US LP Edition

THE WINDBREAKERS - RUN (1986)

 

The engaging "Run" is another collaboration with Mitch Easter, who had by then become a virtual (non-writing) band member, and longtime associate Randy Everett. Although the coolest song concept is Lee's anxiety-ridden "Braver on the Telephone," Sutliff's "Visa Cards and Antique Mirrors" runs a close second. Never reissued on CD, four songs of the album were remastered and are featured on the Windbreakers' Anthology (Time Machine 1982-2002). Bobby Sutliff quit the band right after this album, went solo and released the critically acclaimed "Only Ghosts Remain" in 1987, the album has just been remastered and reissued in 2023 with a batch of bonus songs.

 

WU (268 mb)

Scarce First 7" EP (Never Reissued)

THE WINDBREAKERS - MEET THE WINDBREAKERS (1982)

 

The group's introductory salvo, a 1982 debut 7-inch on their own label. Bobby Sutliff and Tim Lee will continue without guitarist Jeff Lewis and will release further masterpieces of jangle pop.

WU (86 mb)

Limited Edition (Fan Club Release)

MARK LINDSAY - VIDEO DREAMS (1996)

 

Two songs were written by Scott "Top Ten" Kempner (ex-Dictators) who previously recorded them with his fabulous 80's band The Del Lords for their excellent second album "Johnny Comes Marching Home" (1986), Carla Olson (Textones, Gene Clark's partner for the "So Rebellious A Lover" album) plays and sings on Kempner's "Everlovin'"

 

Cub Koda Review

This 1996 solo entry from former Paul Revere & the Raiders lead singer Mark Lindsay proves that the intervening years haven't chipped any platinum off of his pipes while simultaneously delivering an album that's all of a piece, just like the man who sings it. Rather than using studio hotshots, he was smart enough to cut it with his regular working band (Tom Kolb's guitar work is top-notch), bringing in a trio of guests to spice it up, then loading it up with top-notch material, over half of it emanating from his own pen. If you're expecting a bunch of Vox Continental organ noodlings or recuts of "Just Like Me," save your bread and pick up any of the groundbreaking recordings by Lindsay's old band, Paul Revere & the Raiders. If you wanna check in with an old friend and find out what's he's up to these days while being more than pleasantly surprised, this is the one. In a day when new albums by veteran artists are usually something to be winced at, Lindsay has come up with something totally rockin' and contemporary without donning a flannel shirt or a MacDaddy outfit and making a total ass out of himself. And this is to be commended as well as listened to, repeatedly.

WU (356 mb)

Garage At The Top (CD Reissue with bonus)

VARIOUS - THE REBEL KIND (1983)

 

"The Rebel Kind" was a collection featuring some of the finest 80's garage and psychedelic bands around including The Nomads, The Slickee Boys, Three O'Clock, Plasticland & The Long Ryders and more. Released in the USA on Sounds Interesting # SILP 011, but also on the Lolita label in France with a different artwork under the copyright of Sounds Interesting. It was reissued in 1992 on Revenge with one bonus track and one year later as "New Psychedelic Sound", part of "Les Génies du Rock collection # 37". It is noteworthy to say that Dan Kibler was a member of The Shout and has released five excellent power pop albums, his latest just released in 2023.

WU (319 mb)

Tasty Power Pop (Never Reissued)

NASTY POP - MISTAKEN I.D. (1977)

Nasty Pop were a beatlesque Liverpool band who were courted by major labels but who didn't quite achieve the breakthrough their bold, sparky song writing deserved. Their first album appeared on Island in 1975 and a move to Polydor resulted in the far superior "Mistaken I.D." album in 1977. Nasty Pop split in 1978. Typically the kind of stuff out of its time in the punk years of 1977. Keith Wilkinson later joined Squeeze.

WU (259 mb)

Solo Heart (Never Reissued)

JIMMY DESTRI - HEART ON A WALL (1982)

 

Jimmy Destri is best known as keyboardist in Blondie. He has contributed greatly to Blondie's straight ahead pop sensibilities (he wrote or co-wrote such classics as "Look Good In Blue","Picture This", "Atomic", "11:59" and "Maria"). In 1982, he released his first and only solo album, but it was something of a disturbing revelation: the presence of Bowie's musicians (Slick, Alomar) and the Bowie-esque production obliterate the glimmer of pop, even with the contribution of Blondie's members (Clem Burke, Chris Stein and Debbie Harry), There are some very nice songs "Don't Look around", "Little Metal Drummer", "Heart On A Wall" but the best can be found on side 2 with "Numbers Don't Count (On Me)", a very catchy power pop tune.

