Gah! Great interview and a terrific read but dammit, no Fools Face. Maybe it's just a regional thing but they did get to Los Angeles, they did work their asses off, and they did make three of the finest Power Pop albums EVER. Here to Observe, Tell America, and Public Places are lifeblood to me and should be for everyone else who embraces terrific song craft.
I thought the same thing, Alan. I'm guessing it was explored by David and a wall was hit. It was my experience 20+ years ago.
Fools Face befuddles me quite deeply and there's a story there, I never quite could get the right read on back in the Not Lame Recordings days because I wanted to reissue those releases. (I enquired when NL was selling the CD in fairly large amounts but never got a response, that I can recall)
Randomly, a few weeks back, I found a copy of the FF reunion record and I was triggered yet again. Still no reissues of the 3 albums and cassette tape releases.
One would guess it's the old trope of 'bad, bitter blood' because it's been so, so long with nothing - and the time window is closing because we're all getting older, right?! I hope that's not the case but *is* particularly inexplicable - and their fans back in the day were legion, especially in their home town. It just strikes me as...well, wrong.
Thanks for the reply. Dale, Jimmy, and Brian are like family to me (I too am from Springfield, MO). Tommy and Jim, yeah…
But, I can put you in touch with those guys directly and Brian Coffman, I imagine, would be your best bet. Those guys play together quite often so bad blood, I don’t think so.
Well, I've been out of 'the biz' for some time now, but very, very glad to hear it's not the old 'bad blood' trope. Sadly, in terms of doing reissues, my time for that has passed but, man, I would have loved(loved!!) to have taken them on back in the day.
The torch is the hands of others now. If they wanted do the reissues themselves I would be more than more than happy to help w/ finding CD designer, manufacturer, liner notes writers - which, honestly, would not be too hard as I can think of 6 or 7 off top of my head who would love to write them(myself included).
David Laing will know some good labels on the reissue side of things that could do it right but my recommendation would be get in touch with Cheryl Pawelski and Brad Rosenberger at Omnivore Recordings - as they show exquisite good taste, large dosages of passion and knowledge of the power pop genre and have rock solid distribution.
This would be greatly celebrated event in power pop with an announcement of a reissue campaign happening, and a full on rallying of the troops to get the good word out.
Honestly, at this stage and so many years on, I would be hard pressed to think of an indie power pop band which would electrify fans more than Fools Face. This would be very much an 'event' in the power pop world.
Wow, Bruce. Well consider the worm turned. This isn’t a project I’ve considered taking on but your last paragraph is a pretty good noise maker. Maybe I’ll put a word out to my friend, Holly, and see what she thinks. She’s an insider. I appreciate the back and forth.
What a great interview and even though I know a bit about Power Pop I'm no expert and this interview has given me so many bands I don't know to check out now. Thanks!
This comp might be *the* collection I've looked forward to in years. Once I had a look at the track selection, it's a salivating experience waiting to be sated(or something like that). David Laing not only has clearly done an outstanding curation job but displays a deep, passionate experience for the right amount of 'coulda/shouda been' artists to make this a must-have. Plus, he's a legend from Down Under for power pop fans 'in the know'.
These last five years or so, with all these kinds of collections coming out(in many genres), the aspect I most look forward to is...reading the liner notes. I'm sure I'm far from the only one.
S.W., truly great interview to pull out David's keen quality eye. I could feel David's excitement to answer line of questioning. I can't recall going to YouTube from an article/blog post so many times to check out tracks I had never heard of before - and getting lost down the YT hole.
That’s high praise coming from you, Bruce. And I always love when David stops by RTL, as an interviewee or a contributor to the newsletter and Guitar Pop Journals. (PS: Liner notes are pretty great for this one!)
Well, thanks back at ya! Actually, in general, since I'm out of the loop these days, your Substack keeps me highly informed and aware of what's going on that matters. Always something new and good to encounter. (uh, yr up early today!)
Off the music vibe track here entirely, but I've been a poor sleeper my entire adult life. I swear, though, by Trazodone(safe, no side effects) - a time release but it works with shutting down the over-active brain(and all that angst) and getting to sleep. Experiment with right dosage and, once found, at likely worst, you'll get five hours.
Thanks for the clarification!
Gah! Great interview and a terrific read but dammit, no Fools Face. Maybe it's just a regional thing but they did get to Los Angeles, they did work their asses off, and they did make three of the finest Power Pop albums EVER. Here to Observe, Tell America, and Public Places are lifeblood to me and should be for everyone else who embraces terrific song craft.
