small Faces did when they started. Simple, gutsy and groovy black R&B and soul, delivered in a white guitar group-style with high three-part harmony vocals, á la spring 1965 in London. This album was recorded quickly in a two-day session and released in Sweden by Border Music in 2002 and by Pure Pop Records in Australia 2003. Fans as well as critics both home and abroad overwhelmingly received the album. The record received great reviews in Rolling Stone and Scootering to name a few. The Men were rapidly becoming one of the most interesting up and coming acts on the Swedish music scene. -CD Baby

Chevelles - Gigantic - 1993

Power-popsters the Chevelles formed in Perth, Australia in the early 1990s; comprising singers / guitarists Duane Smith and Adrian Allen, bassist Jeff Halley and drummer Julian Buckland, the group debuted in 1993 with the LP Gigantic, followed three years later by Rollerball Candy. -AMG

Candy Butchers - Play With Your Head - 2002

On their/his full-length debut album, Falling Into Place, Candy Butchers' Mike Viola (the group name is really a polite fiction) came off as a successor to Graham Parker and early Elvis Costello in the romantically angered post-punk new wave vein, a worthy enough position that tends to delight critics without engaging the critical mass of fans it takes to maintain a major-label record contract. On his/their second album (this time the billing is Candy Butchers instead of Mike Viola & Candy Butchers), Viola often comes off as a Marshall Crenshaw-style power popper, steeped in the sound of mid-'60s pop/rock and its fascination with unusual sounds audible on the margins of tracks dominated by electric guitar riffs and hooky choruses. "Baby, It's a Long Way Down," for example, is distinctly Beatlesque, while "My Monkey Made a Man Out of Me," apparently a celebration of addiction, boasts an intro and outro that recall George Harrison's flirtation with Indian music. On Falling Into Place, Viola seemed to be writing the same song of romantic disappointment over and over; here he is still disappointed, but his frustration is more global. "The older I get the more it seems/I watch my dreams get smaller," he begins on "It's a Line," and this sense of diminished expectations pervades the songs. The romantic element is not absent, but things are more specific and more desperate, notably on "I Let Her Get Away," in which a pregnancy is compared to mold. By album's end, Viola has practically abandoned the studio trickery to return to a Parker/Costello-like stance on "Make No Mistake," singing over acoustic guitar accompaniment with bitter wordplay that continues into the elegiac closer, "Call Off the Dogs." The album makes another impressive, if severe, statement likely to play well to the brainy and miss the masses. -AMG

Kurt Baker - Brand New Beat Out 10/30/12

Well He has done it again, Kurt Baker has come up with another great album. The master of DIY marketing will be releasing his new album, Brand New Beat, on October 30. You don`t get Power Pop better than this. A great mix mix of Classic Power Pop, Power Punk and pure unadulterated fun, Brand New Beat is sure to make the PPO Top Ten for 2012.  Not a bad track in the whole lot, short and sweet, great vocals and a rock solid band, this one is hard to stop listening to!!  In another time this would have filled up the airwaves and Kurt Baker would have been a household name. You must pick this one up!

Brand New Beat will be released on Collector’s Club Records! Vinyl will be pressed by Jolly Ronnie Records and Torreznetes Entertainment in España!

 www.kurtbakermusic.com
twitter @kurtmiltonbaker
facebook.com/kurtbakermusic
instagram: kurtmiltonbaker
 

True Hearts now at Kool Kat

"An excellent power pop band who, like many other equally talented bands, never got the chance they deserved back in the day. Thankfully, Kool Kat has wrested this fine album from the jaws of obscurity, and it deserves to claim a spot on the shelves of any fan of the genre!" - David Bash/IPO GREAT!!!

The original True Hearts album has been rediscovered and released on the KoolKat Musik label and is available now. Don't miss it this time around!

The RATBOYS ....are Stupid Brats

Once again The Ratboys display their amazing brand of 77 punk and powerpop! Infectious lyrics, solid guitar riffs, and more than a passing nod to 60s garage rock . . . with a shitload of 77 snottiness thrown in for good measure, just what Curty Ray likes, I think you will too.

The EP is available only as a digital download! Jump over to Bandcamp and get it today!

It looks like I will try...

Going to give zippyshare a whirl.  I will post links in the comments section for now.  It is going to take a while to upload all the links so be patient.  If there is anything you must have right away just leave a comment or email PPO.

Mediafire

Looks like Mediafire has suspended my account.  Not sure where this leaves us but PPO is not dead yet. Any ideas would be helpful.

