Show #5 March 21, 2009

For Elizabeth...

November 12, 1924-March 8, 2009

Elizabeth Smiles- The Dreamdayers All Things Come

Heart- Rockpile Seconds Of Pleasure

Do Anything You Wanna Do-Eddie and The Hotrods Life On The Line

Sound of the Rain-The Dils Made In Canada Double-7"

The First One- Gary Valentine The First One 45

Elephant Flares- Redd Kross Third Eye

Take This Heart Of Mine- The Saints Prehistoric Sounds

Days- Television Adventure

*I Don't Want Nobody(I Want You)- Boyfriends I Don't Want... 7"

*What Did I Say- Pete Holly and The Looks Baby Please Believe Me 7"

*Beat Your Heart Out- The Zeros Beat Your Heart Out 7"

*You're The One- Nikki and The Corvettes Nikki and The Corvettes

Can't See- The Drones Further Temptations

If You Really Love Me...Buy Me A Shirt- The Freshies The Very Best Of

I Don't Know Why(You Love Me)- Hi-Fi's s/t 7"

*Theme Set: Greg Shaw's Bomp! Records

As you can see from previous posts, each All Kindsa Girls show is dedicated to all girls and women who share a certain name. Tonight's show, however, is dedicated to one specific woman, my mother in law Elizabeth Jean Palmer Weiser who died earlier this month. Betty, you are missed.

The Great Greg Shaw

Since VH-1 has co-opted the phrase "Behind The Music" to define the rags to riches to rehab shame spiral of the pop stars we routinely gulp, swirl and spit out, it doesn't seem appropriate when talking about someone like Bomp! magazine/records founder Greg Shaw. Furthermore, the combination of the words "music" and "industry" gives any true rock and roll fan the shivers. That said, Greg Shaw built a vital small business as the man behind so many great Power Pop, punk and garage rock records over the years. Read about him here.

In the late 70's and early 80's, Bomp! was one of the few labels that I'd consider shelling out hard-earned paper route wages for without knowing anything about the band. The DMZ EP they put out in 1977 was the first or second Boston Rock 7" I ever bought. Bomp! also kept things in print for a long time. Even today, many independent labels do these blink and you missed it releases that, while they may generate hype, keep a lot of people from hearing the music and in the end probably benefit e-Bay more than anyone else. During Power Pop's 15 minutes of fame in the late 70's/early 80's, a lot of independent labels like 415 and Slash signed deals with major labels that ultimately lead to their demise. Bomp! never drank the corporate kool-aid and is about to celebrate its 35th birthday which is why it is in the All Kindsa Girls Hall of Fame!

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ALL KINDSA GIRLS #5

Show #4 March 7, 2009

Are you Rosemary? Then this one's for you!

Rosemary- The Dickies Stukas Over Disneyland
Another Girl, Another Planet- The Only Ones Special View
Wicked Gravity- The Jim Carroll Band Catholic Boy
Teen Line- The Shivvers Teen Line 45
Nice Girls- Any Trouble Where Are All The Nice Girls
First Time- The Boys The Complete Boys Punk Singles Collection
Stay Away- Rooney Rooney
Tennis (Again)- The Diodes Tired of Waking Up Tired
*The Shape Of Things To Come- The Headboys The Headboys
(#67 11/3/79)
*Starry Eyes- The Records The Records (#56 9/29/79)
*Girl Of My Dreams- Bram Tchaikovsky Strange Man, Changed Man
(#37 7/7/79)
*Good Girls Don't- The Knack Get The Knack (#11 9/1/79)
Shake Some Action- The Flamin' Groovies Groovies Greatest Grooves

*Theme Set: 1979- Power Pop Peaks On The Billboard Hot 100

Punk was huge in England in the late 70's but thanks to those dicks the Sex Pistols scaring American record and radio people, none of our class of '77 broke through here. It still pisses me off that "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" isn't a radio staple in America.

Ric Ocasek rocking a Skinny Tie

While punk didn't dent the American mainstream, it had a big influence on many musicians and by 1979 had created a new strain of Power Pop that I've heard called "skinny tie rock." This music was far more accessible than the punk rock that was blasting away in urban clubs yet it offered similiar high energy music stuffed into a three minute song. Cheap Trick ("I Want You To Want Me"), Joe Jackson ("Is She Really Going Out With Him?"), Nick Lowe ("Cruel To Be Kind"), Bram Tchaikovsky ("Girl of My Dreams") all had Top 40 hits in 1979. Coming on the heels of disco this was a breath of fresh air. What's more, I was sure it meant that since the music I loved was becoming popular that I would soon be popular too.

