This 1980 song is from a Vancouver punk band called The Modernettes.
I ran across this song searching for power pop songs. This one is VERY Ramones like. It’s a fun song. They did play more than punk… they ventured into power-pop recordings.
There is a documentary about the Vancouver punk rock scene in the late 70s and early 80s with Henry Rollins and Duff Mckagan that includes the Modernettes called Bloodied and Unbowed…this is the trailer but the documentary is on there also.
The Modernettes were formed in 1979, with John Armstrong, aka Buck Cherry, and Mary Armstrong, aka Mary-Jo Kopechne (yea tasteless). John formed the Modernettes soon after drafting drummer John McAdams and Mary to form the three-piece lineup.
In 1980, the Modernettes recorded the debut EP Strictly Confidential. It was released under the Quintessence Records label. A second EP, Teen City, followed quickly. It included the band’s strongest and probably most popular song, “Barbara.” Though the group pulled together a strong following, true success eluded them.
The Modernettes only completed one full album, Get It Straight.
Barbra
there’s a new little girl in my home class
you know i’m talking about barbra
and everybodys thinks that she’s such a gas
b-a-r-b-r-a barbra
shes the girl i love forever
we’ll spend our lives together
barbra
well the dogs are gonna slide so she can pass
you know i’m talking about barbra
and everybodys looking and thats such a gas
b-a-r-b-r-a barbra
i envy the guy she kiss last
i just wanna skip class with barbra
there’s a new little girl in my home class
you know i’m talking about barbra
and everybodys thinks she’s such a gas
b-a-r-b-r-a barbra
shes the girl i love forever
you know im talking about barbra
talking about barbra
talking about barbra
talking about barbra
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Max I learned some Canadian Music from you. Never heard of this but I need to watch the documentary now. Good job fella!
Thanks Deke! I wonder if Duff was part of it?
Not sure about Duff but check this video out by DOA doing a BTO cover that has Bachman in it..
https://youtu.be/0OVsmvmRz7k
Cool dude! I like when bands tip their hats to others
Bachman a punker! lol
Nice song, love the bass notes.
She was a decent bass player…for punk perfect
Well, strangely the video isn’t showing up here… I might try to look it up later on this evening. Hope the girl’s in it! As I commented on another post yesterday, Canada had a big punk scene in early-’80s but few bands got coast-to-coast attention besides Teenage Head, so you’d see different local favorites in cities like Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal which were fairly unknown elsewhere.
That is wild…I don’t know why it didn’t work…I just tried it. I posted the studio cut also just now but you will want to see the video…yep she is in it.
It is very Ramones.
Very tight tune!
You like it? Cool
I’m hearing some 60s mod and some 80s Stray Cats, too.
This one really caught me. It is a pretty good mixture.
I agree.
Listen to the knock on that bass! How good would this sound through a big sound system
I know man…that is the first thing I noticed…fun track.
Never heard of them or this song, but I like it. Such an exuberant, fun tune.
I seen this band Max. Vancouver had a real diverse music scene back then. I knew a gal that was in the Dishrags, they opened for the Clash, I think it was the first time the Clash played N America. I could be wrong.
WOW…I looked them up and loved what I heard. It’s a shame many of those bands were never heard of again. I want to see that documentary about the Vancouver scene then…
Van had a solid scene and that docs good. I think Dawn from the ;Dishrags is in it. They’re a couple docs I think.
Armstrong went on to be a music critic for a while. I always trusted his takes. The guy I liked the best from that group of bands was Art Bergman. Check him out. Try ‘Bound For Vegas’ it might give you and idea. He was good.
I will check it out. I’m a lover of power pop and a lot of these bands qualify at times with their music.
I will check him out CB. One of those docs is on YouTube completely…. the Dishrags… gotta love that name.
Art gets a little greasy but in a good way. He was one of those guys that should have had a wider appeal. Self destruction is a bitch.
My son Big Earl has a ‘Dishrag” t – shirt How’s that?
That is cool… I would proudly wear it!
Yea man that is the story of a lot of those power pop/punk bands… some of them deserved more acclaim but just didn’t reach it… Big Star is a famous example of that
Funny, Bergman reminds me a bit of Alex and Westerberg. I’m sure if I did research he would mention Big Star.
I just checked out Bound for Vegas…Rocking little tune…No frills…just a straight through rocker.
I bet he would… mention them.
‘Faithlessly Yours’ would fit the Alex bill. Get time check out more Max. You need more music.
Yea man that fits the Big Star mode much more! I really like that man. I’ll start listen to more of his stuff…that song is exactly the music I like
CB if you don’t mind…and it’s a chore but in the next few days would you mind if I emailed you some of my stuff I recorded myself…if you could take the time to listen to a little of it? Only around 5-6 songs? It’s not great and they are just demos and I multitracked myself playing guitar, bass, bad vocals…had to program drums…that I can’t play those.
I would love to hear your stuff Max.
Thanks man I appreciate it. I use soundcloud so I’ll get the links tonight or tomorrow.