Here's a "No Matter What" debate topic that a friend raised just the other day: Does the recording have a) Not enough handclaps, b) Just the right amount of handclaps, or c) Too many handclaps?
Yes! Thanks for the vote of confidence. I have submitted to 33 1/3 in the past for album books, never for the genre series. Based on the lack of response, either from my own submissions or through an agent, it seems like I’m not a good fit for them.
Good to know. I just submitted to the latest round and they said they don't respond to submissions either to acknowledge or communicate their decision. I get the sense their album series is swamped with submissions, not so sure that's the case with the genre or global series, but both the proposal and the book are a lot of work and not sure about the payoff. Just a personal feeling that a power pop book from someone like you would be fab.
I would love to write the 33 1/3 Power Pop genre book. Full stop.
But I also have a lot of strong feelings about this approach in the publishing industry that may have more to do with my personality than anything else. I think it sometimes costs me opportunities, but it is what it is.
My personal threshold for jumping through too many hoops is getting lower, especially when the people on the receiving end can't be bothered to respond. I know they're super busy, but so are all the writers submitting detailed documents. The publishing industry is hard, but this is also about fan passion. But, again, that's me.
All that said, I'm still a big supporter of the series as a reader:
I totally hear you and get that. I belong to a bunch of indie author groups and have gone the indie route myself after hearing horror stories from friends who got publishing contracts with major imprints. They found themselves doing the editing (and still finding typos) and the marketing and promo, had no control over the cover or layout, and didn't get the royalties they were due and had to make a huge stink.
But, like you, I support the series as a reader. My proposal was so 'out there' I think I was sabotaging my chances. I'm quite ambivalent about doing it myself, and I'm quite enjoying your SS posts about power pop so will continue enjoying those regardless.
"No Matter What" is a worthy winner, although I have always said the "Shake Some Action" was the perfect power pop song. And I have a great deal of affection for the Scruffs since two of their members worked in a record store I managed in the late 70's and they had power pop in their bone marrow.
Coulter-Why, why did you start this madness? Where do I start 😩 Townshend defines the genre, yet no Who? The Kids Are Alright? So Sad About Us? Nowhere to be heard...The fodder for yelling matches between me and my PP homies would include: 20/20, not Cheri or Remember The Lightning (cool name for something 🤔) Zero Hour, and not Now or Million Miles Away (I'm on the wrong end of the looking glass, I'm trying to hold on to the hands of the past and you, and there is nothing that can take me back-one of the greatest lyric structures of all time) Romantics - When I Look in Your Eyes, Smithereens - Strangers When We Meet. As the conclusive expert on Tommy Keene, I'll concede Places but would have chosen Back To Zero Now. Lastly, there was a band that put out an immortal record in 2000-no mention of that band or Calling All Destroyers - or my fav, Teen Wizards. Lastly, laslty, Nerves song would have been When You Find Out. You did get it right with No Matter What. At a point in time, I would like to add some bands that you did not include on your list. That might be fun. Thanks as always 🙏🏼
More opinions, but I don’t think of bands that inspired power pop—The Beatles, The Who, The Byrds, etc.—to be power pop. Power pop is itself a response to all of them (and many more) in my head.
Would have been super weird to have Tsar on a list I helped curate.
Got me to thinkin'. There are so many one-hitters and obscure bands that were awesome. Are you hip to the Chicaynes/Patriots EP from the 90's? The Rayvns out of Baltimore. You picked off a great Chicago band in Pezband, how about The Kind?
I have to stop this. I need to get some work done!
On any given day, I *might* change my mind (and I love NMWhat and SGurls), but my favorite power pop song is "A Million Miles Away" by The Plimsouls, written by Peter Case, Joey Alkes, and Chris Fradkin. The three of them met just as The Plimsouls were beginning in Hollywood in 1979. Peter is well known (the Nerves, Plimsouls, solo work), but Joey and Chris have a very interesting story that becomes more apparent the more you dig.
Here's a "No Matter What" debate topic that a friend raised just the other day: Does the recording have a) Not enough handclaps, b) Just the right amount of handclaps, or c) Too many handclaps?
Trick question: No such thing as “too many handclaps”!!!
Indeed - that was my take!
Steve, do you know about the 33 1/3 genre series? -- https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/series/genre-a-33-13-series/
There isn't one on power pop yet and you've already done the research. I'd be very interested in reading a book about this myself.
Yes! Thanks for the vote of confidence. I have submitted to 33 1/3 in the past for album books, never for the genre series. Based on the lack of response, either from my own submissions or through an agent, it seems like I’m not a good fit for them.