Me rocking a Skinny Tie w/ my
favorite Clash 16 Tons pin

I wore Skinny Ties to my job bagging groceries at Angelo's in Kingston, MA and every school day sported a different punk rock pin on my oxford shirt collar. I was sure my trench coat with Chuck Taylors look was about to catch on too. The summer of 1979 saw the ascent of the top charting Power Pop song of all time- "My Sharona" was #1 for six straight weeks that summer. Anything gets tired after that long so in retrospect the backlash (knacklash?) is not too surprising. Supposedly the band were tools too, so it didn't take long for the critics to start piling on, although not before "Good Girls Don't" went to #11. There were a smattering of Power Pop hits in the early 80's but the genre, largely displaced by MTV new wave and then hair metal, never reached its 1979 commercial peak.

As for me, in 1979 I was to remain unpopular, though I suppose I should be happy that my friends and I, especially "Most Individual" Jim Harris, were taunted with catcalls of "Devo" (thanks to "Whip It" #14 8/30/80) in the Duxbury High School hallways rather than "Freakin' Knackhead," "My Big Boner," etc.

The Jam wore the hell out of their Skinny Ties

Blondie were all in for Skinny Ties
(Love this photo- Clem is the only one who was ready...)

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ALL KINDSA GIRLS #4

Show #3 February 21, 2009

For the few, the proud, the Maureens

Maureen- Fountains Of Wayne Out-Of-State Plates
T.V. Sound- DM3 Dig it the Most
Heart Of Stone-SVT Heart Of Stone 45
Black and White- The dB's Stands for deciBels
There She Goes Again- The Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground and Nico
Leaving Your World Behind- 20/20 20/20
One Way Love- The Innocents One Way Love 7"
When You're Mine- The Heats Have An Idea
The Bulrushes- The Bongos The Bulrushes 7"*Jump Boys- The Undertones The Undertones
*I Never Came Down- The Golden Horde I Never Came Down 12"
*Crimson- Rudi Big Time: The Best of Rudi
*War Stories- The Starjets God Bless The Starjets
When You're Young- The Atlantics When You're Young 45
Caught In Traffic- Sgt Arms Walking On The Roof 7"
On The Beach- The Producers On The Beach 45

*Theme Set: The Emerald Isle

Fountains of Wayne

Fountains of Wayne are a great example of a current band that shares the ALL KINDSA GIRLS aesthetic. In fact I'd bet FoW have more songs with a girl's name in the title than any other band today- and for this I am thankful. Finally got around to burning my vinyl copy of 20/20's first album and they were a great addition tonight.  Unlike punk rock, Power Pop does not shy away from slower tempos, so I always try to include a slow dance each show and tonight it was "Leaving Your World Behind."

So, why did I do my Ireland theme set in February and not just wait a few weeks to be closer to St. Paddy's Day? Damned if I know. In any case, it blows me away that three of the four bands I played tonight--Undertones (Derry), Rudi, Starjets (both Belfast)-- were making this upbeat, fun music in Northern Ireland during the mid to late 70's, a time of bombings,

Terri Hooley

hunger strikes and general civil unrest. In fact, Terri Hooley's Good Vibrations label is in the ALL KINDSA GIRLS Hall of Fame for putting out some of my favorite records. The CD compilation pictured above is a great sampling of what the label had to offer despite all the violence and chaos going on in Belfast at the time. Seriously- it would be like finding out Fountains of Wayne are from Darfur or the Gaza Strip. Make Power Pop, not WAR!

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ALL KINDSA GIRLS #3

Show #2 January 31, 2009

Dedicated to all Lori's, Laurie's and Lorrie's everywhere!

Lori- Travoltas Endless Summer
In The Winter- The Fastbacks ...And His Orchestra
Get Your Radio- The Secrets Titan: It's All Pop! (Disc 1)
The Weakest Shade Of Blue- Pernice Brothers Yours, Mine & Ours

The Kids Just Wanna Dance- Fast Cars Kids Just Wanna Dance 7"
The Night I Lost My Head- Maximo Park A Certain Trigger
Make The Rules- The Orbits Make The Rules 45
Sixteen Blue- The Replacements Let It Be [Deluxe Edition]
No Respect- Newtown Neurotics Newtown Neurotics Punk Collection
*Hanging On The Telephone- The Nerves The Nerves E.P. 7"
*Hush, Hush- The Plimsouls The Plimsouls... Plus
*Rock N Roll Girl- The Beat The Beat
*Good Times- Jack Lee Jack Lee's Greatest Hits Vol. 1
See Me In My Dreams- Silver Sun Dad's Weird Dream
Tonight- Raspberries Side 3
Dream Girl- The Power Chords Unattached Strings 45
Fizz Pop(Modern Rock)- The Continentals Fizz Pop(Modern Rock) 7"

