Bill Fox - Transit Byzantium - 1998

Bill Fox's second solo album pushes his music further away from pop toward a kind of lo-fi folk sound -- recorded primarily on acoustic guitar, with only the occasional touch of harmonica and the even less frequent hint of percussion, Transit Byzantine is rootsy and raw, with the uncluttered arrangements of tracks like "From a Dark Night," "Songs of a Drunken Nightingale" and "Burning Down a Snowflake" preserving the songs' intimacy and warmth. -AMG



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Rainy Day Saints - Diamond Star Highway - 2006

Did it take twenty-plus years for the paisley underground scene to drift across America to the Midwest? Maybe not, but Cleveland, OH's Rainy Day Saints have made what sounds like the great lost album of the pop-psych revival genre with Diamond Star Highway. Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Dave Swanson has had more than his share of experience in crafting great pop-centric rock as a member of Death of Samantha, Cobra Verde and Guided by Voices, but with Rainy Day Saints he's taken Hungry Man portions of British Invasion jangle, psychedelic melodic haze, folk-rock undercurrents and enough energy to keep the proceedings from sounding effete, and on Diamond Star Highway the results sound mighty fine indeed. There's just the right touch of swagger on "No Surprise," "I Don't Follow" is pure Rickenbacker-fueled bliss, "Infinity (Impossible Like a Train)" is a killer Dylan-meets-Stones hybrid, and the fuzzy, languid menace of their cover of the Dead Boys' "Sonic Reducer" takes one of the great tunes of the first era of U.S. punk and presents it with a fresh new perspective. Swanson is hardly the only star of this show -- bassist Brian P. McCafferty and drummer Scott Pickering are an imaginative and rock-solid rhythm section, while Keith Pickering's guitar accents are spot on throughout. But as the key idea man, Swanson deserves a round of applause for making an impressive step to frontman status, and proving there are still new worlds left to be conquered in the world of garage-minded rock & roll. Would the Long Ryders and Green on Red be so kind as to reunite so Rainy Day Saints can play on a perfect bill where they'd be right at home?-AMG



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The Thrills - So Much for the City - 2003

Five friends who grew up together in Dublin, called the Thrills, have produced a remarkably neat debut album. At the heart of their sound is a professed love for the tunes of the American West Coast of the '60s and '70s. Set to a backdrop of Al Green, Carole King, and the Band, they quickly pieced together tracks for their debut album, So Much for the City, during a four-month holiday on a beach in San Diego. But the Thrills aren't afraid to display more modern influences: a small audience at an Abbey Road gig was handed a one-sided 7" single with a cover of the Smiths' classic "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me." Their band name is also partly inspired by Michael Jackson's LP Thriller, and they covered "Billie Jean" on the English television show RE:COVERED. The three singles stand out on first listen as being radio-friendly hits: "Big Sur" opens with a zap of electronic keyboards, is driven by a melancholic banjo riff, and reinterprets the lyrics from the Monkees' theme: "Hey, hey you're the Monkees/People said you monkeyed around, but nobody's listening now." "Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far)" has an inventive time-shifting melody and gorgeous backing vocals, but "One Horse Town," while being a satisfying slice of surf pop, is too repetitive and bland. - AMG



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The Bis-Quits - Bis-Quits - 1993

The Bis-Quits counted among their ranks some of the best-known and most-respected Nashville rock musicians. They quickly became a major draw and released their self-titled debut through John Prine's Oh Boy imprint. With the two-headed talents of guitarists/vocalists/songwriters Tommy Womack and Will Kimbrough, along with bassist Mike Grimes, the musicianship is top-notch even as the garage aesthetic lends considerable charm to the outing. Songs like the power pop of "Tommy's on His Own" and the crisp, playful demeanor of "Anal All Day" are as joyously silly as the lyrics imply. However, the insightful, clever songwriting reveals depth on other songs like the smoldering, blues-rock of "Betty Was Black (Willie Was White)," which deals with an interracial relationship. They also do a gorgeous version of Richard Thompson's heartbreaking ballad "Walking on a Wire" (included as a live version). The emphasis is mostly on creating a gloriously fun racket, though, and a listener would be hard-pressed to find a song more engaging than the deft-blend of Handel and Chuck Berry on the inspired "Yo Yo Ma."-AMG



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The Insomniacs - Get Something Going - 2000

Don't let the fact they're on Estrus Records fool you: The Insomniacs are not just another bunch of down and dirty garage revivalists. This New Jersey three-piece has a healthy taste for British Invasion and power pop sounds that are tuneful without sounding wimpy, and while their music definitely harkens back to pop's past, the songs have a very contemporary snap, and they play with enough punch to make these songs truly rock without losing sight of the melodies. While Get Something Going! doesn't represent a radical departure from their previous work, it shows the Insomniacs keep getting better at what they do, and the best cuts ("Guilt Free," "Something for the Weekend," and "And the Candle Burns") show they have an aural personality that sets them apart from the fuzztone-and-paisley crowd while still honoring their obvious influences. Cool stuff that's ideal for your next teenage party (assuming your guests were teenagers between 1964 and 1967 -- or at least wish they were). - AMG



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The Reigning Sound - Time Bomb High School - 2002

Time Bomb High School is much more than another garage tribute to soulful '60s Brit-rock. But the sophomore effort from the Reigning Sound is something less than the band's minimal, country-folk debut. During knockouts like the Rolling Stones-flavored "Straight Shooter" and "I'd Much Rather Be With the Boys," Greg Cartwright and his Memphis combo's sound is as pure, and as well-grounded, as anything since Exile on Main Street. With 14 tracks, however, the material and arrangements are spread just a little too thin, and too many average tunes are allowed in the mix. A bit of a stylistic return for former Oblivians member Cartwright, Time Bomb High School crackles with raucous garage energy. While nothing like the punk/soul primal scream of the musician/songwriter's earlier days, this disc surpasses any reasonable swagger quota. The Reigning Sound's moody, countrified debut had a relative wealth of riveting numbers, and more conceptual clarity, but this 2002 In The Red title will definitely satisfy Cartwright fans as well as listeners wary of the inevitable post-White Stripes garage posers. -AMG



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Power Pop in the Twenty-First Century

Here is some video from John Wicks and Paul Collins's first ever appearance together in May 2009.


Rock N Roll Girl, John Wicks & Paul Collins


Hearts in Her Eyes, John Wicks & Paul Collins

This summer has brought with it a lot of changes on the Wicks / Collins front including a new website, www.johnwicksandpaulcollins.com. All the important information is there!

And just so you know, John and Paul will kick-off a west coast tour at McCabe’s in Santa Monica CA on August 23rd. Tickets are available by calling 310 828 4497 or at the McCabe’s website . Following the McCabe's show, John will be joining Paul onstage for a few of the Beat west coast shows and then they will cap things off with a short tour of Spain....

And finally, regarding the house tour that went so very well this summer, so well in fact that the guys would like to continue doing more. If YOU would like any information on having John and Paul perform at your home please contact Rich Rossi .


Video is courtesy of Tom Weber Video Services, Pittsburgh, PA