The Mosquitos Alive

THE MOSQUITOS - LIVE AT THE FIRST AVENUE CLUB

 

Before they released their mini LP "That Was Then, This Is Now", The Mosquitos had made their name as a burning live act.

More than twenty years ago, i got a CD-R of the Mosquitos' stuff with demos and this live concert. Originally posted in mp3 on PPC in 2008, i then made a custom CD artwork for this live concert share.

 

WU (232 mb)

Their Fab Mini LP (Never Properly Reissued)

THE MOSQUITOS - THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW! (1985)

 

As the story goes, this Huntington/Northport, Long Island band formed when a band called Quisp broke up. Leader Vance Brescia had some songs he wanted people to hear, so he got a few friends together to perform them. Those friends included ex-Fabians’ Steve Prisco (guitar) and Iain Morrison (bass), as well as Pat Bishow (drums). Soon Tony Millions would join on organ (and occasional lead vocals) and the lineup was complete. The Mosquitos took off quickly. The band got excellent press and built up quite a local following. Soon, they gained a ton of fans on NYC’s burgeoning garage scene, despite the fact that their roots were more Mersey/60s pop. Sometime early in ‘84, Bishow left and Pete Bross filled in on drums until the band found permanent replacement Mitch Towse. (Bross would come back for the last couple months of the band’s existence a couple years further on.) In 2023, Kool Kat released an excellent 2-CD anthology "This Then Are" featuring studio and live tracks.

 

WU (123 mb)

Shake It Up (Ain't It Time?) (Never Reissued)

THE CRYERS - THE CRYERS (1979)

 

A real power pop masterpiece, it was ranked #132 in the Ultimate Power Pop Guide and the opening track "Shake It Up" was also the first one on the DIY Rhino compilation, aptly titled "Shake It Up" (American Power Pop II).

 

WU (264 mb)

Easy Listening Mojo Home Taping (PPA Exclusive 2024)

VARIOUS - UP UP AND AWAY! (Dylan Jones' C90) (1994)

 

In 1994, MOJO Magazine asked several musicians, writers and journalists to compile a C90 tape of various genres. Maybe the first one was Will Birch collecting his dream C90 of Power Pop tunes. The real fun was those "Home Taping" cassettes. At the beginning, MOJO was really a smart magazine, larger, bigger and really cult following. Some years later in 1997, Mojo included a free CD, but it just wasn't the same.

 
So, two months after Will Birch, Mojo asked Dylan Jones (author of many books about Jim Morrison, David Bowie and others) to compile his C90 of 31 songs which tried to encapsulate the best of the Easy Listening genre, featuring timeless MOR icons, a passport to international listening pleasure.

 
All the original liner notes, written by Dylan Jones, have been included within the booklet, all elements have been scanned, resized to fit in a custom CD artwork.

 

it was a huge work to find the lossless files and a bigger amount of work to make the artwork, so i sincerely hope you'll enjoy and appreciate the exclusive share on PPA.

Comment as much as you wish because if you want more MOJO volumes like this, this will encourage me to make more. 

 

WU (550 mb)

I have found my old issues (with the home taping features) in some boxes, but not all of them. (the oldest one i have is Issue #5, but some are missing - I can't find the following ones: 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 - so if anyone could help telling me if there are some Home Taping features in those issues, that would be kind.

Excellent French Pop (Never Reissued)

DARRAS & DESUMEUR - TEMPS (1975)

 

Here's a little time-out post with a forgotten and overlooked french pop duo. The album flopped even though it received some rave reviews in french rock papers and got some radio airplay at the time of its release.

 

Daniel Darras (keyboards/singer) and Jean-Louis Desumeur (guitar/bass/singer) were both members of the short-lived French rock band "Présence" at the beginning of the 70's. After "Présence" disbanded in 1973 both members decided to pursue their career on as a duo. Inspired both by the music of The Beatles, Wings, CSN & Y they recorded their debut "Temps" in 1975. It was only released in France and Canada on RCA Victor in a gatefold textured sleeve. They were helped by another member of Présence, Alain Crepin (guitar), while the drums were handled by André Sitbon. with a little help from some famous French guests. It has never been reissued on CD or any other format. The duo released a second album (more folky than pop) in 1979.

"Temps" is really an hidden gem of French pop, highlighted by some great keyboard/synths parts (a la Wings) and the guitar work, representitive of the French duo. It is an  album filled with excellent French vocal harmonies, not so far from the Beatles (for instance the song "Les Diamants de Lucy" song quotes many characters from the Fab Four songs, Other influences are Wings (Red Rose Speedway/Band On The Run) and CSN &Y.

 

WU (275 mb)

French Glam/Glitter (Never Reissued)

BLUE VAMP - BLUE VAMP (1973)

 

Blue Vamp was a short-lived “glam/glitter” band (1972-1974). In July 1973, the group recorded a first eponymous album of 9 tracks in London, under the equally short-lived label “Vamp Records” distributed by Disques Motors. The psychedelic illustration of the cover is signed Bernard Beaugendre who will create that of “Music for Supermarket”. Their 3 minutes of glory came with the 1974 single "Jolly Dolly" penned and produced by Jean-Michel Jarre, a song which can be found on various junkshop glam compilations. Of course, the album flopped and has never been reissued.

WU (360 mb)

Slight Pop Guaranteed (Never Reissued)

THE CRACKERS - GUARANTEED (1983)

 

Hailing from Albuquerque (New Mexico), the band fronted by Bradd Aubry, with its unique album, presents a slight pop, composed of subtle combinations of flavors sixties. Obvious Beatles influences as well as some Herman's Hermits should appeal to "power pop lovers". In 1984, the group, partly modified, released a 5 track EP but the know-how was almost gone. In 1984, they released a fab single "What Did I Do?" (featured on "Raiders of The Lost Hook Vol 5")

WU (248 mb)

Excellent Country Rock Anthology (PPC 2013)

VARIOUS - COUNTRY ROCK WILL BIRCH'S C90 (1994)

 

In November 1994, a few months after the milestone Power Pop C90 (June, Issue #7), Will Birch suggested Mojo Magazine to compile his Urban Cowboy Dream C90 of Country Rock tunes. It was a long long time ago before Mojo was giving away free cd's with every issue.

 

For the November Issue #12 of Mojo, Will Birch picked 29 songs which try to encapsulate the best of the early Country Rock genre.

 

I compiled Will Birch's picks and i made a custom set of artwork, adding one bonus song "I'll Be Home" (version produced by Michael Nesmith).

WU (594 mb)

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)