Showing posts with label Power Pop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Power Pop. Show all posts

Friday, June 26, 2026

The Exploding Hearts - Live On KBOO, May 2003 (White Trash Soul Real R'n'R No.14)


This is a band that I was practically the same age as back then and I listened to them fanatically. Unfortunately, as (perhaps) everyone knows by now, the story of the Exploding Hearts is a tragic one: Three of its members died in a car accident while returning from a show that would have put them in the big league. These Portland powerpopers were barely in their twenties and were about to sign a major deal with the label of Green Day and The Queers, Lookout! Records, which was a big deal back then. And they had just released a modern classic, "Guitar Romantic", on Screaming Apple which received a huge amount of positive reviews that compared them to The Buzzcocks, The Chords and The Undertones. Each melody on the band's sole album feels clearly visible, yet the reverberations of Motown and Bomp! Records are so charming and infectious that it's hard to label them as pale imitators, because they weren't. 

Let's face it, the Exploding Hearts were the answer to the question of what punk rock with POP sensibilities should have sounded like in a world after "Dookie". Twenty-three years later, "Guitar Romantic" has emerged from obscurity to become a widely recognised and appreciated cornerstone of its era. I'm still proudly sporting their t-shirt (I've made a new one, the old one doesn't fit anymore, you know middle age stuff), apart from writing this post and trying to pass on their brilliance to a younger generation of punk rock and powerpop fans.

So, here's an amazing artefact by them on KBOO. The session was recorded during the station's long-running punk rock programme, 'Life During Wartime' two months before their untimely earth escape. This broadcast is one of the few high-quality, documented recordings of their live performances and the line up is featuring King Louie Bankston on keys.

PS: A page about a documentary on them used to be seen on Instagram, but the updates were suddenly halted. If the creators or producers ever stop by this site, please leave a message 'cause I need to get my hands on this.

Dedicated to the memory of Adam Cox, Jeremy Gage, Matt Fitzgerald and Louie Bankston. #StillShattered

Friday, May 29, 2026

Choo Choo Train - Supersonic Pure Pop Sounds (WTS Popkid No.10)

 

The American pop tradition was and still is protected by Ric Menck, its original flame keeper. Best known as the drummer for the cult power pop band Velvet Crush, Ric has also released countless singles under various names, including indie pop darlings The Springfields and Choo Choo Train, for legendary labels such as Sarah and The Subway Organisation. Along with his long-time partner in crime, Paul Chastain, he is the quintessential manufacturer of modern US pop nuggets. I mean, whenever a copy of Ugly Things magazine lands on my doorstep, I read Ric's column first. He's the one who first got me into Big Star, and he's the one who made me think differently about 60s psychedelic pop. Before I'd even heard it, I used to hate this genre, thinking it was just hippie nonsense. What a moron I was! So, as you probably imagined Ric's a very important figure to me, just like Greg Prevost or Bobby Gillespie.

Menck formed Choo Choo Train with Chastain in the late '80s and with a tiny budget (a $500 loan from a good friend) they recorded most of these compilation's songs. These tunes are now highly regarded (and rightly so) as a cornerstone of late '80s Powerpop and Indie Pop! I can still clearly remember the first time I heard 'Briar Rose', I was completely floored... It was half "Pet Sounds"-era Beach Boys and half 'Sally Cinnamon'-era Stone Roses! Future generations of Lenny Kayes will be amazed when they compile it. 

If someone were to ask me why I created this compilation when similar ones are already available officially, I would simply say that the reason is that they don't include everything! I put together this collection as a love letter to the Menck/Chastain songwriting partnership and I believe it contains all the material that this underrated yet astonishing duo released under that name (including singles, b-sides, EPs, stray or flexi tracks etc). The sleeve was also designed using elements from their singles artwork and fanzine pieces about them.

Listening to the songs in the chronological order they were released is a constant exploration of pop culture. Monsters from the '60s coexist with their '70s and '80s counterparts. Syd Barrett with Alex Chilton, Brian Wilson with Paul Collins, and the Left Banke with New Order! Man, there's also a live rendition of an Iggy Pop track from his still underrated "Party" album! 

Anyway, if you're into Anglophile, tambourine-heavy, Byrdsian psychedelic pop with ringing guitars and sugary harmonies, here's your fix. 