 

WU (262 mb)

Limited Edition Cassette (Never Reissued)

WALTER CLEVENGER - PoPgOeStHeMuSiC (1995)

 

"Back in about 1993, I had purchased an 8-track reel-to-reel recording deck. As ideas for songs came to me, I would just get them on tape. I was doing this for two reasons, the main reason was to learn how to use the deck, and the second was to try my hand at songwriting. I had never really forced myself to try and write. As the months went by, I eventually finished about 14 songs. In 1995, I decided to make tapes to give out to friends and family. Thinking I'd have the tapes sitting in my closet forever, I only had 250 copies made. Well, a few copies got into the right hands, some positive review were written, and all the tapes were gone in a couple of months. And rest, they say, is history. While recording, I had friends come over and help me out. Henry helped out on bass, Danny Walker on guitar, bass and vocals, and Bryan Shaddix on guitar." Walter Clevenger Liner Notes.

WU (303 mb)

Promo Press Kit Included (12" EP)

THE PLIMSOULS - ZERO HOUR (1980)

 

The Plimsouls began as a trio in 1978 which included Case, bassist Dave Pahoa and drummer Lou Ramírez. From inception, the band quickly became a crowd favorite in the Los Angeles club scene. Long Beach promoter Stephen Zepeda signed the group to his Beat Records label for a five-song EP called "Zero Hour". Guitarist Eddie Muñoz joined the group during the recording of the EP. Danny Holloway produced the Zero Hour EP and managed the group.

WU (129 mb)

Their Only Single (UK Power Pop)

AUTOGRAPHS - WHILE I'M STILL YOUNG (1978)

 

A little known english Power Pop band. Their only single was produced by Tommy Boyce who also produced The Pleasers the same year. The band featured two ex-Stukas members Raggy Lewis and Chris Gent who would join The Blue Meanies (with Radio Stars' Martin Gordon) and then The Records for their third album "Music On Both Sides". An anthology could be released sooner or later or never by Detour Records.

 

WU (44 mb)

Overlooked Album From Guitar Hero

EDDIE PHILLIPS - RIFFMASTER OF THE WESTERN WORLD (1990)

 

The Creation's Eddie Phillips is the personification of the 60's English Rock star who was never corrupted by money or fame (mainly because he never got any). This was Eddie Phillips first solo rock album. Recorded in 1990, "Riffmaster of The Western World" is a set of originals (including his own version of  "Teacher Teacher" which was given to Rockpile through his Creation partner Kenny Pickett) and personal favourites.

 

WU (286 mb)

Playn Psychedelic Power (Never Reissued)

THE PLAYN JAYN - FIVE GOOD EVILS (1985)

 

Formed in 1983 from the ashes of the Zoodoo (then The Idd and The Zoo) around the nucleus of the Jones brothers, The Playn Jayn were part of the UK 80's psychedelic revival. Obviously rooted in crafted '60's english pop, but drawn towards the more cracked elements of american psychedelia, the Playn Jayn released a live LP on A&M and then were dropped by their record company before they were signed by ABC. They released their sole studio LP in 1985.

WU (333 mb)

Boston Garage and Power Pop (Never Reissued)

VARIOUS - THE BOSTON INCEST ALBUM (1980)

 

If you're familiar with Willie Alexander,  (2 excellent songs, one of them is a cover of "Walk Away Renee") The Marshalls,(with Adam Roth as a guest), Andy & Jonathan Paley here featured with the  Sidewinders (their only official release with Billy Squier) and musicians from the Neighborhoods, The Atlantics, Nervous Eaters, Mission of Burma and others, you'll might enjoy this famous lost album never reissued. Produced by Erik Lindgren & Barry Marshall, The Marshalls, Lenny Kaye, Jonathan Paley, Eric Rose.

 

WU (288 mb)

Loco Anthology (CD Includes Rare Singles)

WILLIE ALEXANDER - WILLIE LOCO BOOM BOOM GA GA 1975-1991 (1992)

 

Willie Loco Boom Boom Ga Ga 1975-1991 is better than one-stop shopping, it’s the only opportunity for a newcomer to glean a sensible career summary without spending years searching out now-rare vinyl. Released a year after the French label New Rose issued "Fifteen Years of Rock & Roll With Willie Alexander", this is pretty much the same album with different cover art and some track discrepancies. It, of course, being a year older is Willie "Loco" presenting 16 years of his solo work. None of the material from the Bagatelle on ABC Dunhill, the Lost on Capitol, or his Boom Boom Band work released on MCA appears here. His works of genius, the "You Looked So Pretty When" and "Hit Her Wid De Axe" singles included on the American release, but not the French edition.

