This 1980's LA-based power pop/rock n' roll quartet was, in some respects, an unusual outfit. Led by ex-Nerves Peter Case (white guy, singer/songwriter), The Plimsouls (Brit term for "sneakers") consisted of two Southern Californian Chicanos, guitarist Eddie Munoz and drummer Lou Ramirez, and a Samoan-American bassist Dave Pahoa. Aside the ethnic distinctions, The Plimsouls rocked, often exposing its young audience (with me as one of them) to a number of cool '60's covers, such as Thee Midnighters' "Jump Jive & Harmonize" and The Kinks' "Come On Now." A Halloween 1981 concert recording made at LA's Whiskey-A-Go-Go, which was just released, captures The Plimsouls at a high point, with the band seriously ripping it up (especially Munoz on blistering lead guitar). Any 'Souls fan, either past or present, should grab this great record, Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal, excellently mastered (and previously unreleased, including members of The Fleshtones as special guests).
BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 9:00-11:00 PM
Do You Duty / BETTYE LAVETTE (’70, Do Your Duty)
If You Don’t Think/ ANNA KING (’64, Back to Soul)
Willy Nilly/ RUFUS THOMAS (’65)
I’m Trying to Break Your Heart/ JC BROOKS & THE UPTOWN SOUND (’10, 7" single)
Keep on Runnin’/ SPENCER DAVIS GROUP (’64)
Sorry/ THE EASYBEATS (’66)
Jump Jive and Harmonize/ THEE MIDNIGHTERS (’67)
Jump Jive & Harmonize/ THE PLIMSOULS (’10, Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal)*
Come On Now/ THE PLIMSOULS (’10, Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal)*
Join My Gang/ THE LONG RYDERS (’83,
Canteloupe Girlfriend/ THREE O’CLOCK (’83, Sixteen Tamborines)
Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes/ EDISON LIGHTHOUSE (’70)
Go All the Way/ THE RASPBERRIES (’72)
Cherry Bomb/ THE RUNAWAYS (’77, self titled)
Fox on the Run/ SWEET (’73,
Pleasure Seeker/ THE
Dancing the Night Away/ THE MOTORS (’77, Motors 1)
Stop Foolin’/ DRESSY BESSY (’05, Electrified)
Why I Don’t Like August 93/ THE CONSTANTINES ('05, Believer Magazine Music comp.)
There Is an End/ HOLLY GOLIGHTLY & THE GREENHORNES (’05, Broken Flowers st)
The Race Is On/ YO LA TENGO (’06, I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass)
Starry Eyes/ THE RECORDS (’79)
Date W/ Ikea/ PAVEMENT (’97, Brighten the Corners)
Venus Is Her Name/ FREEDY
Please Be Nice to Her/ AMY RIGBY & WRECKLESS ERIC (’08, Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby) [Stiff]
Stranger in the House/ RACHEL SWEET (’78, Fool Around)
Radio Sweetheart/ ELVIS COSTELLO (’77, My Aim Is True)
The Singer/
Moves Away/ NINA NASTASIA (’10, Outlaster)*
My Friend/ BILL CALLAHAN (’09, Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle)
Bloodbuzz
Pablo Picasso/ THE MODERN LOVERS (’76, self titled)
Friction/ TELEVISION (’77, Marquee Moon)
*new or recent release