{"id":7480,"date":"2026-01-30T18:35:45","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T18:35:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/?p=7480"},"modified":"2026-01-30T19:45:23","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T19:45:23","slug":"issue-172-powerpop-the-third-wave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/?p=7480","title":{"rendered":"Issue #172 &#8211; Powerpop: The Third Wave"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>JON &#8216;MOJO&#8217; MILLS introductory essay to our eight-page collection of powerpop articles<\/b><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Shake Some Action\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QsuF2tKilBo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enter Cyril Jordan, returning to the UK in 1975. It had taken all of three years but whilst back in the States The Flamin\u2019 Groovies had reinvented themselves after recording the uber \u201960s \u2018You Tore Me Down\u2019. The new short hair and suits matched \u2018Shake Some Action\u2019 sartorially in the way it reclaimed the spirit of 10 years before, notably the instant appeal of The Byrds chiming guitar and the \u201964-65 thrill of The Beatles, counteracting the long hair and bombast still prevalent in rock music. Where Big Star, Badfinger and Blue Ash, carried the spirit of the \u201960s into the \u201970s, and The Raspberries even donned suits, which they didn\u2019t convincingly pull off, the Groovies in the grey, pre-punk era finally registered. The time seemed apt to turn back the clock to better days, with something that was yet to become brazen nostalgia. \u2018Shake Some Action\u2019 was a call to arms, a new form of music that borrowed from the past but also ushered in what may be deemed the \u201cthird age of powerpop\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Raspberries Go All The Way Mike Douglas Show 1974\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jfgnc6Ey0q0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The band\u2019s producer Dave Edmunds was pivotal in the less is best mode of studio production. His own work with Rockpile, Nick Lowe solo, and of course Elvis Costello &amp; The Attractions (more on them in the next issue) helped define the sound that many in the new-wave would follow.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another American band to don suits were The Nerves (see feature) whose \u201975 single \u2018Hanging On The Telephone\u2019 (later taken to the toppermost of the poppermost by Blondie) was also feted by Greg Shaw, a man who certainly did a lot for the emerging talent across this era with both his <em>Bomp<\/em> magazine and record label.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Nerves - Hanging On The Telephone, Original version 45, Blondie. 1976.\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/emy5mA8Ixtc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, there were all manner of facets to acts continuing what Cheap Trick, Dwight Twilley and others were doing. The \u201977-80 era had a distinct through line. In his \u201978 powerpop <em>Bomp<\/em> special, Shaw included Abba\u2019s \u2018Waterloo\u2019 alongside Small Faces\u2019 \u2018Afterglow\u2019, The Jam\u2019s \u2018In The City\u2019 and Generation X\u2019s \u2018Your Generation\u2019 in his All-Time Top Power Pop Records list. In this set of articles and columns we are solely focusing on how the love of the gear, style and iconography of the mid-60s informed a sub-section of these late \u201970s bands.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Starry Eyes - The Records | The Midnight Special\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xTholVzBjdI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But how could the ringing guitars, power chords, harmonies and perfect pop song structures forged by The Beatles, Byrds, Who, Hollies and all those other great mid-60s bands not have an impact on young, and not so young, bands tired of mid-70s pomp and virtuosity? Just listen to The Records\u2019 genre defining \u2018Starry Eyes\u2019 to hear all those influences at once. The \u201960s influence was a given and that it was going on around the same time as the mod revival an inevitable case of zeitgeist. Whilst veterans like The Korgis and The Monks (featuring members of Stackridge and The Strawbs) embraced the skinny-tie era with aplomb, ex-teenage punks like Squire (also from Woking, like The Jam) moved on to making a slew of classic \u201960s pop inspired releases, in America there were amazing early forays into smart moptop sounds from Marbles, and back in the UK, The Pleasers went all out \u201960s on the tails of the adjacent pub-rock movement, with their almost parody, pre-Rutles Thamesbeat sound, taking the inflections of Beatles love to new heights in \u201977.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Pleasers &#039;You Don&#039;t Know&#039; on &#039;Get It Together&#039; Granada TV\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bt7c-8hbojs?list=PLw3QO_6K_Bjrr33OsgO6Wyl-c7nq01k3v\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That the late \u201970s into early \u201980s approach to the mid-60s has been lovingly drawn on by current acts The Lemon Twigs, Uni Boys, Sharp Pins and others points to the enduring appeal of this era, which unbelievably isn\u2019t far off being 50 years old itself.