More power pop legends pass away…

Two players in both rock and pop passed away recently: Tommy Hoehn died last Thursday. Hoehn was part of the Memphis music scene and an integral part of Argent studios work with Big Star. He played with The Scruffs as well and the 1977 single “Blow Yourself Up” was his biggest hit, eventually earning Hoehn a new generation of followers thanks to its inclusion on 1993 Rhino Records compilation D.I.Y.: Come Out and Play: American Power Pop I (1975-78). He also recorded two albums with another Memphis power popper, Van Duren. This article mentions how that occurred.


Another rock legend, Pete Quaife passed away after a long bout with kidney disease. Pete was The Kinks original bassist. He left the band in 1969 becase of all the fighting among band members. In a 1998 interview, Quaife pointed to the band’s 1968 disc Village Green Preservation Society as his favorite. “For me, it represents the only real album made by the Kinks,” he said. “It’s the only one where we all contributed something.” The 2010 video below is Ray Davies’ tribute to Pete at Glastonbury.