VANCE OR TOWERS - VANCE OR TOWERS (1975)
"Vance or Towers" has been ranked #183 by John Borack in "Shake Some Action 2.0: An Updated Guide To The 200 Greatest Power Pop Albums".
This short-lived mid-1970s quartet (drummer Dan Protheroe,
singer/guitarist Michael Towers, drummer Jim Said, and singer/keyboard
player Glen Vance) are pretty obscure. In fact outside of power-pop
collectors, the only folks who might even have a clue they exist are the
100 or so people who are obsessed with the horror flick "Carrie". Kind
of strange, but their cameo role in the film playing the band that
performs during the infamous prom scene seems to have provided them with
their closest brush with popular success.
Signed by A&M, the label apparently hoped to market Towers and Vance
as teen fodder. Unfortunately, A&M doesn't seem to have put a great
deal of time or effort into the plan. That was a poor marketing
decision since these guys had more than their share of talent. Produced
by Tom Gamache, 1975's "Vance or Towers" showcased a sterling set of
Brit-influenced power pop. Featuring eleven Vance-Towers penned
originals these guys had a knack for writing and performing highly
commercial, top-40 oriented material. Imagine The Raspberries with a
more distinctive English influence..
3 comments:
Further evidence that A&M didn't know what to do with Vance or Towers, their third single was a cover of the Barry Manilow tune, "Can't Smile Without You."
They recorded it before Barry, but they didn't get the hit, even the original version wasn't a hit. Kyle Vincent covered it for his Barry Manilow Tribute
Michael Towers later changed his name to DB Cooper, and had a bit more success.
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