Thanks
Curty Ray

Protones - Nothing To Say - 1996

A power pop band from Spain, Protones debuted with the release of an EP attached to the first issue of a fanzine called Rock Indiana, followed by their first album, Cartunes. After issuing Nothing to Say in 1996, the Plimsouls' Paul Collins teamed up with the band, producing their following record, Not That Difficult. Protones moved to California to participate in the International Pop Overthrow soon after. In 1999, guitarist Octavio (aka Octavio Vinck) and bassist Tato (aka David Tato) joined the band. In 2001, the Spanish group returned with Come Out and Play, including "Now That I Think of It," a song featured in the movie No Te Fallaré. -AMC

Soulwax - Much Against Everyone's Advice - 1999

Soulwax's US debut album Much Against Everyone's Advice mixes rock and electronica on songs like "Too Many DJs," "When Logics Die" and "Overweight Karate Kid." The Belgian group's mix of loops, guitars, strings and dance-inspired rhythms is fresh and appealing, and Much Against Everyone's Advice - Soulwax's third album overall - is their finest to date. -AMG

The Feedbacks - Speedway - 1999

This is the second album from this Asturias quartet. Faster and more powerful than any other band of their generation, the Feedbacks were at this time also the best at hitting several splendid catchy pop melodies.

Challenger 7 - Payola - 2000

Australia's Challenger 7 are obviously indebted to the Replacements' style of sloppy, catchy hard rock. In fact, inside of the CD insert is a picture of the band in their room in front of a -- surprise -- album flat of the Replacements' Hootenanny. To boot, one of the tracks on this excellent debut is a somewhat literal cover of the 'Mats' "Left of the Dial." Don't write Challenger 7 off as a tribute band, though; Payola has stacks of riffage and a dozen originals on par with many of the Replacements' early songs. Aided in a large part by the production of Aussie pop guru Michael Carpenter, Payola is loud and raucous, but still clean enough to be bold. You won't find any muddied sound here; it's completely crisp, but the crisp sound is masked by the dirty guitars. It is a perfect combination, although it means that sonically Payola sometimes outshines the songwriting of the band members. No worry, though, as even the undistinguished material on this album is enjoyable, and when they hit, as they do on the instant classic "Rock 'N' Roll Sound," the tense "Believe in Me," or the epic ballad "Sunshower," they hit right on. As an added bonus, the album packaging deserves note: The cover features the band dressed in '70s polyester pants and there are countless other kitschy images (bowling shoes, old album posters) throughout. It matches the music perfectly and is ideal eye candy. -AMG

The Scruffs - Swingin' Singles - 2003

Of course, as anyone familiar with The Scruffs knows, it is Big Star and Raspberries (Burns voice sounds like a more gravely version of Eric Carmen`s) that is the primary launch pad for the template of Stephen Burns and The Scruffs. Wonderfully so. "Sugar" being the most classic, long lost Big Star sounding track we`ve heard in years. But think more on the Chris Bell side of things, as opposed to Chilton. "You Are Wrong(I Am Right)" has the gorgeous mastery of Bell`s strongest assets in mind. This album first came out in 2003 but never made it to these shores and was mired in obscurity. Consider the problem rectified and a pop legend rediscovered and reborn and relevant for the present. Big Time Extremely Highly Recommended! -Not Lame

Doug Powell - Day For Night - 2004

Even if he wasn't already known for some professional associations with Todd Rundgren, Day for Night couldn't fail to recall much of the work by the Todd-man, in approach and production if not specific riffs and songs. There's that same confident command of an arsenal of instruments and high-sheen technological textures, as well as an inclination to temper that gloss with wistful romantic melodies, keyboards, and singing. It's way too slick to be "underground," yet too idiosyncratic in its one-man dazzle to be mainstream. Both the melodies and the arrangements have a soaring quality, sung by Powell with good-natured energy even when the words are a little ambiguous and distraught. Powell's good at using synthetic backdrops that sound creepy without getting overly icy, something that helps balance sweeter outings like "Silent Kisses," which can veer a bit into too sleekly anthemic territory. Getting beyond the artifice, the songs here are well crafted and full of all kinds of hard to trace electronic squiggles and left turns, but a little lacking in killer tunes or unalloyed heart. It's too eclectic an album to easily box, though, with "Stanislaw Smith" being a throwback to the eccentric character sketches of the likes of Roy Wood and Ray Davies, "Invincible" guaranteed to appeal to fans of traditional guitar power pop, and "Goodbye Lady Godiva" getting into the theatrical piano ballads pioneered by Paul McCartney and other British rockers. -AMG

