Cynics – I Need More …. Power Pop Friday

I’ve posted a song by the Cynics before and now they remain in my playlist. They had a great recording engineer…they always capture the guitar wonderfully.

There was quite a big garage band scene in the 80s from all over the world. These bands stuck close to their ancestors but with a little more punch in the modern recording. They avoided the dated sound unlike some of their more popular peers.

The Cynics were from Pittsburgh and along with the Chesterfield Kings, the Milkshakes, and the Fuzztones were early founders of the 1980s garage rock revival movement. They pick up where the garage bands from the 60s left off.

This band is not limited to garage rock. I’ve heard everything from power pop to folk from them in songs.

Gregg Kostelich started the Cynics in 1983. The other members were drummer Bill Von Hagen, vocalist Michael Kastelic who joined in 1985, bass player Steve Magee, and keyboardist Becky Smith who debuted with their first album, Blue Train Station in 1986.

This song is not from the 80s but from 2011. It’s off of their album Spinning Wheel Motel. The guitar walk-down in this song is great…you can hear it right after each chorus. It could have been made in 1968. My favorite part of the song? The intense feedback at the end!

I Need More

I hope this letter finds you wellThere’s not too much for me to tell

I mailed it from another highwayAnd I don’t know what I’m looking forI don’t know who I am so I’m taking it door to doorI try to understand, but I just can’t take it no more

It doesn’t matter what you sayPeople only pay to hear you play

I mailed it from another highwayAnd I don’t know what I’m looking forI don’t know who I am so I’m taking it door to doorI try to understand, but I just can’t take it no more

I’ve had as much as I can takeWhy does everybody have to break?

I mailed it from another highwayAnd I don’t know what I’m looking forI don’t know who I am so I’m taking it door to doorI try to understand, but I just can’t take it no more

Can’t take it no moreHey, what’s the scoreYou’re such a boreAnd I need more

…

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

22 thoughts on “Cynics – I Need More …. Power Pop Friday”

  3. Definitely an 80’s sound recreated here. The idea of someone in the current era sounding like they are from long ago reminded me of a “find” I made last year regarding a group called Ghost, who has a song (and video) called “Dance Macabre” from a few years ago. If you want to hear a song from recent times that would likely be #1 if it was released in the 80’s that would be one.

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    1. I listened to Ghost…yea that is awesome.
      I guess when I think of 80s sound I think of those synths and drum machines… I do like this because it’s more close to the 60s in your face…more raw. Plus the Ghost song.

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  9. Man, that tune is cooking and instantly made me attempt to be a desk drummer – is there such a thing? I know there are dashboard drummers! 🙂

    Anyhoo, I love that guitar sound and also think the distortion at the end is cool. While I had heard of the Cynics, I only knew their name in the context of other ’80s garage rock revival bands The Fuzztones and The Chesterfield Kings – btw, both bands I also first read about on your blog.

    It looks like The Cynics are still active as a touring act. Their Facebook page shows a 2022 U.S. tour. Apparently, they haven’t released any new music since “Spinning Wheel Motel,” the album that included “I Need More”.

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    1. Glad you liked it! Dave was waiting for you to come by to see if you knew them. I also like their 80s song “Baby Whats Wrong” which is good also.
      I’ll probably cover another song by them in the future… them and The Stems I really like.

      I like The Chesterfield Kings also as you know… really cool bands came out of nowhere back then.

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