Pezband

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pezband in 1978. From left to right, members include: Tommy Gawenda (lead guitar), Mike Gorman (bass, vocals), Mick Rain (drums, vocals) and Mimi Betinis (guitar, vocals).
Pezband in 1978. From left to right, members include: Tommy Gawenda (lead guitar), Mike Gorman (bass, vocals), Mick Rain (drums, vocals) and Mimi Betinis (guitar, vocals).

Pezband is a Chicago-based power-pop band.

Contents

[edit] Early career

Their first album, 1977's Pezband, received a great deal of critical acclaim, with Record World declaring them the "Most Promising New Act of the Year" and positive reviews from Billboard and Trouser. A 1978 EP, Two Old Two Soon was similarly received positively, with Hit Parader stating "If this four-songer is a hint of what’s to come on their upcoming second album, this may be the best American group of the year." That release, Laughing in the Dark, was cited by Rolling Stone as one of the best albums of the year.

Solid reviews did not translate into record sales and following their third studio album, Cover to Cover, the band broke up.

[edit] Reunions

The band reformed in late 1981 to record an EP, but the distribution deal fell through and the band went on an extended hiatus.

Ultimately, the members of the band finally did reconvene in the summer of 2005 and remain active, performing primarily in and around the Chicago area.

[edit] Discography

  • Pezband (Passport Records, 1977)
  • Laughing in the Dark (Passport Records [USA]/Radar Records [UK], 1978)
  • Cover to Cover (Passport Records, 1979)

[edit] EPs

  • Two Old Two Soon (Passport, 1978)
  • Thirty Seconds Over Schaumburg (Passport, 1978)

Note: Pezband's 50 studio tracks (including material from their two live EPs) were reissued in 2005 on CD (digipak format), by Japanese company Air Mail Recordings, and are distributed online by the Not Lame Recording Company.

[edit] Compilations

  • DIY: American Power Pop: Come Out and Play (Rhino, 1993)
  • Poptopia!: Power Pop Classics Of The '70's (Rhino, 1997)
  • 20 Greats from the Golden Decade of Power Pop (Varese, 2005)

[edit] External links

[edit] Author of original article text

Larry Lange, is author of The Beatles Way: Fab Wisdom for Everyday Life (ISBN 1-58270-061-3) (Beyond Words Publishing).