Brian Jonestown Massacre - Methodrone - 1995

While Brian Jonestown Massacre have since become known for their wasted Stones take on music (in any number of permutations), when the debut album Methodrone finally surfaced after months of delay (to the point where a side project album by ImaJinary Friends actually came out first), there was an easy, one-word reaction: shoegazers. Redolent with the spirit of such high priests of effects and delay as Loop, Spaceman 3, and My Bloody Valentine, not to mention a fair dollop of the Jesus and Mary Chain (sample song titles: "That Girl Suicide," "Hyperventilation," "She's Gone"), Methodrone clearly is the sum of its influences. Thankfully BJM does a very solid job with them throughout the album's course of over 70 minutes. Anton Newcombe favors breathy, sighing vocals over post-Jagger drawls, understandably ("Crushed" is as perfect an example of American Anglo singing as it gets), while the seven other rotating bandmembers whip up a good amount of machine-like chugging and rave-up bliss as they go. Part of the reason why it all works so well is Newcombe's impressive abilities to actually perform rather than pose. "Wisdom," for instance, isn't very complex, but it successfully creates a psychedelic haze. While assembled from a variety of different sessions and about seven different engineers, Methodrone feels like a unified collection. Newcombe is due further credit for ensuring that his own particular (if second-hand) vision is carried throughout. The album closes on a spectacular high, with the wafting feedback prettiness of "Outback" followed by the majestic drone of "She's Gone," armed with a stunning guitar line, then wrapping up with an untitled bonus track that assuredly builds to a strong end with quirky touches. Though the band never returned to this sound in full, Newcombe and BJM as a whole have nothing to be ashamed of here. -AMG

Mediafire

Pyramidiacs - Teeter Totter - 1996

Characterized by a upbeat power-pop feel, the Pyramidiacs sound has remained consistent since the group's 1988 origins. Based in the Sydney suburb of Fairfield, Australia, the original line-up of Eddie Owen (guitar/ vocals), Bob Susnjara (bass/ vocals) and Mickster Baty (drums) took upon a musical idolization for the Replacements, Teenage Fanclub, Big Star and Matthew Sweet. With the 1992 addition of guitarist Mick O'Regan, the Pyramidiacs would eventually release a slew of singles and compilation tracks before their 1993 full-length debut, Don't Wish It. The following year saw the Pyramidiacs' second album, All You Want, released through Pink Flamingo Records before their 1995 European tour. The group's third album, Teeter Totter, came out in 1996 courtesy of Ranezz Records. -AMG

Mike Shupp - This Time - 2002

This album is teeming with catchy melodies and sweet pop/rock arrangements. From the opening notes of the title track or the shimmering "All Over Town," Mike Shupp resembles a cross between Tom Petty and Michael Stipe as drummer Chris Zogby propels the music forward. Another asset is how the musician eliminates any needless guitar solos or sonic slack. "I'm having trouble knowing lately who I am," Shupp sings on "Came to This," but given his penchant for tight arrangements that teeter toward lo-fi alternative rock, he knows what he wants musically. A track such as "Another Life" has been done literally thousands of times, but Shupp gives it a certain warmth courtesy of his delivery and better than average lyrics. Fans of the Replacements All Shook Down album should find comfort in much of the record, especially the adorable twang emanating from "Set Me Free." "Good Again" is probably the best track simply because it offers up a slightly looser feel and some simplistic Keith Richards riffs. The exception to the album is the somber and melancholic groove on "Forgiven," a tune that takes a while to find its footing. But "She'll Come Around" steers the record back on track. Although This Time has one or two slight drawbacks, the album is extremely well done. -AMG

Interview: Dave Birk, Creator of Speed Queen Mystery Date, Airs Out His Dirty Laundry Pt1.

[This is part one of an interview with Dave Birk, singer-songwriter and creator of Speed Queen Mystery Date. You can read part two by going to Carolina Orange by clicking here.]

1) This being your first LP (or am I wrong?), it begs the question...what events led up to this point? What was the impetus for recording Speed Queen Mystery Date now?

