Show #138 August 8, 2015

This one goes out to Emily and The Trade- marks!

Emily- Sylvain Sylvain Sylvain Sylvain 
The Sixteens- The Sweet The Collection
Greater Threat- Greg Pope Fanboy 
All My Love Always- Dead End Kids Breakout 
I Can See- SVT Extended Play
The Hard Way- The Sonics This Is The Sonics
Boomerang- The Paley Brothers The Complete Recordings 
Voice Of America- The Front Lines Where Do We Go From Here? EP
^17- Avril Lavigne Avril Lavigne 
Phenobarbital Love- The Chevelles Rollerball Candy 
War On the East Coast- The New Pornographers Brill Bruisers 
Can't Erase This Feeling- Warm Soda Symbolic Dream
And So It Goes On- Beagle Sound On Sound 
Fragile- Wire Pink Flag 
*Thirteen- Big Star #1 Record 
*Fourteen- The Vandals Look What I Almost Stepped In...
*Fifteen- Eater The Compleat Eater
*Sixteen- Iggy Pop Lust for Life 
*Seventeen- The CRY! Dangerous Game
*Eighteen- Rome Eighteen
*Nineteen- Tegan and Sara The Con
R-I-G-H-T-S- The Fleshtones It's Super Rock Time! 
It's Up To You- The Trademarks Take It Magazine Flexi Disc 
Dose Of You- Nick Lowe Labour Of Lust 
Lead Me To It- The Grip Weeds How I Won The War 
No Regrets- City Limits Dancing In The Heat
The Rumble Under My Hood- The Rubinoos The Rumble Under My Hood 
>Seventeen- Sex Pistols Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols 
Money Talk- The Negatives Shake Some Action Vol 3
I'll Get You Back- Arlis Titan: It's All Pop!
Love Will Lead the Way- Wyatt Funderburk Novel and Profane 
Girls Aren't Just Girls- Z-Cars This Is Z-Cars 7" EP 
Sixteen Blue (Outtake-Alternate Vocal)- The Replacements Let It Be

^Power Pop Peak:  #4 South Korean Goan Chart 11/1/13

*SacroSet:  Songs About Our Teen Years

>Power Pop Prototype:  1977

As readers of this blog know I was not popular in high

Disclaimer:  No one was
murdered at my prom

school.  I had managed to get a girlfriend by my junior year however and empowered by this momentous turn of events, I tried something never before attempted (and no, I'm not talking about with my girlfriend).  After realizing I would be going to the prom, I decided to join the entertainment committee.  My thinking was, if I'm going I should at least try to insure the prom has good music.  This was back in the days when even our regular school dances had live bands so for a prom there was significant money in the budget, though they never told me how much.  


The first meeting that fall was at this especially mean girl's house and I think everyone had the same question:  why is Rick Love here?  For the first time I was with the popular crowd and it didn't feel right to anyone, especially me.  Luckily the chair of the prom committee was a girl name Lauren who, despite being

The Neighborhoods

popular, actually liked good music and even favored the new wave fashions of the time, angular designs, red and black, etc.  We were in the same Spanish class and had talked about music a couple of times.  Even so, I was surprised when Lauren told me about the prom meeting and asked if I wanted to come.  I brought a cassette of several Boston bands with me and remember playing The Neighborhoods for them, who were deemed "too punk."  (In 1981 people associated punk rock more with vomit than music- damn you Sex Pistols

Peter Dayton

for killing punk's already slim chance of commercial success in America!)  I also played Peter Dayton Band for them who were labelled "too weird."  (They were probably right about that one.)  I had perversely thought of blowing everyone's mind with Human Sexual Response's "What Does Sex Mean To Me."  I still smile thinking about how Duxbury's best and brightest circa 1981 would have reacted to the second verse:  

I put my finger to my tongue
And I taste vagina
I licked Betty Ford's boots (it's true)
She wore 'em all over China

Human Sexual Response

In the end I went conservative with my third offering.  I'd like to say it was my plan all along:  start with two bands I knew they wouldn't go for thereby making the third more palatable, but I think it was just dumb luck.  The third group I played in Missy's living room that day was The Trademarks.  I had seen them already so I knew they were great live and I had a sense that they would be professional- providing a safe, fun, vomit-free experience.

The Trademarks
 I wonder if they got their shirts the same place as Peter Dayton?

That was the last prom committee meeting I attended-somehow I was never told where or when subsequent meetings were held.  After talking to Trademarks keyboard player Jack Moran at a show I passed along his information to the prom committee and that was it.  I didn't hear anything again until after Christmas when Lauren told me the The Trademarks were going to play our Junior Prom!  Needless to say, I was shocked- by that time I figured the prom band would be a bunch of longhairs playing stuff like "Dazed And Confused," the guitarist busting out his violin bow in the 17th minute.  (Seriously, has anyone EVER successfully danced to "Dazed And Confused?").  But no, we had The Trademarks and they were AMAZING! 

