Category: Notable Obituaries

RIP: Ric Ocasek, Let the Good Times Roll

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I was told by some to prepare for a wave of rock and roll deaths, but it still shocks us when our rock idols (who are now 70+ or older) are gone. Add Ric Ocasek of the Cars to the list, and although he wasn’t considered a power-pop artist at the time the band was active, it makes sense to retrofit the band into the genre. The Cars topped the charts in the late 1970s and 80s, with 13 top-40 singles and thrived in an era when the synth keyboard ruled over the guitar gods of old. The band’s sound was critical in the transition to new wave rock and thankfully Ocasek was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year. He was 75 years old. In honor of his passing, you should play the Benjamin Orr sung “Drive,” penned by Ocasek, and his wife model/actress Paulina Porizkova was featured in the video below. RIP Ric, we will drive you home.

 

RIP: Pete Shelley

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Pete Shelley was always someone I admired, not just for his excellent work with The Buzzcocks, but his solo work too. His music literally pushed the late 70’s sneering punk aesthetic into the realm of pop and new wave. Some people have argued that maybe The Buzzcocks were power pop — and they wouldn’t be wrong, but they could easily be classified as the first punk-pop band too. The Buzzcocks were also one of the most influential DIY bands of its day, when they self-released their debut EP Spiral Scratchin 1977, setting a strong example for the future of independent music. Pete Shelley had died of a heart attack aged 63, but he made a dent in the musical landscape that will be felt by his fellow homosapiens for years to come.

RIP John Wicks of The Records

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Singer-guitarist John Wicks of the British power-pop band The Records, who were best known for the classic 1978 pop gem “Starry Eyes,” passed away in a Burbank hospice on Sunday morning, Oct. 7, 2018.

Born in Reading, England, he moved to Los Angeles after relocating to the United States in 1994. Wicks, who had been battling cancer for several years, nonetheless was able to tour and perform locally until not long before his death with other notable artists like Paul Collins and Bangles drummer Debbi Peterson.

The Records, like other pioneers of the late 70’s (Shoes, 20/20, Blue Ash) was part of a great power pop revival that continues to resonate today. John’s skill for crafting gorgeous melodies continued long after The Records career and he had several great solo power pop LPs including 2008’s Rotate. It is a must-have for true power pop aficionados. You will be missed John — Rest In Peace.

RIP: Pat DiNizio of The Smithereens

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Pat DiNizio, the lead singer and songwriter of The Smithereens, died on Tuesday December 12, 2017. He was 62. On The Smithereen’s website, his bandmates wrote, “Today we mourn the loss of our friend, brother and bandmate Pat DiNizio. Pat had the magic touch. He channeled the essence of joy and heartbreak into hook-laden three minute pop songs infused with a lifelong passion for rock & roll. Our journey with Pat was long, storied and a hell of a lot of fun. We grew up together.”

DiNizio formed The Smithereens in 1980 with Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken and Mike Mesaros. When bassist Mesaros left the band in 2006, he was replaced by Severo Jornacion. The band was inducted into The Power Pop Hall of Fame last year.

I was lucky enough to meet Pat in 2015 at a small show in Glen Cove where he told his life story and sprinkled in some Smithereens songs with an acoustic guitar. He held the audience spellbound for the entire show. We talked before the show a little, and he was very friendly and approachable. He was suffering from health issues and was very self-conscious about his weight, to the point where he did not want photos taken except in “close up.” Here I am doing a selfie at a terrible angle, but Pat took it in stride. He seemed to be active in many outside projects, politics, and still played solo and with The Smithereens regularly. It’s like he didn’t want to slow down, but go out swinging. God bless, Pat — you lived the dream.

Tommy Keene, Power Pop icon 1958 – 2017

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Tommy Keene, a veteran power pop singer-songwriter has passed away. His website made the announcement, gives no cause of death and simply states: “Tommy Keene 6/30/58 – 11/22/17. Tommy passed unexpectedly and peacefully in his sleep.  Thank you to all his friends and family who he loved very much.”

I had the pleasure of interviewing Tommy in 2011, prior to his release Behind The Parade and it was one of my most memorable experiences. Tommy knew his audience and the state of pop music well.

His musical history is long, and over the years he collaborated with a number of stylistically similar artists. As early as the mid-197o’s Tommy played alongside Nils Lofgren (opening for his band Grin) and then while attending the University of Maryland he joined up with Richard X. Heyman. Then he formed a new band, The Razz who opened for such notable acts as the Ramones, Devo, and Patti Smith. Tommy joined several bands before finally going on his own in 1982. Then in 1986, Keene tapped Beatles producer Geoff Emrick for Songs From The Film, a classic power pop masterwork.

From there Keene’s music career took off, but he never achieved the recognition or stardom many of his peers felt he deserved. He’s played with Velvet Crush, Paul Westerberg, Guided By Voices and many others.  But other than power pop devotees and fellow musicians the general public barely knows him. If there was ever an artist who deserves a bigger box set retrospective of his career, its Tommy Keene. I hope more people discover him, as he was a special talent that is now sadly gone — and he will never be forgotten.