Of the album, particularly the explosive "Think Think" and Cox'sīallad, "Silver & Gold," is outstanding. Latter-day compilations), has become the acknowledged classic, but the rest "Wayside" (thanks to its inclusion on some Produced with a refreshing lack of clutter by Jack Douglas, Artfulĭodger was a near-masterpiece that combined the best aspects of hard rockĪnd Beatles-derived pop. Armed with this impressive 45, Brat relocated to the BigĪpple and, with help from the New York Dolls' management, signed to CBS Records.Īfter choosing a new name (another Brat had prior claim), Artful Dodger released Never made it to LP) backed with "Long Time Away" (rerecorded laterįor their first album). The group's first release was a self-produced single, "Not Quite Right" (which Rhythm section Brigida, in particular, was an ideal foil for the band's songs,Ĭombining the steady timekeeping of Charlie Watts with the flash of Keith Moon. Steve Cooper (bass) and Steve Brigida (drums) were an outstanding Songs as a team, and Gary Cox (guitar and vocals), who also wrote songs (usuallyīy himself). Were Gary Herrewig (guitar) and Billy Paliselli (vocals), who wrote most of the Remains of two local bands, Homestead and Badge. Years of hard work than four albums (three of them great), glowing reviews,Īnd obscurity (save fanatical followings in Cleveland and Pittsburgh).Ĭalled Brat, Artful Dodger was formed in 1973 in Fairfax, Virginia, out of the In dramatic relief from the lightweight pop and pompous rock of the day.īy the early 80's, however, the band broke up with little to show for their Of the Rolling Stones, fused it with the vocal harmonies of the Beatles,Īnd put both in service of classic songwriting the resulting music stood Played - melodically and with great abandon. Probably thought they were playing rock 'n' roll they way it ought to be Like most 70's groups now classified as power pop, Artful Dodger None are more unjustly and completely overlooked than Artfulĭodger. Laudatory press, nearly all of them (with the exception of Cheap Trick) are
(largely underground) in the 1970's, a number of bands came and went that helpedĭefine the form and push the envelope of what became power pop. That about Badfinger, Big Star, or the Raspberries. Nobody called the Beatles a "power pop band," nor did anyone say Instantly labeled and categorized the moment their first record hit the rack.
They exist (emo, anyone?) - and in a music scene overcrowded with subgenresĪnd fill-in-the-blank-cores, it's hard to remember a time when bands weren't In our media-saturated society - where movements are named almost before This late date, it's easy to forget that power pop wasn't always a world unto