Tuesday, April 22, 2008

This One's On My Radar


Product description from Amazon.com:
Van Duren is pure power pop. He spent time in the Memphis trenches with the big boys (Big Star, Chris Bell, The Scruffs), and knows his way around a hook and a melody as well as any of his heroes from Todd Rundgren, Paul McCartney, Emitt Rhodes and on to Badfinger. He went to high school with Jody Stephens, auditioned for Big Star after Bell's departure, and was in the short-lived but legendary Baker Street Regulars with both those cats. If you think Big Star never got the props they deserved, well they're the Beatles compared to Mr. Duren. This is his debut album, originally released in 1977 on the Big Sound label, and he is no also ran, he is the real deal, power pop at its finest.

This, I presume, is a photo of the Baker Street Regulars. Van Duren on the Rick, Jody Stephens on drums, Chris Bell on Tele. (I confess that I don't know the guy on the left.) The disc is out, I just can't decide if I want to drive to Midtown to get the damn thing. And it's just sad that I honestly couldn't think of a record store to call to check availability.

4 comments:

Mike said...

Hope he's as fantastic as The Mummies.

Dave said...

"It's worth a trip to Midtown", I said selfishly.

Joe said...

They talk about him in the Big Star book.

Jay said...

Nobody's got it. Had a confirmation yesterday, but when I called to make sure today, someone else - at the same store - told me they didn't have it yet.