I've been writing and recording for years - put out some demos, shared songs with family and friends, and helped others with their musical pursuits. A CD of my own was always 'in the making' -- but kinda like a cake with the oven temp set too low, I never moved it past the dream phase. And, as a songwriter, the next song is always your best so I never really felt I was arriving with a summary body of work that I would categorize as 'good enough.'
Then, in 2010 and early 2011, I had a few things converge that really prompted me to make this record. While producing an EP for an awesome local band, Circle of Heat, I took a look in the rear view mirror at all the bands, musicians and theatres that I had helped over the years with music production, songwriting and recording. Considering any one of those efforts didn't seem like a great feat, but considering the whole body of work affirmed my musical sensibilities and gave me a definite sense of accomplishment and credibility. Around that same time I got involved with a music experience called Rock Camp for Dads (rockcampfordads.com), that provides a month-long, guided experience for 'campers' to form a band with a performance at the end of the month. I was in two bands: Trunk Bunnies (vocals and bass) and Hotdish Suicide (vocals and drums), performing at venerable Minneapolis music venues - Bunkers, Famous Dave's Blues Club, and the Hard Rock Cafe. That really energized me, while at the same time found me performing cover songs rather than my own. Finally, my employer ended up downsizing, which resulted in my having one of those blessing-in-disguise moments that freed up a big chunk of time that I could dedicate to make this CD a reality. Having great support from my amazing wife, Jill, sealed the deal on working to make this all happen. Originally planned as a 4-song EP, the songs sounded so great and the process was so fun that I knew I had to pursue recording a full-length CD.

2) Is there a discipline to the way you write or does inspiration just show up unannounced?

Pat Pattison will tell you that inspiration is the distance between your (behind) and the seat upon which you do your songwriting - and I agree with that philosophy. Pushing myself to write new material to grow the EP to the full-length album really proved out how sitting down, focusing and working turns out stronger results. That said, most of my songs, at least the initial spark, spring from my heart from a lyric and melody that just pop out. Then I work and work them to build them out, trying to find the creative twists and turns and make them into whole songs. Lots and lots of ideas end up as fragments in files that may never see the light of day again, but some will hang around in my subconscious and help write themselves over time. Finally, for any aspiring songwriters out there, I will add that a lot of my ideas come from really seeing myself as a songwriter and constantly being engaged looking and listening for ideas, finding new ways to say things, trying to find more than one meaning in words and phrases. That feeds and tunes the creative engines so that the process flows rather than being a chore - certainly it is still difficult, but every song brings a unique challenge and opportunity to learn and grow.

3) How much of Speed Queen Mystery Date is autobiographical, if any at all (I'm thinking particularly of "Country Music", as song on the LP that I particularly relate to)?

All of my songs have varying levels of autobiographical connection, but it is hard to say how much in each song. Sometimes the sentiment is based on my life with the story is mostly disconnected. For example, the title of "Roller Coaster of Love, Hate and Tenderness" was how I described my wife's reaction to my motorcycle accident. Her last words before my ride were something like to be careful and I need you. Then I ride off and end up crashing the bike when I'm doing like sixty. So her first retraction is that she's glad I'm alive, followed by a serious scolding and eternal moratorium on motorcycles, followed by lots of gentle caring. The song, however, is about a boy/girl relationship, which I've ultimately decided is a metaphor of how life can takes through some extreme ups-and-downs and spins-us-arounds.
Then, there's Sleeping Beauty that I originally wrote as a poem for my wife, so that is 100% autobiographical. And I knew a Jody with red hair, green eyes and mysterious smile, walked with a little limp and was cool, but the rest of the song simply builds around that.
Funny thing is, my wife thinks that all my songs are about her - or at least worries that everyone who hears them will think they are about her, but they're not. Each song has its own life, regardless of how much of 'me' is in it.

4) You used Kickestarter to raise the necessary funds to record Speed Queen Mystery Date. How would you describe the experience and how were you able to record a great sounding LP on a shoestring budget? Did you use any unusual enticements to get folks to donate?

The entire Kickstarter experience was great and is the reason I was able to finance the making of a full-length CD. The encouragement I received from the backers was the greatest thing - having a bunch of friends and family cheering for you, believing in you, and being genuinely interested in what you will create. My personal mission statement is to create and encourage and support other artists, so that makes Kickstarter even that much cooler to me.
I never anticipated how much personal marketing I would still need to do to get the word out, remind people, and remind people some more. I felt bad about bugging people as I don't like begging or twisting arms, but at the same time I had already recorded 4 songs that I knew were really good and super fun to listen to and I wanted people to join in that journey with me. It was worth all the midnight emails.
The rewards for my kickstarter project focused on a laundry theme to connect with the premise of "Speed Queen Mystery Date" and also sought to showcase and support artist friends. The most creative thing I offered was the stray sock adoption program. You know how every time you do the wash you end up with at least one sock without a match, well, we save them in a box. So, with help from my daughters, my sister and my niece we turned them into sock puppets, complete with adoption certificates. It was great fun. I also gave CDs from the various bands the musicians play in and original art from artist friends of mine (abstract photos, hand-bound journals, and textile art).