Monday, September 1, 2025

The Someloves – Something Or Other (Mushroom, 1990)

 

The Someloves were spearheaded by Dom Mariani and Darryl Mather, who were also members of two other (now legendary) Australian garage revival outfits, The Stems and The Lime Spiders. Following the dissolution of The Stems, Mariani formed the new band with Mather.

In 1989, Mushroom Records allocated a budget of $60,000 for an album. Most of the recordings took place at Planet Studios in Perth with various musicians, including Robbie Scorer on drums, Tony Italiano on bass, and Mitch and Angie Easter on guitars and keyboards respectively. The resulting album, Something or Other, was released in 1990.

The Someloves' sole LP is one of the greatest lost power pop masterpieces of the modern era — words like 'jangly', 'chiming' and 'hook-filled' don't even begin to do it justice. Although the album was originally released to unanimous critical acclaim, the band refused to perform live. As a result, the label dropped them, which essentially killed the band and drove a wedge between the two friends.

The production (with overdubs and mixing done at Mitch Easter's studio) is more layered and nuanced than many such releases, occasionally, it evokes the sounds of a more indie pop-oriented Big Star. It would have been a hit. But it wasn't. This means it is mainly (sadly) appealing to the power pop cult. Whatever...


Monday, August 25, 2025

The Chords by Paolo Hewitt (NME Essentials, 2004)


(Right click and select 'open link in new tab' for full scans resolution)


Saturday, July 12, 2025

The Boys - "Boys Only Demos 1980" (White Trash Soul Real R'n'R No.3)

Boys' fourth album, 'Boys Only', remains a divisive record. People either praise it or slaughter it; there's nothing in the middle. The truth is that their last album of their first period — I mean, before the mid-life reform — was a bit deranged. I have no problem at all: power-pop, guitar-driven brilliance, and quite possibly a template for later bands like The Exploding Hearts or The Cute Lepers. As a long-time fan of theirs, I'm not objective, but I'm trying, as you can see. Anyway, the demos they cut for this LP are unbeatable, and to my ears they sound far better. It's raw, hard-edged pop, just like the early Romantics releases or anything Bomp! issued back then. You should definitely try them.

Dedicated to the memory of Honest John Plain.

Saturday, June 28, 2025

Cute Lepers - WFMU, East Orange NJ, 07-09-11 (Radio Broadcast, Bootleg)

 

I was dusting off my back-up HDDs this morning and stumbled upon this awesome radio broadcast of The Cute Lepers from 2011 on WFMU. I admit it, I love the Briefs, but the Cute Lepers were everything I like about punk rock. With one foot in early 80s power pop and the other one in the late 70s British mod revival. Imagine the early Rezillos singles, the Boys' first two albums with a good dose of The Chords and a retarded reverence for Johnny Thunders. Sound quality is excellent and so is the performance! Can't remember where I found it to give credit, my apologies in advance to the original uploader.

Thursday, June 19, 2025

The Taxi Boys - Taxi Boys (White Trash Soul Real R'n'R No.1)

 

The poor sales of the Real Kids’ first LP prompted Felice to become a roadie for the Ramones, but soon after returned to Boston and formed the Taxi Boys (the name was obviously taken from an old Real Kids song), whose two EPs continued the Real Kids' tradition of the highly energetic 60s influenced garage rock 'n' roll, only a little poppier production wise. Felice and the gang (half former Real Kids members and half future ones) are in fine form on both. The Taxi Boys dates from 1980 to 1981, and the last thing they released was in 1982, but by then they had returned to the Real Kids name again. After all, all these songs were written as Kids songs, according to John Felice. 

Gathered here are all their recordings as Taxi Boys of course and if you need a few pointers to go on, there's still plenty of Eddie Cochran guitars and Heartbreakers-esque melodies, only this time filtered through the Shoes or the Flamin Groovies from the late 70s point of view. 

Monday, October 31, 2016

The Real Kids - "The Real Kids" (LP, Red Star Records / Bronze Records - 1977)

Hmmmm... It's quite difficult to write something 'new' for a band like The Real Kids, especially if you have done it already in the past... I mean, really now, is there anyone in here not knowing who the Real Kids are/were and what they've done? Come on! And I'm sure many of you lads and ladies, have this and the other Real Kids stuff already by the Norton reissue program just like me, am I right? So why this?! Because The Real Kids' 1977 debut is the perfect rock 'n' roll record, that's why! Recorded in three nights at the Ultima studios in New York City and it's the perfect blend of captivating power pop melodies and fiery teen punk energy. And this is the UK pressing of their debut monument, ripped by the man with the best ears and equipment around, the mighty Jean-Phillipe! A reason enough to grab this one more time and crank it up to your fuckin' boring neighbors!

