Power Rock from Sweden (Never Reissued)

THE SLEEP - WIN OR LOSE (1985)

 

Hailing from Sweden, The Sleep released only one album "Win Or Lose" (1985) Web Records in Sweden and Closer Records in France. The main references which come to mind are the Fleshtones and the Saints (Chris Bailey era). Nine songs of pure raw energy, two of which are covers "Don't You Lie To Me" (Chuck Berry) and "Just Like Eddie" written by Geoff Goddard after he had left The Tornados in 1963. The Sleep split shortly after the release of the album. The Sleep reunited in 1992 for a one off gig at Barowiak Uppsala. .."

 

WU (233 mb)

Memphis Pop Wizard (Never Reissued)

D. BEAVER - COMBINATIONS (1973)

 

Hailing from Memphis, D. Beaver was fronted by keyboardist David Beaver (Gentrys, Edgewood). The band made a lasting impact with their 1973 album "Combinations". D. Beaver’s project fused pop, blues rock, and psychedelia. Released by TMI Records (Steve Cropper) “Combinations” showcases Beaver’s musical range and could be compared to Todd Rundgren of the same year, but also Wings and later Pilot. Distributed by RCA, the album flopped and has never been reissued

 

WU (236 mb)

Another Band of Sneakers (Never Reissued)

SNEAKERS - EAR CARTOONS (1980)

Sneakers (neither the Chris Stamey band, nor the other Sneakers who were on Bearsville Records) began as a bunch of high school kids from Springfield Oregon in the mid-70's. The band rehearsed. A lot. And focused. Eventually settling on a solid lineup, and straddling the fence between classic 60's pop and the emerging "New Wave", Sneakers found guidance with the help of Allen Kovac's then fledgling managment firm, and producer Roger Atkins, who'd written hits for the likes of the Animals and the Monkees. Sneakers was hailed as the first band with a nationally released album from Oregon since Paul Revere and the Raiders in the '60s. The Ear Cartoons album nabbed the "Pick of the Week" honor in Billboard magazine upon its release in 1980. The band toured non-stop, opening for international acts and filling venues in their hometown. Keyboard/guitarist Cletis Carr left the band in 1981, to be replaced by sax player Todd Duncan. The band then recorded a second album, Music From The Sole which remains unreleased. The band uprooted from Oregon to Houston and shortly thereafter broke-up.

 

WU (240 mb)

The New Summer (PPA Exclusive)

VARIOUS - A PALACE IN THE SUN (2024)

 

Only a few days before summer day of 2024, here's the brand new collection brought to you by PPA. 26 bands with many fresh releases of this year, this is a compilation that i've really enjoyed making, listening (many many times in my car) and making the artwork. As usual, the full set of artwork is included, every song has the original album image embedded. Finally, the front artwork is an old fashioned image of my hometown. Now you can enjoy and comment about this new volume.

 

WU (561 mb)

WU (194 mb)

All The Kids On The Street (Never Reissued)

THE HOLLYWOOD STARS (1977)

 

Kim Fowley put together the band and helped them write songs. rehearse and shopped them around to the major record companies. Mark Anthony (1951-2002), Michael Rummins, Bobby Drier, Ruben DeFuentes and Terry Rae would be "THE STARS ", but there was already a STARZ, so they called themselves "The Hollywood Stars". Two of their songs were covered by major artists "King of the Night time World" recorded by Kiss and "Escape" by "Alice Cooper".
The album was released with the single "All the Kids On The Street". After The Kinks "Sleepwalker" tour, there was to much tension between Mark and the rest of the band. Soon after, Mark quit.." and it was the end of The Hollywood Stars. Of course, the album has never been reissued on cd, but "All The Kids On The Street" is a power pop anthem.

Two archive albums recorded in 1974 and 1976 were released in 2013 and 2019 to critical acclaim, prompting the band to reform in 2018. They have just released an album of new material on Rum Bar Records.

 

WU (276 mb)

Popaganda 1997 (PDF)

POPAGANDA! Volume One (Spring 1997)

 

A free (Rhino promo) four page (actually 3 plus an ad for the Rhino Poptopia series) fanzine dedicated to Power Pop with features written by David Bash, Robbie Rist (Cousin Oliver), Bill Lloyd and Rhino Executive Producer Dave Kapp.

I can't remember where i got this, but it probably came with an order at Not Lame around 1997. Scanned at 400dpi, cropped and printed to PDF

WU (1 mb)

Comboland compiled for the UK (Never Reissued)

VARIOUS - WELCOME TO...COMBOLAND (1986)

 

Writer for North Carolina's "Spectator" newspaper, Godfrey Cheshire was producer of the "Comboland" package. The "Welcome To Comboland" album, released in England, compiles works from some of the best bands of the area. You can watch some of these bands featured on the YouTube channel Return To Comboland.