*Theme Set: The Nerves' Legacy

When I got back from the station after this show my wife and daughter met me at the door with stern expressions on their faces, both asking "who's Lori?" I had to explain to them that one of the "rules" of ALL KINDSA GIRLS is that each show is dedicated to a woman or girl, in general or specific.  I'm still looking for the perfect "Jaime" song for my wife and for my daughter a better "Veronica" option than Elvis Costello's (alzheimer's disease) or Sloppy Seconds' (teen suicide).

Anyway, good show tonight- played Raspberries, The Replacements and new San Diego band The Powerchords, which is a great example of Power Pop's longevity. Also featured The Nerves- a band of Power Pop Giants. Bass player Peter Case went on to form The Plimsouls, drummer Paul Collins gave us The Beat aka Paul Collins' Beat and Jack Lee wrote hit songs for Blondie and Paul Young in the 80's.

Bomp! label Alive Records just released a Nerves retrospective called One Way Ticket that includes all their studio stuff and some dodgy sounding live tracks. It's a great introduction to this legendary band.  

Tastemaker that he was, Ted Maguire introduced me to The Nerves EP. (I wonder if he still has the refund check from Devo- made out to Mr. Spanx Fanjet- I like to think it is framed on his mantel alongside baby pictures of his kids).
ALL KINDSA GIRLS #2

Show #1 January 18, 2009

I'm back on the radio after 18 years!

All Kindsa Girls- The Real Kids The Real Kids 
Find It- The Carrie Nations Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls (Original Soundtrack) 
Let Me Take Your Photo- The Speedies Speedy Delivery 
Brown Eyes- Gary Charlson Titan: It's All Pop! 
Waiting For Tuesday- Hundred Million Martians Marsbars 
Shakin' Street- MC5 Back In The U.S.A. 
Heart of the City- Nick Lowe Jesus of Cool 
Rock 'n' Roll Is Dead- The Rubinoos Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About... 
12 O'Clock High- Dirty Looks Dirty Looks 
*Hollow Head- Sloan Action Pact 
*Out Of Luck- Pointed Sticks Part Of The Noise
*Picture My Face- Teenage Head Teenage Head 
*Aside- The Weakerthans Left and Leaving 
Eddie Cross- The Shods Thanks For Nuthin' 
Mod Lang- Big Star #1 Record/Radio City 
Stay Positive- The Hold Steady Stay Positive

*Theme Set- Oh Canada!

So I have this friend Joe. I've been in a band with him (The Dadz, spelled with an anarchy "A," of course) and acted in a couple of his films. 

Joe as Sheriff Jupiter Johnson, me as Charlie in
DEMONIKA

 

Joe pitched a show idea to local radio station KSVY, but didn't want to do it every week so he asked me to share the Saturday Night at 9pm slot (great time!). Joe's show is called Contact Buzz and it is way dark.

I'd been thinking about doing a Power Pop radio show for a while- my last public radio stint on WMBR in Boston ended in 1991. Power Pop is fun, positive, high energy rock and roll and it's been going strong for five decades. I decided to name the show "All Kindsa Girls" in honor of The Real Kids, one of my favorite Boston rock and roll bands.

The Real Kids

Funny story about The Real Kids- I initially rejected the record because three of the guys on the cover had long hair and the fourth's Moe Howard bowl cut wasn't a strong selling point either. This hair offense violated the rigidly defined, largely British inspired, "punk" orthodoxy to which I then felt all bands must conform (except for The Ramones who got a "pass" because they were first).

Luckily my older (by about ten months or so) and wiser (he subscribed to New York Rocker!) Cousin Rich convinced me I was being stupid and I bought the record anyway. The Real Kids is one for the ages

and it started a love affair with Boston rock and roll that continues today (witness current Lowell, MA band The Shods also played on my first show).  I probably didn't say it then, but thanks Rich! 

p.s. The Shods cover "All Kindsa Girls" on this album but they inexplicably spell it "All Kinds Of Girls!"  In the name of all that is holy it is "KINDSA!"  "KINDSA I tell ya!" 

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ALL KINDSA GIRLS SHOW #1