THE RUBINOOS - BOMB SHELTER (1996)

"Bomb Shelter" represented the third volume in a trilogy of previously unreleased Rubinoos recordings. Unlike "Basement Tapes" (1993) and "Garage Sale" (1994), "Bomb Shelter" has never been widely available. This collection of rarities (home demos, studio demos, rehearsals and other tracks) was compiled by Marty Rudnick (More Songs About Cars And Girls) with the kind authorization of the Rubinoos. Some of these tracks were later released on the Rubinoos Box Set (2007) and on the "Basement Tapes Plus" expanded reissue

The Rubinoos have just released "Hodgepodge" and also have a japan only release "One Two That's It", both can be purchased from the Rubinoos website.

Special note: A few years ago, I got a copy of Bomb Shelter with no artwork, i used the "black & white" one i found on the former official Rubinoos website . I received a few weeks ago some alternate "custom" artwork (fyi: it is orange) but it wasn't included here on purpose.

Songs
Handle With Care / Rhythm Of Love / Too Up To Feel Down / It's Magic / Two Of us / Dan's Aghast / Everybody's Got Somebody But Me / King Youth / Red Light / Animal Farm / The Good, The Bad & The Ugly / Snickers Commercial / Raga Doll / Mary's Wedding Day / Pepsi Generation / Nooshna Kavolta / Ugly Pugly / As Long As I'm With You / Juvenile Delinquent / Hyde Street Studios Commercial / The Point Of No Return / 96 Tears / Truck Stop / Voltron / Brandy / Revenge Of The Nerds / The Love You save / Audities Theme/ Handle With Care (Demo Version)

CALIFORNIA vs ILLINOIS THE INTERSTATE BATTLE Vol 1 (90's)

Back in the 60's, the most common question was : "are the beatles better than the stones", and if a battle of the songs had been settled up between the two bands, maybe there could have been a tie (i guess you all know "my" winner)...but on the length of time, while the fab four raised themselves to their legendary status of "greatest band of all time" , the london band was drowned in a pathetic try to continue as a parody act.

In the 70's, reading Bomp magazine, i remember Greg Shaw was featuring the bands according to the burgeoning local scenes. L.A, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland or New York, It's only a few years later that i remembered this while reading Yellow Pills and a small feature written by Jordan Oakes : "My city's better than yours: Pop Capitol of the Country".

Later again, there were some various compilations collecting bands from some famous "power pop areas", the "H2D" collection in the USA, "Pop Greetings" in Sweden and some less official releases.

So, all these elements lead me to try to expand this "Best City" feature, to an "Interstate Battle of the Power Pop Bands". And the first volume i decided to make is "California vs Illinois" (the 90's).

Special note: As i wanted a fair and gentle "battle", i asked Curt from PPO to take care of the Illinois State picks.

I sincerely hope you will enjoy all the fun about this and help us to settle more gentle battles of the same kind. Obviously, the artwork has been directly inspired by a 60's album called "The Battle of The Century".

And remember : YOU BE THE JUDGE AND JURY!

California : compiled by angelo (ppc)
Illinois : compiled by curt (ppo)

Click on pix for details

THE ONLY ONES - LIVE TV (2009)

The Only Ones performing live (a bunch of five songs, one song each day of the week) on a french TV set in March 2009, promoting the expanded reissues of their three vintage albums.

Video XviD4 PAL 720 x 384 two pass compression.

1 Another Girl, Another Planet (3'15 - 37 mb)
2 Miles From Nowhere (4'05 - 48 mb)
3 Flaming Torch (2'15 - 30 mb)
4 The Big Sleep (5'00 - 58 mb)
5 The Magic Tablet (3'01 - 35 mb)

THE BOBBIES - SUPERSONGS (1993)

Hailing from New-York, Kennie Cruz and The Bobbies self-released their only album in 1993. Kennie Cruz was also featured on some classic Tributes (Sweet, Bay City Rollers). Here's the review by Jordan Oakes in Yellow Pills #6 (Special 1994 Summer Issue) :
Those of you who appreciate the bubblegummy side of power pop may have noticed that almost nobody is purveying that particular sound anymore. There are suddenly enough Big Star disciples to fill a crowd scene in a Clint Eastwood movie, but just try finding a combo that takes its cues from Kasenetz Katz Singing Orchestral Circus. Well The Bobbies aren't quite that - the no-nonsense guitars keep their musical tummies firm - but a song like "The Ballad Of Me And You" is an exercise in perfect bubblegum, and not once do they blow it. "What Else Is there To Say" is the way Herman's Hermits should've sounded, "Afraid To Fall" is a veritable lesson in pop back-up harmonies, and there's even an intermission to simulate the obsolete chore of switching to side two. My favorite is "Don't Hold Me Back" but the all the rest is worth chewing on. For fans of the Ohio Express, the Speedies, Milk'n'Cookies, even LMNOP. A must. Jordan Oakes.

Songs
You Cannot Deny / money Makes Honey / The Ballad Of Me And You / Afraid To Fall / What Else Is There To Say / Your Touch / Don't Hold Me Back (That Look) / Please Pleasing-Eyed Lady / What We Need Is Love / The Man That Time Left Behind

RED LETTER DAY - RED LETTER DEMOS

Hailing from San Francisco, Red Letter Day (Gino Nave, John Reinert and Ernie Taira) have managed to become a cult group and will stay in history of Power Pop as one of the most elusive band of the era. Red Letter Day released their self produced album in 1996 to critical acclaim. The album evoked the best of power pop, Shoes, Jellyfish, The Posies or even Off Broadway. Red Letter Day were also featured on the Bam Balam Explosion # 5 with an exclusive song "Bubblegum" which was part of a bunch of demos recorded by the band. Those demos have never been officially released (except "Bubblegum"). Here they are at last in full stereo.

Today, Gino Nave and John Reinert have formed Achievements in Sound and have released two albums full of amazing power pop a la Squeeze/McCartney: "Microbeings" (2005) and "The Swim-Wade Threshold" (2008) which are available on itunes, they also played on the excellent Jarret Cooper's "Sorry For The Wait" (2008).

Special note: I got these pristine demos a while back from the same power pop fan, but they were all unnamed, so they got shelved until i could title them. That day came recently when i got some help from Curt & Mick who had found a different source with the names but with a lesser sound quality. As usual, i made the artwork using parts of the original Red Letter Day CD. A PPC exclusive.

Songs
1 Feels Like Gulliver / Shangri-La / Try / The Man Who Invented Wheel / Spirit Your Blues Away / Live Eternally / Bubblegum / Baby Takes A Train / Still Feel The Sting / I Scream In Code / Water / Seize The Day / Red Letter Day / Hero / Never The One / Transition Time

2 I Go Crazy (Alt Version 1) / I Go Crazy / Olympia / Nice Girls / For You / M.Grey / Proving Ground / Heaven / Hazy Jane / Goodbye / Is Everybody Satisfied / Better Beginning / M.Grey (Alt Version 1) / I Go Crazy (Alt Version 2) / Come To My Place

I know it shouldn't have happened, but it happened, Some of you may have noticed there was one song "Oldest Story In The World" that was missing in action. So, please accept my apologies for that flaw. The ones who previously grabbed the concert will only have to click on the link to complete the Plimsouls concert live on WFMU. (and renumber their files of course) "[07] The Oldest Story In The World "

The link for the full concert has now been updated. See below.