Good to know. I just submitted to the latest round and they said they don't respond to submissions either to acknowledge or communicate their decision. I get the sense their album series is swamped with submissions, not so sure that's the case with the genre or global series, but both the proposal and the book are a lot of work and not sure about the payoff. Just a personal feeling that a power pop book from someone like you would be fab.
I would love to write the 33 1/3 Power Pop genre book. Full stop.
But I also have a lot of strong feelings about this approach in the publishing industry that may have more to do with my personality than anything else. I think it sometimes costs me opportunities, but it is what it is.
My personal threshold for jumping through too many hoops is getting lower, especially when the people on the receiving end can't be bothered to respond. I know they're super busy, but so are all the writers submitting detailed documents. The publishing industry is hard, but this is also about fan passion. But, again, that's me.
All that said, I'm still a big supporter of the series as a reader:
https://rememberthelightning.substack.com/p/my-obsession-with-33-13-books
I totally hear you and get that. I belong to a bunch of indie author groups and have gone the indie route myself after hearing horror stories from friends who got publishing contracts with major imprints. They found themselves doing the editing (and still finding typos) and the marketing and promo, had no control over the cover or layout, and didn't get the royalties they were due and had to make a huge stink.
But, like you, I support the series as a reader. My proposal was so 'out there' I think I was sabotaging my chances. I'm quite ambivalent about doing it myself, and I'm quite enjoying your SS posts about power pop so will continue enjoying those regardless.
Mine were out there too. I feel like there was more of that earlier in the series. Maybe that was part of my problem! 🤣
"No Matter What" is a worthy winner, although I have always said the "Shake Some Action" was the perfect power pop song. And I have a great deal of affection for the Scruffs since two of their members worked in a record store I managed in the late 70's and they had power pop in their bone marrow.
“Shake Some Action” is legendary. So are The Scruffs!!!!
Coulter-Why, why did you start this madness? Where do I start 😩 Townshend defines the genre, yet no Who? The Kids Are Alright? So Sad About Us? Nowhere to be heard...The fodder for yelling matches between me and my PP homies would include: 20/20, not Cheri or Remember The Lightning (cool name for something 🤔) Zero Hour, and not Now or Million Miles Away (I'm on the wrong end of the looking glass, I'm trying to hold on to the hands of the past and you, and there is nothing that can take me back-one of the greatest lyric structures of all time) Romantics - When I Look in Your Eyes, Smithereens - Strangers When We Meet. As the conclusive expert on Tommy Keene, I'll concede Places but would have chosen Back To Zero Now. Lastly, there was a band that put out an immortal record in 2000-no mention of that band or Calling All Destroyers - or my fav, Teen Wizards. Lastly, laslty, Nerves song would have been When You Find Out. You did get it right with No Matter What. At a point in time, I would like to add some bands that you did not include on your list. That might be fun. Thanks as always 🙏🏼
Ha! Decisions, decisions…
More opinions, but I don’t think of bands that inspired power pop—The Beatles, The Who, The Byrds, etc.—to be power pop. Power pop is itself a response to all of them (and many more) in my head.
Would have been super weird to have Tsar on a list I helped curate.
Got me to thinkin'. There are so many one-hitters and obscure bands that were awesome. Are you hip to the Chicaynes/Patriots EP from the 90's? The Rayvns out of Baltimore. You picked off a great Chicago band in Pezband, how about The Kind?
I have to stop this. I need to get some work done!
Hahahaha
On any given day, I *might* change my mind (and I love NMWhat and SGurls), but my favorite power pop song is "A Million Miles Away" by The Plimsouls, written by Peter Case, Joey Alkes, and Chris Fradkin. The three of them met just as The Plimsouls were beginning in Hollywood in 1979. Peter is well known (the Nerves, Plimsouls, solo work), but Joey and Chris have a very interesting story that becomes more apparent the more you dig.
Peter has a nice entry on his blog that discusses their collaboration: https://petercase.com/joey-and-chris-and-a-million-miles-away/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
That’s a tremendous track. I think we were trying to throw a few curveballs. Seems like 100 years ago now.
Ugh - Redd Kross was criminally overlooked!🤦♂️😂
My favorite PP of all time tends to change from time to time - but it's been "Mess Around" by Redd Kross for quite awhile now.
The bridge and chorus/refrains are sooo good they can make a grown man weep! ( uh - not ME -some OTHER grown man I mean...😳).
Terrible oversight!