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Velvet Crush - "Teenage Symphonies to God" (CD, Creation - 1994)

If authentic pop music had a proper revival movement like the garage had back in the 80s, Velvet Crush would have been definitely its Chesterfield Kings or something! A classic power pop band from Rhode Island hooked in melodies and filled with hooks without being/sounding "retro" a bit. Based more though in the U.S. tradition of the genre instead of the Brit, they had both feet settled on what Big Star, the after surf Beach Boys and the early Gene Clark era Byrds have than say the Beatles or the Who. And for these recordings, to yours truly their best effort still, they assorted Mitch Easter for the producer's chair and hijacked for the album title the famous now Brian Wilson quote about "SMiLE", so I guess no surprise at all that this came out from the Creation Records producing line, right?! A really lost 90s classic to be placed along Teenage Fanclub and Gigolo Aunts records. Believe me, the "CONTEMPORARY POP MUSIC" decoration, has a very good reason hangin' up there! Amazing artwork on the sleeve too, I should make a tee someday with this Chucks wearing cool lad, right?!

Saturday, July 11, 2015

The Bobbyteens - "Fast Livin' & Rock N Roll" (CD, Estrus - 1999)

In diverse with the situation in my country nowadays (key word: dramatic) my spirit's quite alright. After all I get to used to it with all that shit... I belong to the "lucky" 40% of the population that still has a job but we have to fight for all the others that sank long ago and their lives are deep in misery... I think my beautiful family and rock & roll are some real strong weapons to keep me agile and sane...

Anyway,Tina Lucchesi was and still is the coolest/greatest rockarollah of my generation! She drummed, sang and wrote some seriously catchy songs and oh, she supervised a way cool label for more than fuckin' two decades man! Don't wait up from me to tell you the tale, I'm here to provide just a piece from the brilliant route of she and her many outfits.

And so that is The Bobbyteens! An hormone driven underground "supergroup" with all eyes on boys and bubbleglam pop with demented Chuckster licks, sweet and wet 60s girl group vocals ala Shirelles and an full on attractive amateurish delivery. Imagine an updated Nikki and the Corvettes version with a lot of The Dictators early spirit!! If you still trust my taste (and you should, I've never let you down) believe me this is better than Joan Jett and you know what, I LUV Joanie...  Ultra classic 90s debut with Joey Ramone / Greg Shaw 100% approved teen rock & roll!


Saturday, May 30, 2015

Mother's Children - "Dance To The Rock'n'Roll Band" (7" Pink marbled, Going Gaga Records/ Shang-A-Lang Records - 2009)

I never really liked bands like Jellyfish or Weezer or Teenage Fanclub... OK, I'm lying here a bit. Teenage Fanclub were great actually and Weezer had their good moments sometimes (Jellyfish are still shite though) but these bands are definitely not what I have in my mind as "powerpop". As far as I know, the term belongs to the great Greg Shaw and even though he liked stupid things like ABBA thankfully never released something like it... So things like the Romantics, The Rubinoos, The Shoes and The Nerves are what from day one I too tag as "powerpop" in my vocabulary. Pop bands with a well hidden (sometimes) smell of raw rock and roll!

Among the very best the last few years are Mother's Children from Ottawa Canada. In fact Canada rules the powerpop game nowadays and has quite many and quite excellent gangs around (The Mandates, Fashionism, First Base and Nervous Talk are the first my mind brings swiftly - try them, without question WTS approved outfits) but Mother's Children topped them all with their glamified powerpop n' roll! What really makes these guys special (except for their amazing hooks, harmonies and riffs) are the drumbeats. Seriously now, this guy here's the best thing I've heard behind the kickdrum since the early days of the Hellacopters (respect to Robban, Keith Moon's Swedish lovechild). 

That's their first and it's probably long ago out of print and I'm still not having it psychically. This rip belongs to the departed friend of mine Patrick, of the SOTD fame. Shit man, almost everyday I think of him and the legacy he left behind. There are bands recently discovered by me and it turns out that Pat had them way before me on his site... Anyway, these guys, Kurt Baker's projects, The Cry! and The Connection are combos Joey Ramone would be proud of, trust me! Support them fanatically. 

