Regional Rock

[Randall Roq]

I never realised before but it's becoming obvious to me that this music was very regional. I was thinking it might be cool for people from other areas/regions/countries to post a different song every week/month that was played in their area. And maybe tell a little something about the band or what the song meant to them.

If this has been done I apologize for the waste. But I have been thinking I would love to hear some of the lesser known songs that were big in New York, Chicago, Detroit, London or where ever. In turn some of us in Los Angeles can post the lesser known gems that KROQ was playing. Also it'd be cool to hear station Id's or any sound bites from around the globe.

What do you all think? Or should I shut up? I can ya know.

[Frau_Blucher]

It hasn't really been done systematically. How would that work? Someone gets the torch then passes it along?

Frank Chickens as many songs that I simply go "Huh?" There were a couple of very cool WLIR ones from 2Nu. I'm sure Eight6 would have some good CFNY gems. And there must be a wealth from the Aussies and Kiwis (Kiwi?).

[Panorama]

The Michael Stanley Band is/was quite popular in northeast Ohio. They are a rock band, definitly not New Wave, but again, they sold many albums in the region and many large concerts as well.

http://www.michaelstanley.com/msb/msbmain.htm
"From the mid-70's to the mid-80's, The Michael Stanley Band rocked arenas all over the midwest, setting still-unmatched concert attendance records at northeastern Ohio's Blossom Music Center and The Coliseum in Cleveland."

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"Photography with a Vision"
http://www.cooganphoto.com

[WolverineSyr]

If you're talking about local bands that released singles/lps - I'm really interested in hearing stuff.
If we're talking about national acts that were extrememly popular in your neck of the woods - not so much. About the only "artist" that was/is/forever will be popular here is Benny Mardones. He's that creepy guy who sang "Into the Night" around 79 or so. It was about having sex with a 16 year old.
He still comes here about 3,000 times a year and it's extremely gross now that he's probably near 60 singing about seducing a 16 year old girl. He also released some regional crap for christmas - "Christmas in Syracuse" which gets played ad nauseum over the holidays. It's one of those horrible songs where the singer has a script & inserts your city or landmarks into the song. Makes my holidays particularly vomitous.

I think Molly Hatchet comes here a lot too.... yaaa hooo.

Oh how I hate benny Mardones & redneck rock....

[KYYX4ever]

I always loved the Crazy 8's, a ska-ish, slightly wavey band from the Pacific Northwest. They used to put on a heck of a live show and were very nice guys. "Johnny Q. Public" was, and remains, a solid tune!

[Frank_Chickens]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Blir[/i]
<br>Frank Chickens as many songs that I simply go "Huh?"
[/quote]

Ah, I see somone has invoked me! [:D]

Here's a few that were popular either on a network or independant chart level:

Small Ads - Small Ads
Aces - One Way Street
The Truth - (Confusion) Hits Us Everytime
Serious Drinking - Hangover
The Exploited - Dead Cities
Pinkees - Danger Games
The Look - I am The Beat
Blue Zoo - Cry Boy Cry
The Planets - Lines
Maisonettes - Heartbreak Avenue


As for the city of Birmingham, England, the major artists tended to leave as soon as possible like Duran Duran and Toyah but UB40 stayed and made the city their base. We also produced The Maisonettes, The Quads, Swans Waym Scarlet Fantastic and Dangerous Girls amongst others.

As for chart action in other countries, 'Like Dust' by The Passion Puppets made the Australian top 30 and 'Louise' by Jona Lewie reached number 2 in the same country.


--

"As chairman of the Cradle of Filth fanclub I'm the most insensitive man in Britain, but even I can see there's tension there"

[Randall Roq]

What prompted me to post this is that I see a lot of bands mentioned that I have never heard of. And it's become obvious that the bands I grew up with are just as unknown to others. I don't know any of the New York stations for example but I do know they must have been playing stuff I would have enjoyed.

