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by **lewdd** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 7:16 am

I am certain there probably were posts about this subject, and particularly some stuff with Joe Jackson and Graham Parker that I can't seem to find. So, what are your favorite power pop songs of the 70's and 80's?

I was triggered about the subject when I stumbled across a new CD that came out yesterday that I saw on Amazon last week - Rockets of Love! Power Pop Gems from the 70s, 80s, & 90s. I then stumbles across three Poptopia! comps, Come On Let's Go - Power Pop Gems from the 70s & 80s, and Girls Go Power Pop!

by **scannest** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 8:18 am

The Posies thread mentions pert near every band you can or should check out.

As someone who loves power pop, I can say with certainty that 90% of the stuff that self identifies as power pop is terrible. The old 'I'd never want to join a club that would have someone like me as a member' conundrum.

If you can find the Ryko DIY: COME OUT AND PLAY comps for a reasonable price, they're pretty excellent. As are the first 2 YELLOW PILLS comps (especially vol. 2 on the Big Deal label).

by **scannest** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 8:20 am

And while a lot of Joe Jackson and Graham Parker is extremely catchy, I don't think either qualifies as power pop.

by **lewdd** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 8:54 am

I have not read the Posies thread as that band doesn't interest me, but I guess now you have peaked my curiousity. I think I have that DIY CD. I will check for Yellow Pills.

There is a Power Pop History playlist on Spotify that has everything from The Beatles, The Who, Blink-182, Weezer, late 70s mod bands, mid 70s pub rock/punk band, Cheap Trick, Matthew Sweet, etc.

by **FlexMyHead** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 9:16 am

How about Nick Lowe?

Website · by **JGJR** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 9:20 am

scannest wrote:And while a lot of Joe Jackson and Graham Parker is extremely catchy, I don't think either qualifies as power pop.

Not overall by any means since they're both far too diverse as artists for that kind of label or any really (especially JJ), but I think this song (among many others) *could* qualify. I honestly don't care that much about labels, but am curious what you all think.

For JJ's contribution (and there also a bunch I could use), I think this is probably the closest he ever came to that.

by **lewdd** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 9:28 am

I wish I could find the thread where I listed all of the Graham Parker songs I liked so I don't have to go back through all the albums again. Same for Joe Jackson.

by **version sound** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 9:55 am

Everything by Big Star (except that garbage “reunion” record).

That is all.

by **scannest** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 9:58 am

If you wanna define Power Pop as catchy, guitar based rock music, have at it. No one is gonna get in trouble. But the Beatles aren't it. Neither is Blink, or GP, or JJ.
I guess if the Ramones are ground zero for Punk (in other words, anything that stakes a claim to being Punk should bear their influence), then the The Who circa '65 -'67 is ground zero for Power Pop.

by **version sound** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 12:38 pm

scannest wrote:If you wanna define Power Pop as catchy, guitar based rock music, have at it. No one is gonna get in trouble. But the Beatles aren't it. Neither is Blink, or GP, or JJ.
I guess if the Stooges are ground zero for Punk (in other words, anything that stakes a claim to being Punk should bear their influence), then the The Who circa '65 -'67 is ground zero for Power Pop.

Fixed your typo.

by **patient_ot** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 1:38 pm

Power Pop is kinda a weird thing. You had the purist groups and a number of artists that are really not power pop per se but tend to get classified as such due to certain songs/albums.

As much as I love the Who, the Kinks actually did it first. "I Can't Explain" is a Kinks riff basically. Big Star covered the Kinks as well.

by **target** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 1:50 pm

Fountains of Wayne!! That’s power pop!
And nick lowe/rockpile

by **lewdd** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 2:32 pm

glad to see we can all agree on the definition

by **target** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 2:50 pm

The new pornographers!

by **jaybird** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 3:12 pm

Imma just quote myself here:

I wrote:Power pop is a difficult genre to solidly define, because it spans several decades and easily bleeds into into other genres like punk, new wave, pop punk and even classic rock, but any of these would all be good first round Hall of Fame ballot choices for the real "Big Four" of power pop:

Cheap Trick
The Knack
The Raspberries
Badfinger
Big Star
The Nerves/Plimsouls
The Beat (Paul Collins)

by **jaybird** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 3:16 pm

P.S.: Descendents - "Get The Time" is the greatest power pop song of ALL time.

Fight me.

by **target** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 7:20 pm

Descendants are pop-punk, not power pop.
The rules exist for a reason. What if I started calling Leeway metalcore instead of crossover

by **neutral knieval** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 7:38 pm

van duren - chemical fire
the entire van duren album 'are you serious'. so underrated its not on anyones radar

by **neutral knieval** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 7:45 pm

also the nerves are the shit. that ep is on the wantlist

by **jaybird** » Sat Jul 10, 2021 8:33 pm

target wrote:Descendants are pop-punk, not power pop.
The rules exist for a reason. What if I started calling Leeway metalcore instead of crossover

Just because they are generally considered a pop-punk band, that does not preclude them from writing a power-pop song... just as it did not preclude them from writing a speed-metal song like "Hurtin Crue".