Friday, September 19, 2014

The Jam - "Zoo 5-track EP" (Promo CD, Polygram Greece - 1999)


















It took me a little to actually like Paul Weller, you know I'm a huge Clash fan ("They got Burton suits, Ha! you think it's funny... Turning rebellion into money"), but it was a prescribed route actually... The Small Faces and The Who influences, the American Soul/R&B worships, the Mod ethos and The Kinks totally British pop sensibilities... You know, I fell in the end (sorry Joe).
Once in a conversation we had with Brian Young (where are you man?) for the upcoming then 'Good Vibrations' movie, he wrote me this:

"The punk bands lied a lot more and made a lot of promises they never kept - or intended to..in fact for me the only punk I ever saw put his money where his mouth was - was Paul Weller who bankrolled several indie bands/labels/publications...but then Weller wasn't a spoilt rich brat like most of the so called punk spokesmen....oh and live the Jam could wipe the floor with all the other UK punk bands..believe me. Their singles are pretty flawless...."


I remember taking Joe Strummer's side and setting up a 'controversy' just to drag Brian more into this and tell me more of his brilliant memoirs (this guy must write a book, he's a great storyteller!!!) than anything else, he-he. Anyway, that's an official digipack Promo-CD from 1999, given away with the now defunct (and MOJO equivalent) ZOO magazine. It doesn't have something rare within its digital grooves, but I guess the existence of such a thing it's quite rare by itself, right?! And it has five of the best Jam songs ever as well.


Monday, August 25, 2014

The Prisoners - "Hurricane, The Best of The Prisoners" (CD, Big Beat - 2004)

The Prisoners were among the best (if not THEE best) European garage outfits of the last 25 years or so, period! And if this post would have to end for some reason on the previous quote, it would have been as well completed and justice given!
Really now, I don't know what else to say about them except of the same old cliché that luck was never on their side, as in (m)any of the cult heroes in the history of rock & roll... And that many of the 90s Britpop heroes had them as an obvious blueprint and icons. The Charlatans, The Stone Roses, The Inspiral Carpets, The Shed Seven and The Ocean Color Scene are for sure some among them. None of them though had the guts and the gusto The Prisoners had. I mean, look at The Strypes... Are they an imitation of a lower quality or what?! OK they're not, actually they're quite good but I had to abuse a little the current trends, you know...
Heavy influenced by the Pretty Things of the "Emotions" era and the Kinks (of course!) with a nice ad of Booker T & the MG's, were as much mods as garage revivalists.  Great songwriting skills, danceable rhythm section, raw sounding guitars and heavy Hammond grooves are (in) the Prisoners' DNA. And Graham Day's one of the best and most faithful Marriott students ever. There's a whole lotta soul in here, I'm not joking. These guys really knew where to look for inspiration in the midst of a decade full of bad taste. And as usual Ace/Big Beat guys, did a hell of a good job with this cause that's indeed band's "finest moments all wrapped up on a single CD". Forget Paul Weller, this is still Britain's best kept secret, this is the real shit! Then came the Prime Movers and the James Taylor Quartet...

Pic taken from Ace website

Saturday, May 24, 2014

The Plimsouls - "The Plimsouls...Plus" (CD, RCA/Rhino - 1992)

I'm going back and forth for an hour or so, staring at the screen having absolutely no idea what to write... I mean, come on you jerk, that's one of your fave bands ever and you don't know what to tell people about? I guess all this has something to do with their importance of course... 'Cause Peter Case's post-Nerves garage pop outfit still remains the untouchable "people need to know" band in my book. Yeah even better than Paul Collins Beat! The legend says for a moment Plimsouls were the hottest band in L.A. but Knack's success backfired the whole thing... So sad, cause unlike 99% of powerpop bands, Plimsouls seem to had their radars turned on the Stones early rock & soul ferocious dynamics than the Beatles sha-la-las. And that's why I guess I love 'em so much... That's the excellent 1992 Rhino reissue (don't know if there's another newer out-there) which collects their classic synonymous first album, the even more important and quite rare "Zero Hour" EP plus a bunch of B-sides. You don't need more at least for a start...