 

WU (309 mb)

More Comboland (Self Released Tape) (Never Reissued)

FLYING PIGS - MEXICAN DIVORCE (1985)

 

The Flying Pigs, whilst being new to most readers of the blog were formed around 1982 and released this self produced 15 song cassette in 1985 (out of print). Songwriter, guitarist and keyboard player Pat O'Connell previously served in a psychedelic band and nurses a fascination for The Soft Boys & Robyn Hitchcock. Guitarist Billy McCarthy was recruited from Hot Possum while the 'Pigs rhythm section - Robert Truedale ans Stacy Weaver had previously worked together. The band was located in Durham, NC and recorded this 15 song cassette at Wes Lachot's Tri Tone Studios. The tape was done on 8-track but the songs are strong and feature lashings of guitar, dynamic and tightly controlled. This stuff is for all intents and purposes on a par with the likes of the Windbreakers. In 1997, "Desi" was a retrospective compilation of The Flying Pigs recordings. Then P.J O'Connell released his first solo album "Dream Life" at the same time and continues his solo career (2 more solo albums), working with Terry Adams, Chandler Travis (NRBQ/Incredible Casuals).

 

WU (329 mb)

The Summer Collection That Never Was

VARIOUS - 1, 2, 3...SUMMER (2023)

 

In 2023, there was no PPA/PPC Summer compilation posted just because i didn't make any. But, while working on the brand new 2024 collection (which will be posted soon), I made up my mind to complete the series and filling the gap. So, enjoy Summer 2023, only one year later. Of course, it is available in both fomats and comes with a full detailed artwork.

 

WU (575 mb)

WU (197 mb)

Comboland Pop (Don Dixon Production) (Never Reissued)

X-TEENS - LOVE AND POLITICS (1984)

 

Part of the early-'80s explosion of Southern power pop, the X-Teens emulated the quirky wit and geeky tension of new wavers like Elvis Costello, XTC, and Talking Heads. The group was formed in Durham, North Carolina. Their debut release was the Don Dixon-produced EP Big Boy's Dream, issued on the local Moonlight label in 1980. Local legends Dixon and Mitch Easter both worked on the band's self-titled first album. The follow-up, 1984's Love and Politics, was the band's biggest seller, even scoring a little MTV airplay with the single "Change Gotta Come." However, that taste of success led to internal tensions, and the X-Teens split up in 1985. 

 

After a long hiatus keyboardist/vocalist Todd Jones-Jones was back in action around 2021 with Mike Nicholson (Bullwinkel Gandhi, Stratocruiser), Alan McGinty (The Stars Explode) and Gary Miller (Shake Some Action!) as what could be called a North Carolina power pop supergroup The Blusterfields (three albums available on Bandcamp).

 

WU (306 mb)

A Board Game (Reupped from PPC 2011)

 THE CLA$H

SOUNDS' BOARD GAME (1979)

 

Around Christmas 1979, the now defunct Sounds rock weekly gave to its readers a surprise gift. It was some kind of "Snakes & Ladders" board game about the first part of the Clash career (1977-79)

Spreading over a paper double page (70cm x 56cm or 27" x 21"), the game had the four members of the band, and some tricky cards (10 Clash Cards & 10 Street Credibility Cards) in order to play.

So, i have scanned the whole set, stitched the 8 parts of the board and sliced them in order to get them ready to be printed if you want to play the game. I also scanned the band members and the card games. You'll only have to cut out the cards and the figures to play the Clash events some 45 years later.

 

1 Board Game (70cm x 56cm or 27" x 21")

available in jpg "old patina", jpg "grey scale" and PDF 

8 A4 parts ready to be printed

10 Clash Cards
10 Street Credibility Cards
4 band members (Joe, Mick, Paul & Topper)

WU (180 mb)

Summer Songs Vol. 14 (2022)

VARIOUS - SUMMER BREEZE (2022)

 

The end of 14 years of summer power pop.

It was the last and final post on PPC

Now a new story can start.

WU (564 mb)

Summer Songs Vol. 13 (2021)

VARIOUS - THE BOOK OF SUMMER LOVE (2021)

 

Keeping the tradition alive!

WU (559 mb)

Summer Songs Vol. 12 (2020)

VARIOUS - SUMMERTIME (2020)

 

Posted a little bit late in July 2020 on PPC,

and now reupped a little bit earlier in May 2024 on PPA

WU (574 mb)

Summer Songs Vol. 11 (2019)

VARIOUS - THE RESTLESS SUMMER (2019)

 

Another very nice summer compilation

WU (582 mb)

Summer Songs Vol. 10 (2018)

VARIOUS - LONG PROMISED BEACH (2018)

 

Another year, another summer compilation. Tenth in a row

WU (574 mb)

Summer Songs Vol. 9 (2017)

VARIOUS -  SUMMER TAKES IT ALL (2017)

 

The official soundtrack of summer 2017

WU (568 mb)

Summer Songs Vol. 8 (2016)

VARIOUS - SUMMER PARTY! (2016)

 

On the road to 2024

Title and artwork are an obvious homage to a BB album

WU (559 mb)

Summer Songs Vol. 7 (2015)

VARIOUS - LONELY SUMMER (2015)

 

A Summer of melancholy

WU (566 mb)

Summer Songs Vol. 6 (2014)

VARIOUS - SUMMER POWERPOP MAN! (2014)

 

Re-up of the sixth PPC collection of summer songs

WU (576 mb)