You can find Dave and his fine CD, Speed Queen Mystery Date, at his BandCamp page HERE.
If that doesn't suit you for some reason, Try iTunes or Amazon.com.

Free 10th anniversary download of Bigger Lovers' 2nd album 'Honey in the Hive'

Howdy folks -


Patrick Berkery, drummer from The Bigger Lovers here.

As you may or may not know, our 2nd album, 'Honey in the Hive,' was released 10 years ago today: Aug. 27, 2002.

To mark the occasion, we are offering the album as a free download (or a pay-what-you-want deal for those that feel really strongly about such matters) until the end of the week. Download it here.

To further mark the occasion, we are playing the album in its entirety live at Johnny Brenda's in Philadelphia on Sat., Sept. 8. Tickets here.

Thanks!

Redd Kross - Third Eye - 1990

Redd Kross reached its peak in the early '80s, when the band made such humorous and clever contributions to punk rock as "Linda Blair." As the '80s progressed, Kross got away from punk and went for cleaner, less reckless alternative rock and power-pop. Those who play 1990's Third Eye next to Kross' early recordings will hear just how radically the band changed over the years. Whether rocking aggressively on "Shonen Knife," going for a very melodic "jangly guitar" approach on "Annie's Gone" and "I Don't Know How to Be Your Friend" or sounding positively Beatlesque on "Bubblegum Factory," Kross shows just how far it has come since the irreverent, freewheeling aggression of "Linda Blair." While some punk enthusiasts missed the old Kross, this decent though not outstanding album proves that the band was still worthwhile at the dawn of the '90s. - AMG

Neats - Neats - 1983

Formed in 1979, the Neats were one of the great enigmas in Boston's fertile 1980s club scene. During these years, one did not have to look far for a bill that might include any combination of the roots-rocking Del Fuegos, the Nuggets garage rock-worshipping Lyres, and the drunken hardcore punk slamming of Gang Green. the Neats were yet another item altogether; a decidedly collegiate group of clean-cut, straight-faced brooding guys who played evocative and melancholy music that encompassed the pre-psychedelic1960s-era folk-rock of the Seekers, Baroque pop of the Left Banke and the Zombies, and the bluesy moods of the early Rolling Stones and Them.
Their closest contemporary American cousins were bands like the Feelies, Dream Syndicate, and the band they often shared a national bill with, early R.E.M. They also had a kinship with New Zealand pop outfits like the Clean and even British groups like Echo and the Bunnymen -- though without the high level of romantic drama of the latter; the drama of the Neats was manifested in a more introspective and subdued manner. Like those bands, on their first EP, The Monkey's Head in the Corner of the Room (1982), and debut LP, Neats (1983), the Neats favored clean guitar swaths, ebbing and flowing washes of strummed rhythms, and single-note melody lines over traditional improvised soloing. Always there was a melancholy sort of punk rock edge shadowing the music, a feel and sound that somehow links to a Boston tradition that can be traced through such bands as Mission of Burma to Galaxy 500 and beyond. -AMG

Wheres Curty Ray?

Life has kinda caught up with me , but have no fear, Power Pop Overdose is still alive and well. Between work and family concerns I have not been able to give 100% to PPO. I am sorry. I will be back to posting soon, be patient.

Curty Ray

A Message From Tim Lee

On Friday, June 15, my fellow Windbreakers co-founder Bobby Sutliff was involved in a bad single-vehicle accident near his home in Powell, Ohio. He sustained several serious injuries, and as of early July was still in the SICU at the Ohio State University hospital. Due to the severity of his wounds, Bobby faces a very long uphill climb to recovery.


Fortunately, he has good health insurance through his employer, but he faces many months of recuperation, and thus will require some very real help with his living expenses and other expenditures.
Toward that end, we have undertaken a couple of fundraising measures, starting with a Chipin account where Bobby’s friends and fans can donate to the cause. A tribute record of other artists covering his songs is also in the works, and more information about that will be made available in the coming days.



Whether you know Bobby personally or through his music, we request that you donate what you can to help a beloved musician and friend in his time of need.Also, please share this page with your friends. Bobby needs all the assistance he can get.
Thank you, Tim Lee