I'm not talking about Oingo Boingo or Devo...maybe a band that had a song that was played often but only on that station. For example here in LA I think that would be Funky Poodle by Wild Horses or something like that. I would like to get more of a sense of who was listening to what and where.

[WolverineSyr]

We had a good AOR station out of Utica, WOUR, that played enough alternative stuff amongst the usual classic rock crapola. I recall they played Sue Saad & the Next, the Records, and Shandi quite a bit.

They had a great dj Robin (can't remember her last name,) who always sounded VERY stoned & would describe album covers for about 10 minutes.

[Panorama]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Randall Roq[/i]
<br>For example here in LA I think that would be Funky Poodle by Wild Horses or something like that. I would like to get more of a sense of who was listening to what and where.[/quote]
Oh yes, Funky Poodle is a great song. I thought Wild Horses were from NE Ohio though?

Edit After Google search:
http://www.esquirerecords.com/artists/f ... horses.asp
You can hear a live version of Funky Poodle here, it just starts playing through the web browser.

Snip of the the biography:
"By 1980, the group's repertoire included originals. One of them became an instant hit across the North Coast. Funky Poodle, became Clevelanders' favorite song. Not since the '60s group, the Choir, had a Cleveland rock band sold so many records locally in such a short period of time."

http://www.funky-poodle.com/Music/Funky%20Poodle.mp3
Actually you can download Funky Poodle here, from the web site of Stephen Jochum, the songwriter.
Lyrics - http://www.funky-poodle.com/funky_poodle.htm

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"Photography with a Vision"
http://www.cooganphoto.com

[Randall Roq]

I wasn't trying to imply that Wild Horses was from L.A. just using them as an example of a band that we heard a lot which people from other parts of the globe never seem to remember.

I was in L.A. I really don't know what played/originated from where. All I know is I see a lot of names I do not recognize on this site and I want to know who they are. I'm sure there is a lot out there we never heard...hell even if it were only one or two songs- I want to hear them.

I also know there is a lot of crap. This is a way to slog through the sludge and find the gems.

But right there...you're info on Wild Horses- I didn't know this. I'm going to drop the guy a line and let him know how much I loved his song.

In the last few days on this site I have learned more about the music than I would ever possibly have learned on my own.

I am excited and very very very appreciative AND I want to know what I missed. I want to hear what you all liked.

[vco]

There were no prominent bands from my part of Louisiana that were very poplular. Individual musicians maybe, like James Burton, but not bands. My state's entire contribution to new wave were Red Rockers ("China").

[Randall Roq]

Well VCO I think Louisiana can be forgiven. I mean jeez they may not have been big in the New Wave department but didn't they...hmmm...didn't they...oh I don't know...hmm....INVENT JAZZ?!

Relax, you people have earned it.

Here sit down, take a load off. [8D]

[Frau_Blucher]

They consistently meet their quota of one good alterno band per decade. Better Than Ezra's "Desperately Wanting" is a killer 90s track, and they will surprise you in concert.

[i_like_lectric_motors]

The completely amazing punk band The Dronez from Albany, NY. They supposedly made an album but it never saw the light of day. Oh well. Absolutely killer live act.

[Surly]

[quote][i]Originally posted by i_like_lectric_motors[/i]
<br>The completely amazing punk band The Dronez from Albany, NY. They supposedly made an album but it never saw the light of day. Oh well. Absolutely killer live act.
[/quote]

Albany is also the home of Blotto! MTV played them a little...

Cleveland new wavers also had System 56 - "Life On A Cool Curve" is one of my all-time favorite '80s tracks. I have a CD I bought off eBay, and I think they sell it on CD Baby as well.

Donnie Iris had a couple of minor hits in the '80s. Pittsburgh is his home base, but they were also HUGE in Cleveland. That had a lot to do with their management and record label being based in Cleveland.

"Words like conviction can turn into a sentence"