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sharp Pins - Popafangout (Official Video)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Gg04UqXsp8Q?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0To read the whole story order issue #172 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.silverbackpublishing.rocks\/product\/shindig-172\/\">here<\/a>. Subscribe to the mag <a href=\"https:\/\/www.silverbackpublishing.rocks\/product\/unlock-the-world-of-shindig-subscribe-today-and-access-every-issue-ever-published\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<span class=\"synved-social-container synved-social-container-share\"><a class=\"synved-social-button synved-social-button-share synved-social-size-24 synved-social-resolution-single synved-social-provider-facebook nolightbox\" data-provider=\"facebook\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"Share on Facebook\" href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fshindig-magazine.com%2Findex.php%3Frest_route%3D%252Fwp%252Fv2%252Fposts%252F7480&#038;t=Issue%20%23172%20%E2%80%93%20Powerpop%3A%20The%20Third%20Wave&#038;s=100&#038;p&#091;url&#093;=https%3A%2F%2Fshindig-magazine.com%2Findex.php%3Frest_route%3D%252Fwp%252Fv2%252Fposts%252F7480&#038;p&#091;images&#093;&#091;0&#093;=https%3A%2F%2Fshindig-magazine.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F01%2FScreenshot-2026-01-30-at-17.31.52-1.png&#038;p&#091;title&#093;=Issue%20%23172%20%E2%80%93%20Powerpop%3A%20The%20Third%20Wave\" style=\"font-size: 0px;width:24px;height:24px;margin:0;margin-bottom:5px;margin-right:5px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Facebook\" title=\"Share on Facebook\" class=\"synved-share-image synved-social-image synved-social-image-share\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" style=\"display: inline;width:24px;height:24px;margin: 0;padding: 0;border: none;box-shadow: none\" src=\"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/social-media-feather\/synved-social\/image\/social\/regular\/48x48\/facebook.png\" \/><\/a><a class=\"synved-social-button synved-social-button-share synved-social-size-24 synved-social-resolution-single synved-social-provider-twitter nolightbox\" data-provider=\"twitter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"Share on Twitter\" href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fshindig-magazine.com%2Findex.php%3Frest_route%3D%252Fwp%252Fv2%252Fposts%252F7480&#038;text=New%20post%20on%20our%20site\" style=\"font-size: 0px;width:24px;height:24px;margin:0;margin-bottom:5px;margin-right:5px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"twitter\" title=\"Share on Twitter\" class=\"synved-share-image synved-social-image synved-social-image-share\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" style=\"display: inline;width:24px;height:24px;margin: 0;padding: 0;border: none;box-shadow: none\" src=\"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/social-media-feather\/synved-social\/image\/social\/regular\/48x48\/twitter.png\" \/><\/a><a class=\"synved-social-button synved-social-button-share synved-social-size-24 synved-social-resolution-single synved-social-provider-mail nolightbox\" data-provider=\"mail\" rel=\"nofollow\" title=\"Share by email\" href=\"mailto:?subject=Issue%20%23172%20%E2%80%93%20Powerpop%3A%20The%20Third%20Wave&#038;body=New%20post%20on%20our%20site:%20https%3A%2F%2Fshindig-magazine.com%2Findex.php%3Frest_route%3D%252Fwp%252Fv2%252Fposts%252F7480\" style=\"font-size: 0px;width:24px;height:24px;margin:0;margin-bottom:5px;margin-right:5px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"mail\" title=\"Share by email\" class=\"synved-share-image synved-social-image synved-social-image-share\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" style=\"display: inline;width:24px;height:24px;margin: 0;padding: 0;border: none;box-shadow: none\" src=\"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/social-media-feather\/synved-social\/image\/social\/regular\/48x48\/mail.png\" \/><\/a><\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>JON &#8216;MOJO&#8217; MILLS introductory essay to our eight-page collection of powerpop articles Enter Cyril Jordan, returning to the UK in 1975. It had taken all of three years but whilst back in the States The Flamin\u2019 Groovies had reinvented themselves after recording the uber \u201960s \u2018You Tore Me Down\u2019. The new short hair and suits [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7481,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1009,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-magazine","category-music-videos","post_format-post-format-video"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7480"}],"version-history":[{"count":-3,"href":"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7480\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7481"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shindig-magazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}