The prom was at Christo's in Brockton, Mass and the first

person my girlfriend Gina and I saw when we walked in that night was Jack Moran- not only did he remember who I was but he told me I looked great.  (Nice of him to say, but I've seen the pictures and I have to disagree- top hat and tails on a shy 16 year old is not a good fit.  As you will see, the suit was wearing me).   The Trademarks on the other hand looked incredible in matching suits that they changed at each break!  They played originals, including "Magic In Her Eyes," which several of us knew as I'd convinced some friends to buy their single (shown at the top of this post) along with "It's Up To You," featured on tonight's show.  Knowing how important familiar music is at a dance, they also played a great selection of 60's rock and roll covers- Beatles, Stones, Dave Clark Five, Paul Revere and The Raiders and more. Even the teachers and chaperones seemed to be loving it.

The Trademarks were super tight and their vocal harmonies were perfect but the best thing about the band was the way they engaged the audience- energetically jumping around the stage while making eye contact with each of us.  The Trademarks were the greatest band in the world that night.  Don't believe me?  Check out this clip of them playing in January 1981, five months before our prom:



That video was recorded in an empty studio, now picture them playing in front of a few hundred sex crazed teenagers at a prom.  

The Trademarks were not to everyone's taste of course, I

The Trademarks

overheard one girl telling her date "I HATE them- they're punk" but I don't recall seeing her or anyone else in their seats during the band's final set.  Our prom theme that year was "We've Got Tonight" by Bob Seger which I'm happy to say the band did not perform though that irritated a few people too.  Still my friends and I were up front on the dancefloor for every song.  When many of their girls went back to the table, Gina stayed on the dancefloor with me earning major girlfriend points.  It was such an amazing night that I was even okay with the fact that she had to be home at 11:30.  After her mom picked her up I sat in my dark living room and thought about how I had helped make The Trademarks at our prom happen.  No one knew it outside a small group of people but I did, and it felt awesome.  Thinking about it now, I bet sticking my neck out like that, even just the one time in high school helped me become the person I'd be in college.

And okay, here are the prom photos (sigh):

Why yes, I am wearing white gloves, why do you ask?

A walking stick, naturally, completes the ensemble.  (I love the look she is
giving me, no wonder she went home at 11:30.)

No one warned me about "Top Hat Hair"

Here are the links to this week's show, click to stream or right click and "Save Link As" to download:
Hour 1
Hour 2

Show #73 VALENTINE SPECIAL February 4, 2012

Sending a Valentine to Emily...and to Papa on his birthday.

Emily- The Blondes Swedish Heat
Listen To The Heartbeat- D.L. Byron Shake Some Action Vol 4
Heart- Rockpile Seconds Of Pleasure
Hearts In Her Eyes- The Searchers Hearts In Her Eyes 7"
Take This Heart Of Mine- The Saints Prehistoric Sounds
Break Your Heart- Mike Viola & The Candy Butchers Falling Into Place
Breakin My Heart- Vandykes Breakin My Heart Single
Break My Heart Tomorrow- Steve Blimkie & The Reason Steve Blimkie & The Reason
^Heartbeat- The Knack Get the Knack
Queen Of Hearts- Bobby Emmett Learning Love
Another Heartache- Any Trouble Wheels In Motion
Lonelyhearts- The Atlantics Lonelyhearts 7"
Lonely Hearts- Candy Whatever Happened To Fun
Another Nail For My Heart- Squeeze Singles: 45's and Under
*Valentine- Fools Face Tell America
*Valentines Day- Three Hour Tour Three Hour Tour - 1969
*A Valentine Song- The Outlets Whole New World
*Valentine- The Replacements Pleased To Meet Me
Heart Breaker- The Lonely Boys The Lonely Boys
Heartbreaker- Knots Heartbreaker 7"
Brokenhearted- Ray Paul & RPM Go Time
Heart- Ian North Neo LP
Lock On My Heart- The Zippers A Six Song Mini Album
Heartsongs- Weezer
>Heart- Barry & The Remains The Remains
Hearts Will Be Broken- The Records Crashes
Heartbeat- Jim Freeman & The Golden Gate Jumpers Romantic
Do You Wanna Break My Heart- The Sweat No More Running
You Broke My Heart- The Vibrators Pure Mania
I Could Break Your Heart- Oranjuly Oranjuly
Heart Of The City- Nick Lowe Jesus Of Cool
Heart On The Line- The Tearjerkers Murder Mystery 7"
Ways Of The Heart- The Cretones Thin Red Line

^Power Pop Peak: Get The Knack #1 Billboard 200 Summer 1979

*SacroSet: Valentine's Songs

>Power Pop Prototype: 1966

When I was working on this show last week I mentioned to Jaime that I had come up with a cool theme but before I could tell her what it was, she said "Oh, Valentine's Day." My response: "D'oh!" Of course it should be a Valentine's show, what was I thinking? So, after spending an hour or so on this other idea (which you'll hear in a future show) I went in a Valentine's direction. Here's where iTunes' power as a music database really comes in handy. A quick search on "Valentine" gave me the four songs in tonight's SacroSet and another search on "Heart" gave me about three shows worth of potential material. The interesting thing is that the vast majority of the songs were in the heart "broken" rather than heart "full of love" camp. For every "Heart" by Rockpile

