"Power pop might be having a moment in 2023"--From your lips to Todd's ears! Or, Eric Carmen's, for that matter! Great observation, Kevin, and you might be right (I should live so long, I'm used to thinking....about power pop having any really TRUE moment)!! But, even if it does, I'd shudder that it would just be grabbed by the money-makers, and they'd bastardize it like has been done so many times before with "big moments" (see disco, punk, Urban Cowboy craze, even grunge)!
I was actually turned on to MI by one of my dutiful youthers...one of the teens (when I was a professional SoCal youth minister late-'80s/early-'90s) probably played "Valerie" for me.
I had "trained" them to "be on the lookout" for new sounds, and they loved me sharing all my Tull/Genesis/classic rock and power pop with them from my '70s/'80s record biz/collecting days! It was kinda like we do here...."hey, have you heard THIS?", just without the computer connection! Great times (and lads) they were!
Meanwhile, I might slap your brilliant line I quoted at the top onto a t-shirt!!😉👍
Truly amazing lads....Jon, Jason, Joe, Brian, Scott....we were all skaters, too! In my early 30s, and never having skateboarded in my youth, I rode one of theirs, and managed to not only dig it, but I stayed on!! I took a couple to a skate shop, and said, "Money's no object. Pick out the components that would make your perfect board!" I became one of their skating gang! More on all that (and them) in a lurking future post!
T-shirt? You bet....and, I know to get a Small....about like so?:👕😉
They have a few others on this debut alone! "Renee Remains The Same," "Diane," "Lil' Christine"...I dated a girl named Christine in college and so that was a big deal at the time.
I'm happy to hear it! In my experience, they shined bright but fast (at least in PDX, where I was living). I don't remember seeing this on MTV a whole lot, even on 120 Minutes. Maybe I just missed it?
Let's not forget another legendary power pop band that had roots in Chicago, Cheap Trick (OK, Rockford, but still). I know they influenced Smashing Pumpkins in some ways and I feel like some of their power poppiness rubbed off on the Ish. I absolutely adore this band.
I always thought they were British! The band name (Material Issue does not conjure images of the mid-west), Ellison's faux-British accent, his mis-aligned teeth and single hoop earring are further evidence to my mistaken origin story. I'm gonna have to go back and listen to the whole album again with an Illinoisian ear.
I am enjoying Valerie Loves Me, on more ways than one. Yesterday was Valentines Day, a contrived celebration of love to generate sales of cards and flowers. I gave a card with flowers on it to the love of my life, Valerie. On the 22 day of the 2nd month of 1992, at 2:22 I married Valerie. Apart from all that love I quite enjoyed Material Issue and will have to spend some time finding out more about them and their music.
Thanks Kevin, yes, last years was good. As a matter of fact they have all been good. A little backstory. I had know Valerie and her family through church and had been friends with her Dad for some time, we would go out and do things like going to a stamp show or a museum. I wanted to go out to a botanical gardens, but that is better with company and Pops wasn't available so I asked his daughter Valerie if she would go with me. Valerie and I had a splendid day together and afterwards he went her way and I went mine. Her way included a trip through the mountains with her friends and for reasons unknown she bought a t-shirt for me. Remember, I was only a casual friend at this time. We started having phone conversations and then going out together, and then came a goodnight kiss. Followed shortly thereafter by a loving kiss, and lots of phone calls. After two weeks of that I asked Pops out for breakfast and asked him if I could propose to Valerie, he blessed it. I bought the ring and waited for the weekend because we were going to Symphony Under The Stars. What I didn't know was that she had invited a couple of her friends to join us so the proposal in the park didn't happen. I drove her home and asked if I could come in for a while, it was a Saturday so there was no rush to get shut eye. In her living room I got down on one knee to propose, she gave me a stunned look and said, "You've got to be kidding." I told her I wasn't and she said "Yes." Dated for three weeks, got engaged, got married and now we celebrate the fact that I wasn't kidding.
After many decades, I gave it another try and while it feels less calculated than it did at the time, the faux British accent is still a lorry ride too far...
Iowa City was a great place to be back in the late 80s, early 90s. I got there just as The Replacements had imploded but there was a strong Minneapolis presence(plenty of Twin Tone artists). My first show at Gabe's was Soul Asylum. One of my last at Gabe's was Mudhoney & Soundgarden. We had a bunch of great local bands that made a little noise nationally (Full Fathom Five, Dangtrippers , Head Candy)
"Power pop might be having a moment in 2023"--From your lips to Todd's ears! Or, Eric Carmen's, for that matter! Great observation, Kevin, and you might be right (I should live so long, I'm used to thinking....about power pop having any really TRUE moment)!! But, even if it does, I'd shudder that it would just be grabbed by the money-makers, and they'd bastardize it like has been done so many times before with "big moments" (see disco, punk, Urban Cowboy craze, even grunge)!
I was actually turned on to MI by one of my dutiful youthers...one of the teens (when I was a professional SoCal youth minister late-'80s/early-'90s) probably played "Valerie" for me.
