Who is the greatest POWER POP band of all time ?

Peen Simmons said:
Given that Cobain regularly compared Nirvana to the Knack...

And he was big Cheap Trick fan. And Cobain was definitely into a fair amount of Twee stuff (which is like Power Pop's socially even more awkward kid sister).

And he was super hot on the Beatles in a time/place where that wasn't exactly cool.
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Yep, all of that, and the Posies, is what I was getting at.
 
Chad said:
So you say it is a "know it when you see" it but you call people wrong for saying the Kinks or the Beatles or Bowie which is how they see it. So is it a know it when Peen sees it? Since you are the musical expert, why don't you list all the bands for us peons and we will pick from the list, then you can tell us why we are wrong and then you can tell us the right answer.
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Because power pop was a response to a change in rock/pop music. It's nostalgic. It's a history project looking back to when the Kinks and The Who were putting out catchy 3 minute pop tunes vs windy rock operas. You can't have a retro movement until after the fact.

As for Bowie, dude was a mimic...an actual trained artist doing actual artist process stuff. Which kinda cuts against the implied sincerity of a back to basics move like power pop. There's a lot of camp and a lot of wink-nudge and intellectualism in his strictly "rock" stuff. Glam's approach to showbiz is different than, say, the "let's get up and get down" whiz bang of a showbizzy power pop act.
 
Peen Simmons said:
Because power pop was a response to a change in rock/pop music. It's nostalgic. It's a history project looking back to when the Kinks and The Who were putting out catchy 3 minute pop tunes vs windy rock operas. You can't have a retro movement until after the fact.

As for Bowie, dude was a mimic...an actual trained artist doing actual artist process stuff. Which kinda cuts against the implied sincerity of a back to basics move like power pop. There's a lot of camp and a lot of wink-nudge and intellectualism in his strictly "rock" stuff. Glam's approach to showbiz is different than, say, the "let's get up and get down" whiz bang of a showbizzy power pop act.
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You slice very finely, along your own lines. That's cool. I respect your lines and am interested in your reasoning. I will also respect the right of others to define their own lines in this discussion. All part of the fun. No right or wrong answers here.
 
Peen Simmons said:
Because power pop was a response to a change in rock/pop music. It's nostalgic. It's a history project of heartening back to when the Kinks and The Who were putting out catchy 3 minute pop tunes vs windy rock operas. You can't have a retro movement until after the fact.

As for Bowie, dude was a mimic...an actual trained artist doing actual artist process stuff. Which kinda cuts against the implied sincerity of a back to basics move like power pop. There's a lot of camp and a lot of wink-nudge and intellectualism in his strictly "rock" stuff. Glam's approach to showbiz is different than, say, the "let's get up and get down" whiz bang of a showbizzy power pop act.
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I'm not arguing what is and what is not, I don't know what it is and I really don't care. I like what I like, I don't feel the need to nitpick what band is what type of music. I don't really find it necessary to do that. It was just odd to me that you suggest it is a call it as you see it, then you tell people they are wrong for calling it as they see it. So it really isn't a call it as you see it, there are specific rules to follow when identifying it. No worries here.
 
Chad said:
I'm not arguing what is and what is not, I don't know what it is and I really don't care. I like what I like, I don't feel the need to nitpick what band is what type of music. I don't really find it necessary to do that. It was just odd to me that you suggest it is a call it as you see it, then you tell people they are wrong for calling it as they see it. So it really isn't a call it as you see it, there are specific rules to follow when identifying it. No worries here.
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Not call it as you see it. Know it when you see it. There's a distinction.

I mean, "know it when I see it" has a long and storied history with regard to obscenity. It doesn't mean that I get to make the call on what's obscene. It's that obscenity isn't easily identifiable as mere nudity, swears, bodily function talk, sexy times, etc. Which is why Ulysses and Lolita are not, generally, considered obscene but A2M Cheerleaders Vol. 34 & 35 generally are.
 
Devil is Dill said:
It's a "I know it when I hear it" thing. Electric Light Orchestra is obviously heavily Beatles-influenced, but I wouldn't call them power pop necessarily. The Knack is power pop. IMO Power pop has more of a punchy sound with tightly-written songs.
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I agree....and I love Power pop.

It really is next to impossible to draw genre lines. There is a lot of Cheap Trick love in this thread, with good reason, but I have never really thought of them as power pop. More just a rock band that drifts into power pop on occasion.

When I think of power pop obviously the Beatles come to mind. The Byrds occasioned there in the 60s for their hits. Matthew Sweet. Oasis. Fountains Of Wayne. The Knack. Teenage Fanclub.

One of my fave power pop albums is Teenage Symphonies to God by Velvet Crush. Wonderful, wonderful release.

 
Peen Simmons said:
Not call it as you see it. Know it when you see it. There's a distinction.

I mean, "know it when I see it" has a long and storied history with regard to obscenity. It doesn't mean that I get to make the call on what's obscene. It's that obscenity isn't easily identifiable as mere nudity, swears, bodily function talk, sexy times, etc. Which is why Ulysses and Lolita are not, generally, considered obscene but A2M Cheerleaders Vol. 34 & 35 generally are.
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Ahh, yes the old porn, know it when I see it. Which means it varies significantly from person to person.
 
Chad said:
Ahh, yes the old porn, know it when I see it. Which means it varies significantly from person to person.
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Not exactly. The obscenity definition relies on "community standards" of decency. It's based on consensus. And it's nebulous and not always helpful.

http://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1343&context=yjil

Nevertheless, if we take music nerds to be the intended audience/community for genre distinctions...then we should be able to live with a "know it when you see it."
 
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My first thought was Big Star. I like most of the bands listed in this thread so far. A good argument could be made for the Kinks.
 
Chad said:
Didn't you seen Peen Simmons' post? You are foolish if you mention the Kinks.
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You learned! Adorable.

Seriously though, what sort of schooling/jobs have you had where you're not comfortable with assuming, debating, and vigorously defending an intellectual position?

I'm not one for calling folks "special snowflakes" but you kids might be up for the Getting Bent Out of Shape Super Easily Participation Trophy.
 
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