Power Pop may have been defined for all time by the music of Badfinger, Raspberries and Big Star. But it was Pete Townshend who coined the phrase "power pop" years earlier when describing the music of The Who.
Post-1970, most of what The Who released had little to do with the aformentioned trio and their style of music. But from 1965-1969, it's more than reasonable to think, The Who's music could have truly been the beginning of the genre.
It's been a few hours since a new Who reissue was released, but as long as the labels want to keep repackaging the same music over and over, might I suggest "Who's Power Poppin'."
Hell, I'd buy it!
THE WHO- WHO'S POWER POPPIN'
SIDE ONE
Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
Our Love Was
Man With Money
Pictures Of Lily
Much Too Much
It's Not True
The Kids Are Alright
I Can't Reach You
SIDE TWO
So Sad About Us
Early Morning Cold Taxi
Happy Jack
La-La-La Lies
Substitute
Disguises
I'm Free
I Can't Explain
19 comments:
Waiting for the weekend mix to download.
Finally someone who understands the origin of Power Pop. Mix in the Hollies and there you go.
Captain Al
What a fantastic compilation! I would say not many songwriters had an output like this in one style, then changed course and built the rest of their career on a different style, successfully, without ever going back to what got them started.
Bryan
I couldn't agree more.
A perfect balance of singles with deep tracks. A Power Pop MBB and B/Rosetta Stone. Thanks for this
OK, OK, I'll have to concede the Power Pop argument. I have always seen Power Pop (Raspberries, Badfinger, Big Star) as inspired by the British Invasion bands of the sixties (and there are plenty of writers who have proffered the same definition). So if we're going to include the originals that inspired later power pop bands, that means the Who, yes, and Hollies, but also Searchers, Dave Clark Five, Small Faces, Beatles, Mindbenders, Troggs, early Kinks, Pretty Things, the Move,and others. Also non-British bands Beach Boys, Easybeats, Tommy James and the Shondells, Paul Revere and the Raiders, and the Buckinghams. Pete Townsend may have coined the term, but he didn't invent the genre.
If we are discussing the Who's output between 1965-1969, versus the output of the bands mentioned above between 1965-1969, I think The Who were far more consistent in making "power pop." Small Faces and Pretty Things shouldn't be considered at all. Sorry. Both rooted in R&B and soul.
The Kinks output from 65-69 is arguably better than The Who, but any signs of power pop are few and far between, regardless of how melodic Ray was from "Kinda Kinks" to Arthur."
I initially got sucked in to Power Pop big-time in the late '90's listening to Myracle Brah, DM3, Orange Humble Band, The Shazam, etc. I realize the Power Pop genre covers a wide spectrum of 'sounds' from a large pool of artists. Numerous people have mentioned the triumvirate of Raspberries/Badfinger/Big Star. I've never considered the latter two bands as Power Pop - their output was just so diverse and consisted of so many other stylings.
Perfect PP mix for The Who!
Randy
"Numerous people have mentioned the triumvirate of Raspberries/Badfinger/Big Star. I've never considered the latter two bands as Power Pop - their output was just so diverse and consisted of so many other stylings."
I couldn't agree more.
I love the Beach Boys and the Hollies more than most bands. And I also love The Searchers, Tommy James, Mindbenders, Paul Revere. But what's missing there is the word "power."
I never considered the term "power pop" until The Posies in.the 80's.
I made the Who PP playlist in Qobuz and I'm looking forward to enjoying it.
Buddy Holly and The Crickets as a 1950’s example.
Captain Al
Fantastic mix. Thanks!
Hmmm. I never thought of The Who as a power pop band but you've made a hell of an argument with this playlist.
You can find 5/8 bands who fit in this genre but most had one off hits. The Who were the most consistent with Townshend having amassed a pretty good catalog in '68/'69 - saw them in '68, swinging mike and wind mills
Hi Sal, off topic but thanks for the reggae album of the week - new to me, and great! Very little info that I can find on the web about Ricky Grant.
Very true. I think the most power pop The Kinks ever got was War Is Over from UK Jive.
Sal, just curious - what's your favorite song in the mix?
Randy
"The Kids Are Alright" is one of my favorite songs by anybody. So that!
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