a musical history – by Terence Ruffle

(This is the final part of a two-part story. Part one is here.)

Another major influence on Powerpop has to be the Byrds. Certainly their gorgeous three part harmonies have been emulated many times. The Groovies, the Raspberries, Big Star, and the Posies, have all used the Byrds style harmonies as standard, as have many others.

Also Roger Mcguinn’s twelve string Rickenbacker sound, a la “Mr Tambourine Man”. George Harrison said he’d started playing the Ricky as a direct result of hearing “Tambourine Man”, massive praise indeed!

But everyone who wanted to play guitar oriented Powerpop wanted a 12 string Rickenbacker. Eric Carmen once said that his ultimate aim was to get on stage with Wally Bryson, from The Choir, another fab Cleveland Powerpop band, and play “Tambourine Man” on their 12 string Rickenbackers!!! Its massively full sound and harmonics are a common thread in Powerpop, and here we go back to Mr Townsend with “I Can’t Explain”. It’s like a Rock’n'Roll evolution, a passing of the Rickenbacker baton, from the Who, to the Byrds, to the Beatles,on to the Searchers (though John Mcnally used a Burns double six, an English built electric 12 string) to the Choir, then Powder, on to the Raspberries, the Flamin’ Groovies to the Plimsouls, and onto the Smithereens and early REM.

The Smithereens certainly deserve a major plug, because I think that after the initial flurry of excellent Powerpop  in the late 70’s, they were the first guitar band to drag it back into the mainstream in the 80’s. They had all the credentials, the Beatle-esque songs, the 6 and 12 string Rickenbacker, the three part harmonies, and the tight, agressive Who-like backing, the pop riffs and sweet melodies. I saw them several times in the USA. I saw them at Summers on the Beach, in Fort Lauderdale, in  the summer of 1988, and they lifted the roof with a killer encore of the Who’s “The Seeker”. They also did “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath, not sure why……………………

And post Smithereens (though I notice they have a new live album out “Live in Concert” so they’re obviously, I’m happy to say, still active) a band that first caught my attention in Sweden in 1993 were the Posies. Their first album “Frosting on the beater” contained all the vital ingredients, with my favourite tracks coming over like a Big Star homage. Fab Chiltonesque guitars ( how did they do it?? ) layered, Big Star/Byrds harmonies, and of course their two key members, Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow, are now an essential part of the modern version of Big Star, and on “In Space”  proved themselves not only as worthy foil to Alex Chilton, but songwriters of similar calibre. Also, and it’s not unusual for the genre, they have quite a Psyche edge to their sound, backward guitars, phasing etc.

As you may have read in my article about the Ramones, I adore and consider the Flamin’ Groovies top notch Powerpop. In 2004 Cyril Jordan put together another band, the Magic Christian, and released a  self titled double cd, one live and one studio. There were flashes of the old Groovies brilliance there, though sadly they no longer seem to be active. I’d love to see Cyril Jordan wield his mighty 12 string Rickenbacker again. In the meantime, check his and Ken Kaffke’s site at http://pages.sbcglobal.net/kenkaffkegoldengate.

I also have to again mention Powder, perhaps not a familiar name to many Powerpop fans. I bought a comp of theirs called Biff Bang Powder, probably 3 years ago, put together by a man I consider to have immaculate taste, Alec Paulo ( who played bass in the Magic Christian ), on Distortion records. Though the band went through numerous incarnations, (and also a stint as Sonny and Cher’s backing band) it’s the first few tracks on the cd, the early demos from 1967, are essential to any avid Powerpop fan. They sound like more unreleased gems from the Who’s “Sell Out”. Fabulous songs, sweeter than sweet vocals and harmonies, sledgehammer bass, drums, and what sounds like a Stratocaster running through a Marshall or Sun amp. Slashing guitar, contrasted with melodic quiet picking, very Pete Townsend. And totally unmissable.

I have to give a mention to another mega fave of mine, the Pursuit of Happiness. Think I must have heard them on college radio in the US, in 1989 initially. They are from Canada, again pretty songs and  harmonies, with really brutal, sometimes almost heavy metal guitars. And their original line up, and the one that most frequently unites, featured a female lead guitarist and backing vocalist (Kris Abbot and Lesley Stanwyck). They’re the intelligent end of Powepop, but still rock hard, check “Love Junk” as a primer. Beautiful psyche edged, melancholic pop.

Well, I’m not sure any of my meanderings have helped to define the Powerpop genre. Perhaps I’ve succeeded in defining some of it’s nuances? As a further guide, I’d like to list, in no particular order, twenty of my favourite Powerpop gems: Enjoy, and as the man called Cyril once said to me, ROCK OUT!!!

1. Shake Some Action – the Flamin’ Groovies (The Guvnors! The single mix has that great Rubber Soul type percussion)
2. Just a Smile – Pilot (Great tune, great 12 string guitar sound)
3. Tonight – the Raspberries (Rocks like the Who, Small Faces inflictions too and what a tune!!!)
4. Do I love you – the Powder (Orgasmic Who-like thrash, brilliant vocals and harmonies, quiet/tender then loud/rocking)
5. Can’t I just tell you the way I feel – Todd Rundgren (Why didn’t you do more like this, Dude?)
6. World of You – Aerovons (Great, fake, powered up Fabs)
7. September Gurls – Big Star (The absolute top of the poppermost!!!)
8. Top of the Pops – the Smithereens (Kick ass rawk, great vox and tune)
9. Tube Train – the Ivys (More kicking Sell Out-isms, essential)
10. No matter What – Badfinger (Oh, that Leslied guitar! Wonderful Beatle-esque tune and harmonies)
11. Promises – Jumbo (Great English soft rock, a great tune, fab layered jangling guitars, tres obscure)
12. If I needed someone – the Beatles (The Masters)
13. The Choir – Don’t change your mind (great 12 string Ricky courtesy of Wally Bryson, covered by the Accidents along with “I’d rather you leave me”, hip kids or what???)
14. The Pursuit of Happiness – Looking for Girls (Kick ass  rockin’ Powerpop)
15. Oderono – the Who (Thrashing and melodic, Townsend’s voice so sad and beautiful)
16. Big Brown Eyes – the db’s (Fabulous, sunny Big Star jangle)
17. Ghosts of Princes in Towers – the Rich Kids (Rockin’ Small Faces homage, Leslied organ from Mr Maclaglen, thumpin’ pop-isms)
18. I am the Cosmos – Chris Bell (Some might say ultimate Powerpop)
19. Girl of my Dreams – Bram Tchaikovsky (Late 70’s English rockin’ melancholic guitar pop and Byrdsian harmonies)
20. Teenage Fanclub – Alcoholiday (Glaswegian Big Star mega fans rock in a ” September Gurls” style)

If you’d like to find music by the groups mentioned in this article, you can buy it on CD and vinyl from netsoundmusic.com.

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