Sunday, October 13, 2013

The Ramones - "Leave Home" (LP, Sire - 1981~Italian Reissue)

Without any question the first six long plays by the Ramones are beyond any review policy (YES you must count "Pleasant Dreams" too, as an overlooked classic)! I bought for the first time "Ramones", "Leave Home" and "Rocket to Russia" about 20 years back, all three on the same day and I've played them a millions times ever since in their countless editions. "Leave Home" remains to this day my favorite Ramones output.

I guess a 'fave' item gets the prize/title by the way it fits with someone's character. And the Ramones second hit, did this for me instantly. A record title as laconic and to the point as their two and a half minute blasts. Vitriolic, sharp, impressible and funny (but never dumb as many dorks claiming) lyrics and with the often mentioned 'slicker' production by Tony Bongiovi and Tommy Ramone sounds to this day an even better approach than the one Phil Spector tried with "End of the Century"! A blasphemy? Probably but who cares anyway?! We're talking about punk rock here mate. Actually, we're talking about powerpop..!
I mean, dive your turntable's needle on the grooves and judge for yourself. Does any record by Elvis Costello or Dwight Twilley have more 'power' than this!? Come oooooooon! And when we're saying 'pop' we must agree on what we are talking about, OK? Cause I'm 100% with Joey's and Dee-Dee's side of thinking on what 'pop' is (or sadly... was). I fell in love with the Ramones because I was first in love with the Ronettes, the Crystals and the Shangri-las through the (very) few 45s of my parents. And "Leave Home" has many songs with the same over the top pop quality all these 60s girl groups had. And those pop blasting tunes are the ones that made me say from day one, "That's it, man"! Cause you can rave with any possible right from your side for trademark brudders songs like "Pinhead", "Commando" (fuckin' brilliant!!!) or "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment" but let me hassle now and go all the way for "Oh-Oh I Love Her So", "Babysitter", "Swallow My Pride" and "I Remember You" cause sorry brothers, those are the real stand-outs with the aforementioned top class pop quality! Give a listen to the pseudo Spector sounds and the woo-hoo vocal harmonies in here, and see downright that worked waaaaaaaayyy better than what Spector himself captured a few years later!
OK, clearly I can go on forever on every single track about this monument's knack, but I have to put a full stop now (I mean, I didn't even mention the unapproachable taste of the band by choosing to cover The Rivieras!).
So, we're perfectly sure by now that you did get the message from the "Italian Reissue" on the post's title, why we pick on something you probably have already and in many formats or editions. Yep, that's right, Jean Philippe's back again!

"I have checked various vinyl versions (8), and this is clearly the best one (to my ears). Japan original is probably better, but it's expensive. The French original sounds quite good, but it's got some very unpleasant distortion on several tracks. The recent Rhino reissue has also some pressing problems, and both US and UK originals are not great to my ears. All these pressings have harsh vocals & guitar, which may be viewed as 'rawness' (read: 'true punk sound'), but to me it sounds like pressing flaws. I don't know much about CD's, as I've only heard a Japanese remastered CD, and this cheap-looking Italian vinyl reissue (from 1981) sounds richer & cleaner to my ears. I like when inexpensive records sound the best!"
He-he, I'm sure you know straightly when my buddy's saying something about fidelity, can't do no wrong!

As I was going to bed for siesta, took with me Bomp's PowerPop Special issue from March 1978. Greg Shaw had seen on the Ramones the same things I was telling you in the lines upwards:

"The Ramones are now a pop group more than a punk band. Their aggressive wall of guitars sound has been accepted as part of the pop vocabulary, and where the mainstream of Punk has gone to greater extremes of offensiveness, the Ramones have become a very positive, life-affirming youth explosion. (...) If you can imagine the Beatles having emerged at a time when the doors of radio were more than momentarily shut against them, and making their first 3 albums without the benefit of any hits, you'd have it. (...) Someday, Dwight Twilley will be a star. And someday, the Ramones will be a legend."

As much as Greg's prophecy went to the dustbins about Twilley, the exactly opposite happened for the Ramones! Crank it up once again!

PS: "I Remember lying awake at night / And thinking just of you / But things don’t last forever / And somehow baby / They never really do"...  We miss you SO MUCH Joey and Dee-Dee...