Website · by **JGJR** » Sun Jul 11, 2021 1:17 pm

lewdd wrote:I wish I could find the thread where I listed all of the Graham Parker songs I liked so I don't have to go back through all the albums again. Same for Joe Jackson.

I made Spotify playlists of each artist for you a few years back. Let me know if you want links.

Website · by **JGJR** » Sun Jul 11, 2021 1:20 pm

neutral knieval wrote:also the nerves are the shit. that ep is on the wantlist

It was recently repressed.

https://www.discogs.com/The-Nerves-The- ... e/15782003

by **kel** » Sun Jul 11, 2021 5:58 pm

scannest wrote: then the The Who circa '65 -'67 is ground zero for Power Pop.

Seeing as the Wikipedia entry for "Power Pop" says "The term "power pop" was coined by the Who's Pete Townshend in 1967 to describe their style of music." ...I'd say that's a safe statement.

But I'd call out Cheap Trick as my power pop guilty-pleasure crank-up-volume-knob when Dream Police or Surrender and such comes on the radio. That's a underappreciated band today that was doing harder, faster powerpop in the 70's.

Also from Wiki, you've got to appreciate Steve's usual droll:

Musician Steve Albini said: "I cannot bring myself to use the term 'power pop.' Catchy, mock-descriptive terms are for dilettantes and journalists. I guess you could say I think this music is for pussies and should be stopped."

by **scannest** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 8:01 am

Albini is a professed life long fan of Cheap Trick, but would never let that get in the way of a good quote. Or he is just acknowledging that most of what gets called Power Pop is long on 'pop' and very, very short on 'power'.

Website · by **JGJR** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:37 am

scannest wrote:Albini is a professed life long fan of Cheap Trick, but would never let that get in the way of a good quote. Or he is just acknowledging that most of what gets called Power Pop is long on 'pop' and very, very short on 'power'.

I'd guess a mix of column A and column B. Oh and I present this as evidence that Graham Parker was most definitely influenced by '65-'67 Who, though I think he owes more to the Stones, Dylan, Van Morrison, and the '60s Stax, Motown, and Trojan catalogs.

https://www.amazon.com/Substitute/dp/B0019B8YLG

He covered it in 1992 and it showed up as a bonus track on the "Here It Comes Again" CD single.

by **patient_ot** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 1:43 pm

Re: Artists like JJ, EC, GP, and Nick Lowe. Not exactly power pop but any power pop fan would probably enjoy album such as This Year's Model, Jesus of Cool, Look Sharp, Squeezing Out Sparks, etc.

Which reminds me I need to do a deeper dive on Parker and Jackson at some point.

by **patient_ot** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 1:44 pm

JGJR wrote:
neutral knieval wrote:also the nerves are the shit. that ep is on the wantlist

It was recently repressed.

https://www.discogs.com/The-Nerves-The- ... e/15782003

Great songs on the EP but I'd probably recommend the One Way Ticket comp instead.

by **patient_ot** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 1:46 pm

Material Issue might be worth checking out for folks that like 90s stuff. Maybe not 100% power pop but enough to satisfy a fan.

by **lewdd** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 1:51 pm

patient_ot wrote:Material Issue might be worth checking out for folks that like 90s stuff. Maybe not 100% power pop but enough to satisfy a fan.

"Valerie Loves Me" was one of my favorite songs back in the day. I saw Material Reissue play at SummerFest in Milwaukee 7-10 years ago. It was by accident. I was there to see the Dropkick Murphys and there were still a few bands playing before them. I saw that Material Reissue was playing on the stage next to theirs. I thought it was some cover band, but decided to check it out anyway. It turned out to be the original band less the lead singer who had passed away. They were great.

I'm getting ready to list their CD Going Through Your Purse for sale on Discogs one of these days.

by **lewdd** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 1:52 pm

I just looked to see if there was a vinyl version of their first album. It is expensive.

https://www.discogs.com/Material-Issue- ... se/2585571

by **patient_ot** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 2:05 pm

lewdd wrote:I just looked to see if there was a vinyl version of their first album. It is expensive.

https://www.discogs.com/Material-Issue- ... se/2585571

Yikes! I've only had the albums on CD. A lot of 90s vinyl is very expensive nowadays on the used market. My guess is the album is stuck in major label purgatory and so chances of a reissue are slim.

by **patient_ot** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 2:05 pm

lewdd wrote:
patient_ot wrote:Material Issue might be worth checking out for folks that like 90s stuff. Maybe not 100% power pop but enough to satisfy a fan.

"Valerie Loves Me" was one of my favorite songs back in the day. I saw Material Reissue play at SummerFest in Milwaukee 7-10 years ago. It was by accident. I was there to see the Dropkick Murphys and there were still a few bands playing before them. I saw that Material Reissue was playing on the stage next to theirs. I thought it was some cover band, but decided to check it out anyway. It turned out to be the original band less the lead singer who had passed away. They were great.