I had "trained" them to "be on the lookout" for new sounds, and they loved me sharing all my Tull/Genesis/classic rock and power pop with them from my '70s/'80s record biz/collecting days! It was kinda like we do here...."hey, have you heard THIS?", just without the computer connection! Great times (and lads) they were!
Meanwhile, I might slap your brilliant line I quoted at the top onto a t-shirt!!😉👍
I love that you had your own mini street team going back then! And the shirt? That sounds awesome. Put me down for at least one. lol.
Truly amazing lads....Jon, Jason, Joe, Brian, Scott....we were all skaters, too! In my early 30s, and never having skateboarded in my youth, I rode one of theirs, and managed to not only dig it, but I stayed on!! I took a couple to a skate shop, and said, "Money's no object. Pick out the components that would make your perfect board!" I became one of their skating gang! More on all that (and them) in a lurking future post!
T-shirt? You bet....and, I know to get a Small....about like so?:👕😉
Saw these guys in '92 at a festival in Iowa City. 'Diane' makes me smile every time I play it.
Nice! Did Iowa City get a lot of shows back then? Maybe they still do?
Good song, Kevin. There are a bunch of Valerie songs...playlist?
Challenge accepted! And now I have Steve Winwood's "Valerie" stuck in my head.
Nice!
Oh, wow, don't remember this band. Did they specialize is song with women's names as titles? Ha! Great stuff. Got me instantly.
They have a few others on this debut alone! "Renee Remains The Same," "Diane," "Lil' Christine"...I dated a girl named Christine in college and so that was a big deal at the time.
Ha! Funny how that works, isn't it?
I'm happy to hear it! In my experience, they shined bright but fast (at least in PDX, where I was living). I don't remember seeing this on MTV a whole lot, even on 120 Minutes. Maybe I just missed it?
Let's not forget another legendary power pop band that had roots in Chicago, Cheap Trick (OK, Rockford, but still). I know they influenced Smashing Pumpkins in some ways and I feel like some of their power poppiness rubbed off on the Ish. I absolutely adore this band.
I hadn't thought of that, but I think you're right!
And yeah; Rockford =/= Chicago, no matter how hard the city tries to convince people otherwise.
I always thought they were British! The band name (Material Issue does not conjure images of the mid-west), Ellison's faux-British accent, his mis-aligned teeth and single hoop earring are further evidence to my mistaken origin story. I'm gonna have to go back and listen to the whole album again with an Illinoisian ear.
You weren't the only one. It didn't help that in a lot of pictures, Ellison looked like he had raided Jim Reid's closet.
I am enjoying Valerie Loves Me, on more ways than one. Yesterday was Valentines Day, a contrived celebration of love to generate sales of cards and flowers. I gave a card with flowers on it to the love of my life, Valerie. On the 22 day of the 2nd month of 1992, at 2:22 I married Valerie. Apart from all that love I quite enjoyed Material Issue and will have to spend some time finding out more about them and their music.
Happy belated anniversary! What a great wedding story- I'll bet last year's was a lot of fun too ('22, 30th, etc.).
Thanks Kevin, yes, last years was good. As a matter of fact they have all been good. A little backstory. I had know Valerie and her family through church and had been friends with her Dad for some time, we would go out and do things like going to a stamp show or a museum. I wanted to go out to a botanical gardens, but that is better with company and Pops wasn't available so I asked his daughter Valerie if she would go with me. Valerie and I had a splendid day together and afterwards he went her way and I went mine. Her way included a trip through the mountains with her friends and for reasons unknown she bought a t-shirt for me. Remember, I was only a casual friend at this time. We started having phone conversations and then going out together, and then came a goodnight kiss. Followed shortly thereafter by a loving kiss, and lots of phone calls. After two weeks of that I asked Pops out for breakfast and asked him if I could propose to Valerie, he blessed it. I bought the ring and waited for the weekend because we were going to Symphony Under The Stars. What I didn't know was that she had invited a couple of her friends to join us so the proposal in the park didn't happen. I drove her home and asked if I could come in for a while, it was a Saturday so there was no rush to get shut eye. In her living room I got down on one knee to propose, she gave me a stunned look and said, "You've got to be kidding." I told her I wasn't and she said "Yes." Dated for three weeks, got engaged, got married and now we celebrate the fact that I wasn't kidding.
What a story! I love it. That must've been an awkward couple of seconds between "you've got be kidding me" and "yes!".
After many decades, I gave it another try and while it feels less calculated than it did at the time, the faux British accent is still a lorry ride too far...
I see what you did there. :)
Iowa City was a great place to be back in the late 80s, early 90s. I got there just as The Replacements had imploded but there was a strong Minneapolis presence(plenty of Twin Tone artists). My first show at Gabe's was Soul Asylum. One of my last at Gabe's was Mudhoney & Soundgarden. We had a bunch of great local bands that made a little noise nationally (Full Fathom Five, Dangtrippers , Head Candy)
What a list! Sounds like a fantastic era. I never did see Mudhoney, Soul Asylum, or Soundgarden. I sure wish I had.
I love Material Issue. International Pop Overthrow is great, of course, but I am all in on Freak City Soundtrack. So underrated.
Underrated indeed!