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What the Mod Father Knows

Paul Weller, the stylish and legendary singer/songwriter who founded both The Jam and Style Council famously worked through his milestone [50th] birthday last year. His life and career were chronicled over the course of his turning 50 by Britain's UNCUT magazine. So, it is actually no surprise to me, the calendar watcher, that Weller's 51st birthday on May 25, went unsung - even by me. Those aren't the kind of anniversaries acknowledged by the Mod Father. On a more somber note, it is difficult to mark Paul Weller's recent entry into the 5-decade club with humor. Last month, the senior Weller, John, Paul's dad, who was very much a part of the Weller music machine since day one, passed away. They were best mates, father and son and manager and client... inseparable men who closed each hard day's night by sharing a pint. I recall sharing an evening at the bar with the Wellers - John, Paul and Paul's wife. It was October 2003 and Paul performed at NYC's ...

Punks Dissed Him, But...

Yes... that's Paul McCartney & Wings you see pictured above from their Wings Over America tour, summer 1976. 1976 was a funny year. It was the year punk hit me hard, what with seeing Patti Smith at the beginning of the year, and fervently following the exploits of the Sex Pistols while avidly collecting their singles... 1976, the year of our Bicentennial... the year The Ramones showed the UK what American punk rock n roll was, and on July 4 to boot... 1976... Paul McCartney toured the USA for the first time without the Beatles, and I saw him play every night that he was booked in LA (I hear a Mastercard commercial percolating "priceless"). If you are a rock n roller, there is no denying the impact The Beatles had on your life. Love 'em or hate 'em (and believe it or not, I meet some people who do), The Beatles changed everything forever. Well, let me qualify that.... Chuck Berry changed everything forever, but the Beatles made it XTRA LARGE, and betwe...

Power Pop's 21st Century Comeback

Stiv Bators and Frank Secich, 1979, Hollywood, CA When punk rock pioneer Stiv Bators reunited with his childhood friend Frank Secich in 1979 to make power pop records, he had his finger on the pulse of the future of the new music, the post-punk movement that made the mainstream take notice. Sure, some marketing person started calling the more pop stuff "new wave" but its always been power pop. It goes back the Beatles, like it always does... and from the Beatles, we get a direct line to The Ramones, the unequivocal kings of American punk rock.... like it or not. The Ramones were not just NYC's favorite sons, they were almost every NYC punk pioneer's favorite band. Punk rock's Most Valuable Player, Blondie drummer Clem Burke wears his opinion on his back -- that Ramones t-shirt of his was a wardrobe perrenial back in the day. Clem has told me on more than one occasion that The Ramones are punk rock's Beatles. And he's right. Despite their power...