I'm getting ready to list their CD Going Through Your Purse for sale on Discogs one of these days.

Neat story. I've never seen any incarnation of the band.

by **scannest** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 2:18 pm

patient_ot wrote:Great songs on the EP but I'd probably recommend the One Way Ticket comp instead.

That Nerves compilation CD is pretty excellent and all anyone would really need.

As far as Material Issue, I never paid much attention outside the hits and this one, which is on that Yellow Pills comp I mentioned and is just a fantastic song

by **lewdd** » Mon Jul 12, 2021 4:34 pm

Can we all agree that "Turn to Stone" by ELO is power pop?

by **scannest** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 7:36 am

lewdd wrote:Can we all agree that "Turn to Stone" by ELO is a great fucking song?

Fixed.

by **lewdd** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 7:51 am

The Spotify Power Pop History playlist has that ELO song on it as well as some Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, and probably quite a few others I would never expected. I have only speed listened thru the first 100 of almost 1200 songs on the playlist.

Would Rick Springfield and The Outfield be considered power pop?

by **scannest** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 8:05 am

lewdd wrote:Would Rick Springfield and The Outfield be considered power pop?

Kinda and hell no, respectively.

Website · by **JGJR** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 9:41 am

scannest wrote:
lewdd wrote:Would Rick Springfield and The Outfield be considered power pop?

Kinda and hell no, respectively.

Of Rick Springfield's stuff, Working Class Dog (the one with "Jessie's Girl" on it and thus his most well-known one/biggest selling album) is the only one I'd consider power pop and the only one I've ever been able to get into or have any interest in. It's so good, though.

The Outfield - I only know "Your Love" and I always thought it was power-pop-ish in the same way that say, Def Leppard's "Photograph" is, for example.

by **scannest** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 9:44 am

JGJR wrote:The Outfield - I only know "Your Love" and I always thought it was power-pop-ish in the same way that say, Def Leppard's "Photograph" is, for example.

Def Leppard are also not power pop. Power Pop-y songs do not a Power Pop band make, as Yoda would say.

by **drew** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 10:14 am

What is described as “Power-Pop” is prob my least fave style of Rock. Most of it is just boring, jangly shit.
Is early REM Power pop? I love REM.

by **lewdd** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 10:51 am

drew wrote:What is described as “Power-Pop” is prob my least fave style of Rock. Most of it is just boring, jangly shit.
Is early REM Power pop? I love REM.

They have at least one song on the playlist I found on Spotify that I have been going thru - "Rockville"

by **target** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:03 am

scannest wrote:
JGJR wrote:The Outfield - I only know "Your Love" and I always thought it was power-pop-ish in the same way that say, Def Leppard's "Photograph" is, for example.

Def Leppard are also not power pop. Power Pop-y songs do not a Power Pop band make, as Yoda would say.

tell that to Jaybird!

by **lewdd** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:31 am

The original poster asked the following question: what are your favorite power pop songs of the 70's and 80's? Thus, if a non power pop band had a power pop song, it qualifies for being posted on this thread.

by **jaybird** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:43 am

lewdd wrote:The original poster asked the following question: what are your favorite power pop songs of the 70's and 80's? Thus, if a non power pop band had a power pop song, it qualifies for being posted on this thread.

Thank you.

by **target** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:48 am

jaybird wrote:
lewdd wrote:The original poster asked the following question: what are your favorite power pop songs of the 70's and 80's? Thus, if a non power pop band had a power pop song, it qualifies for being posted on this thread.

Thank you.

i stand corrected.

Website · by **JGJR** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 12:24 pm

scannest wrote:
JGJR wrote:The Outfield - I only know "Your Love" and I always thought it was power-pop-ish in the same way that say, Def Leppard's "Photograph" is, for example.

Def Leppard are also not power pop. Power Pop-y songs do not a Power Pop band make, as Yoda would say.

Agreed; that was implied in my statement. That song is power-pop enough that Todd Rundgren wrote a very similar-sounding song for Utopia after he was inspired by it, though. Just sayin'. :lol:

by **scannest** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 12:42 pm

My apologies for not paying attention. You're absolutely right - songs, not bands, that was the request.

by **jaybird** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 1:14 pm

I am relieved that we can put this whole unpleasantness behind us.

Apologies accepted all around.

by **scannest** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 1:40 pm

In that spirit of goodwill, here's the greatest Power Pop song by a non-power pop band.

Website · by **JGJR** » Tue Jul 13, 2021 2:22 pm

scannest wrote:In that spirit of goodwill, here's the greatest Power Pop song by a non-power pop band.

It's up there for me, too. I always liked that Dolls/Pistols riff. To be fair, though, there are about a half dozen Poison songs I really enjoy, though none more than that one and "Nothin' But a Good Time."

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