Preach. Check it out, power pop people!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07sLBYnxrXg&list=RD07sLBYnxrXg&start_radio=1
Thanks, man. I gots me some passions!
I thought the same thing, Alan. I'm guessing it was explored by David and a wall was hit. It was my experience 20+ years ago.
Fools Face befuddles me quite deeply and there's a story there, I never quite could get the right read on back in the Not Lame Recordings days because I wanted to reissue those releases. (I enquired when NL was selling the CD in fairly large amounts but never got a response, that I can recall)
Randomly, a few weeks back, I found a copy of the FF reunion record and I was triggered yet again. Still no reissues of the 3 albums and cassette tape releases.
One would guess it's the old trope of 'bad, bitter blood' because it's been so, so long with nothing - and the time window is closing because we're all getting older, right?! I hope that's not the case but *is* particularly inexplicable - and their fans back in the day were legion, especially in their home town. It just strikes me as...well, wrong.
Bruce,
Thanks for the reply. Dale, Jimmy, and Brian are like family to me (I too am from Springfield, MO). Tommy and Jim, yeah…
But, I can put you in touch with those guys directly and Brian Coffman, I imagine, would be your best bet. Those guys play together quite often so bad blood, I don’t think so.
You can PM me if you like.
Here’s a fakeazoid story I wrote. Teenage boy fantasy. Just for FF kicks.
https://open.substack.com/pub/alanpierson/p/put-the-panties-back-my-life-with?r=3xmibo&utm_medium=ios
What a great, great band name!! Genius.
Well, I've been out of 'the biz' for some time now, but very, very glad to hear it's not the old 'bad blood' trope. Sadly, in terms of doing reissues, my time for that has passed but, man, I would have loved(loved!!) to have taken them on back in the day.
The torch is the hands of others now. If they wanted do the reissues themselves I would be more than more than happy to help w/ finding CD designer, manufacturer, liner notes writers - which, honestly, would not be too hard as I can think of 6 or 7 off top of my head who would love to write them(myself included).
David Laing will know some good labels on the reissue side of things that could do it right but my recommendation would be get in touch with Cheryl Pawelski and Brad Rosenberger at Omnivore Recordings - as they show exquisite good taste, large dosages of passion and knowledge of the power pop genre and have rock solid distribution.
This would be greatly celebrated event in power pop with an announcement of a reissue campaign happening, and a full on rallying of the troops to get the good word out.
Honestly, at this stage and so many years on, I would be hard pressed to think of an indie power pop band which would electrify fans more than Fools Face. This would be very much an 'event' in the power pop world.
Wow, Bruce. Well consider the worm turned. This isn’t a project I’ve considered taking on but your last paragraph is a pretty good noise maker. Maybe I’ll put a word out to my friend, Holly, and see what she thinks. She’s an insider. I appreciate the back and forth.
What a great interview and even though I know a bit about Power Pop I'm no expert and this interview has given me so many bands I don't know to check out now. Thanks!
David knows his stuff!
This comp might be *the* collection I've looked forward to in years. Once I had a look at the track selection, it's a salivating experience waiting to be sated(or something like that). David Laing not only has clearly done an outstanding curation job but displays a deep, passionate experience for the right amount of 'coulda/shouda been' artists to make this a must-have. Plus, he's a legend from Down Under for power pop fans 'in the know'.
These last five years or so, with all these kinds of collections coming out(in many genres), the aspect I most look forward to is...reading the liner notes. I'm sure I'm far from the only one.
S.W., truly great interview to pull out David's keen quality eye. I could feel David's excitement to answer line of questioning. I can't recall going to YouTube from an article/blog post so many times to check out tracks I had never heard of before - and getting lost down the YT hole.
That’s high praise coming from you, Bruce. And I always love when David stops by RTL, as an interviewee or a contributor to the newsletter and Guitar Pop Journals. (PS: Liner notes are pretty great for this one!)
Well, thanks back at ya! Actually, in general, since I'm out of the loop these days, your Substack keeps me highly informed and aware of what's going on that matters. Always something new and good to encounter. (uh, yr up early today!)
Insomnia's the new black!
Off the music vibe track here entirely, but I've been a poor sleeper my entire adult life. I swear, though, by Trazodone(safe, no side effects) - a time release but it works with shutting down the over-active brain(and all that angst) and getting to sleep. Experiment with right dosage and, once found, at likely worst, you'll get five hours.
I'll look into it! Thanks.
rock and rave on, dave laing!!! cheers, from up over, xxxcm