Sunday, June 2, 2013

Flamin' Groovies - "Shake Some Action" (LP, Philips - 1976 ~ French original pressing)

You know, taking breaks from something you REALLY love, doesn't mean necessarily you won't be interested anymore. Something like this, happened to both of us here at WTS the previous months. I've started a new blog the previous year exclusively dedicated to my fave basketball team and as the games were getting tougher and the attention on this bigger, I naturally turned my head more into it (the back to back European Championship title didn't help things either but you know, I'm not complaining at all!). Same thing for JP. He had found a place (a 'sonic-masonic temple' in fact as I like to call it, I'm teasing you bro, he-he!) to share his knowledge and passion on all things technical that I'm not able to understand and get right and as a result of all these was more or less, this site to have fewer posts as it used to had...
But we're back! We sit our lazy ass down once again for a double shot of WAX love and some mo' cool things for your listening pleasure, starting with this!
Perfect timing's everything in life, right?! I had in my mind to 'reply' to my friend Gyro and his great recent  Flamin' Groovies posts on Twilight Zone with something 'rare', but JP and without knowing it gave me something even better! A European (French) pressing of the 'Shake Some Action' masterpiece!! "Big deal" some might say, "who needs another SSA post"? Well, everyone! As my buddy mailed me:

This French pressing sounds different from the US or Canada LP I've heard (and also different from CD). They are quite muddy. Not as bad as LAMF UK, but too much bass and not much highs.The French version solves this issue.

Boom! The basterd was right once again!! I've had it in two supposedly different CD versions previously (mind you, the one a Jap) and never ( I mean, NEVER!) heard before this POP jewel sounding SOOOOO good and fresh! I was totally aware of the good job Philips did back then with the single (who handled Sire releases in Europe and picked mysteriously on the amazing Capitol 'version 2' take for the single - a BRILLIANT MOVE!) but not for the long play!!! Do I need to say more?

PS: Stay tuned and check constantly for re-ups...


Saturday, April 13, 2013

The Nerves - "One Way Ticket" (CD, Alive - 2008)

Name your favorite power pop band quickly. Come on, you don't need to think about it, just drop the name your mind's database finds first.
Flamin' Groovies? OK, an obvious choice, but what I need is something less obvious, so drop another...
Badfinger? Mmmm, I'm sure you can do better, too boogie to fit in don't you think?
Cheap Trick? Way cool, but those hard rock twists they got sometimes... don't know.
The Raspberries? Wimpy and campy, you know...
Big Star? Now, you're talking man, but... a bit dark for a springtime post... Remind me about them when the winter is setting in, OK?
Dwight Twilley? Oh great! Wait a minute... I'm not in the mood to make a vinyl rip now man. I know I'm a lazy bastard but since Jean Philippe came to pic, my mind's have cool down about it so...
The Nerves? BINGO! I thought you never gonna tell it man! You know, I must admit I'm cheating a little here cause that's what I had in my mind from the first moment but I thought it was easily for someone knowing my taste which is probably my fave powerpop group, man! The words 'seminal', 'trademark', 'irresistible', 'ultimate' are synonymous with the Nerves short lived existence. What you get here's everything! The beyond any critic classic 7'' EP, the embryonic Paul Collin's Beat diamonds ("Walking Out on Love", "Working Too Hard", "You Won't Be Happy"), bonus studio material, live and demos. More or less the varia Nerves output. I adore Paul Collins Beat's first two and all Plimsouls works equally but let this be the subject of another time's case. After this, you have really no excuse to cite "Hangin' on the Telephone" as a Blondie tune...


Saturday, January 19, 2013

The Boyfriends (USA) - "I Don't Want Nobody (I Want You)" / "You're The One" (7" Single, Bomp - 1978)

I was checking up lately some old stuff and came to this great band and single. The Boyfriends from New York had some great power pop blood running through their veins (The Poppees) and as a result of this, some more great tunes! This Bomp seven inch has a special place among my favorites for what is known to this day as 'powerpop'. The reason why is not that difficult for someone to imagine it when the needle make its dive. Cause both tracks are some great examples of raw pop & roll jewels with a heavy Heartbreakers influence upon them. And on "I don't want nobody" exists this great Stooges drum beat ruffle ("No Fun" obviously) - elevating the song in the 'irresistible' heights of sentiments! As far as I know they had another one on Signal (1981, "Wrapped Up in a Dream" / "Same Old Song") which was equally good but clearly in more pop oriented paths. But this...WOW! Imagine Johnny Thunders' gang with all their girly pop influences up front and you're in. No wonder really why the Ramones chose to cover an unrecorded gem of theirs for the 'Subterranean Jungle' ("I Need Your Love"). Joey was nuts about pop vignettes like these, and so am I !!!