 

WU (456 mb)

Solo Loco (CD Reissue)

WILLIE ALEXANDER - SOLO LOCO REDUX  (2002)

 

Originally released by New Rose Records in France in 1981, and then by Bomp Records in 1982 with a different artwork, a rearranged tracking and without the lengthy "So Tight," a techno punk song about Harvard Square that has a great groove. With help from guitarist Peter Dayton, Ministry bassist Brad Hallen, and Lord Manuel Smith's exotic synthesizer noises, Alexander brings 11 originals and two covers to life in this cleverly warped sound environment.It was re-mixed and gigitally mastered Winter 1995 and 2000 and released in Japan.

 

WU (357 mb)

More Rockfield Connection (Never Reissued)

AIRWAVES - NEXT STOP (1979)

 

With this inventive Hipgnosis art design, "Next Stop" was the second and last Airwaves album. Airwaves was a totally overlooked band (wrong time for sure) featuring two Rockfield Studios musicians: Dave Charles (Ernie Graham, Deke Leonard, Help Yourself, Dave Edmunds), John David (The Human Beans, Love Sculpture, Dave Edmunds), (John David also wrote three songs for The Searchers Sire albums) and Ray Martinez (Spring). Produced by ex-Spring member and renowned producer Pat Moran (The Searchers Sire years) , the album has some 10cc, Beatles and Klaatu, Brian Wilson influences and is really worth a listen for anybody digging creative pop.

After Edmunds' group Rockpile disbanded in 1980, John David and Dave Charles returned to working with him, writing and co-writing several songs on Edmunds' solo albums, including Information (1983), Riff Raff (1984), and Closer to the Flame (1990), as well as contributing backing vocals, bass and other instruments, and playing live on all the tours during the 1980s.

 

WU (234 mb)

From Love Sculpture To New Band Project (Never Reissued)

AIRWAVES - NEXT DAY (1978)

After Love Sculpture split in 1970 John David concentrated on studio and session work, songwriting and engineering. In 1978 Airwaves recorded their first album "New Day", a single "You Are The New Day" was also released. The single, performed accapella, never reached the charts, but was played on radio at the time. A choral version was later recorded by the King's Singers.

As with the second album "Next Stop" (1979), the 10cc ("Let Me In"), Beatles or maybe Klaatu, Brian Wilson ("So Hard Living Without You") influences are here. and the real gem is the Edmunds-like "Nobody Is". The only bad news about the album is that awful "prog-like" artwork.

 

WU (259 mb)

Boston, Mass. Ave. (CD Anthology)

WILLIE ALEXANDER AND THE BOOM BOOM BAND - PASS THE TABASCO (1996)

 

Compilation of the first "eponymous" album (1978) and "Meanwhile Back In The States" (1978). This anthology was released on Mau Mau Records, a subsidiary of Demon Records. Both albums have never been reissued as standalone releases.

WU (477 mb)

Some Folks Are Born Made to Power Pop (Never Reissued)

FORTUNATE SONS - RISING (1986)

 

The Fortunate Sons were the missing link between the Barracudas (first and second era) and the new Barracudas restarted by Robin Wills and Jeremy Gluck around 1991 In 1985, Robin Wills formed his own band - the Fortunate Sons - Steve Robinson on bass and Lee Robinson on drums - and planned to record as soon as possible. For a while John Plain (ex-Boys) and then Marcus Holler were in the band on second guitar 'cause Robin Wills wanted a harder sound, but, in 1986, the first Fortunate Sons album "Rising" was recorded as a 3-piece band and released on Bam Caruso. The masters having been lost, the album has never been reissued.

WU (204 mb)

19 Songs Given Away (Original CD)

THE BEATNIX - IT'S FOUR YOU (1994)

 

The Beatnix was an australian band that had been formed by the manager of the group, Tony Dean, in 1980. It had many different members in it's first 10 years. Steven Shipley (McCartney), David Wood (Harrison) & John Taylor (Ringo) joined The Beatnix in the late 1980's, and Bruce Coble (Lennon) completed that line-up by joining in May 1990. The coming together of this particular line-up of the group coincided with a unique moment in Australia's musical history, when tribute bands first began gaining a much higher profile than ever before. In 1994, they recorded an album for Glenn A Baker's label Raven Records titled "It's Four You", which was an album of the 19 songs written by Lennon/McCartney that had not been officially released by The Beatles.
The album has reached cult status (bootlegged in Asia with a Beatles sleeve) or songs repackaged as The Beatles, much to the consternation of Beatles-fans world-wide. The original official edition is quite hard to find.

WU (334 mb)