Heart, why are you pounding like a hammer
Heart, why are you beating like a drum
Heart, why do you make such a commotion
When I'm waiting for my baby to come

There are about three or four songs like "Lonelyhearts" by The Atlantics:

I see fear and despair written all over your face
But it’s no disgrace, the life is lived below
You think that against you the entire world has sinned
Against the wall you’re pinned, while everyone throws stones

Lonely, lonely, lonely hearts
There’s nobody like lonely, lonely, lonely hearts
You know that I can hear your heartbeat
I know something’s going on
I can hear your heartbeat
On and on and on and on

In other words, heartbreak clearly carries the day. I don't know if this is because of how most relationships end (badly) or because bitterness and spite make for better songwriting inspiration (debatable). Maybe its because the recently jilted find themselves with more time on their hands and those not indulging revenge fantasies turn to songwriting for solace. Or to rub salt in the wound- myself, I've gone both ways.

I've always dismissed Valentine's Day as a modern marketing gimmick. In my case, I'm lucky because my wife's birthday is the week before so if I get the B-day right I can low key it on 14th. In any case, I was surprised to read that the first association of romantic love and 2/14 goes all the way back to a poem written by Geoffrey Chaucer (the "Canterbury Tales" dude) in 1382 called Parlement of Foules:

For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.

["For this was on Saint Valentine's Day,
when every bird cometh there to choose his mate."]

The Catholics even tried to put the kibosh on Valentine's Day in 1969 when the Pope deleted it from the General Roman Calendar, but it didn't take and the tradition lives on.

In my family 2/14 has extra significance as it is my paternal grandfather's birthday. My mom always loved the fact that a man with the last name "Love" was born on Valentine's Day. I am the third Frederick J. Love after my dad (Jr.) and my grandfather (Sr.); that's us in the picture above. When my dad decided to go and marry a Protestant, both the "III" moniker and my Catholic upbringing were iron clad non-negotiable.

We called my grandfather "Papa" and he was an amazing guy. When I was little he and Nana lived on the top floor of a double-decker on Ackers Ave in Brookline. I remember running up those back stairs so fast I had to put my hands down on the step in front of me to keep from falling. At the top, Papa always greeted my sister and I with the same exclamation of surprise: "FOR THE LOVE OF PETE!!!" (as if he had NO IDEA we were driving up from Brockton that afternoon). It was awesome. In every memory I have of Papa he is smiling, yet I don't think I have one picture of the man where he doesn't look like a member of the Whitey Bulger gang. Even when my mom recreated the picture above several years later, Papa still didn't crack a smile. (Though since it was a meticulous recreation from our array down to our wardrobe, perhaps Papa was just being true to the original.)

Though only a three bedroom apartment (four if you count the finished porch that was my dad's room), Nana & Papa's place seemed filled with mystery. A fancy living room and dining room (only used Christmas & Easter) with antique furniture, oriental rugs and several displays of Hummel figurines that were not to be touched on penalty of swift amputation. There was a cool old basement filled with tons of stuff Papa couldn't get rid of (he had a slight hoarding "issue"), but my favorite was the attic. Accessible by stairs off the back hallway, I was simultaneously scared of/thrilled by the attic. While most of the stuff "down cellar" was clearly junk, the attic had old clothes, furniture, pictures and the best part was: I could touch all of it as much as I wanted to.

As my family was about to leave, Papa always pulled me aside and, on the down low, gave me a sandwich bag full of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. I have no idea how the man generated so much change, we visited a lot, but there it was and I loved it. I'd take the bag of change home, carefully count it out and put it in coin rolls my mom got from the bank. For some reason I never spent any of it and when I was away at Emerson freshman year, my parents unwrapped all the rolls (four or five coffee cans full) looking for rare coins. I can't remember if they found any but afterwards I was finally able to put the money in the bank. I wouldn't be surprised though if there is still an old coffee can full of rolled up change somewhere in my mom's house.

Along with his bags of change, "FOR THE LOVE OF PETE," and lifetime vanity license plate (72272) I also clearly remember the white box that always sat on Papa's kitchen table with "L.S./M.F.T." printed on it. I later learned this stood for "Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco." It's funny, I don't remember seeing him smoke, but that box was a fixture in the Brookline house. Papa eventually quit but those unfiltered Lucky's are a real bitch kitty and he died of lung cancer in 1982. Since my own kids never got to meet their paternal grandfather I consider myself very lucky to have so many great memories of mine. Happy Birthday Papa!

Click on the links below to download this week's show:
Hour 1
Hour 2