I Wanna Be A Teen Again - American Power Pop 1980-1989

In 1979, The Knack kicked open the doors for a global power pop explosion, and a year or so later, almost as quickly, the doors closed again, but not before a mass of their contemporaries followed them through. Soon, a bunch of others got caught up in the excitement and the record business relearned the power of guitar-driven pop - the first few years of the '80s were as exciting for power pop as the last couple of the 70s had been, and even when it returned to the underground, the music continued to flow throughout the decade.

I Wanna Be A Teen Again follows the 80s power pop explosion from its hypocentre early in the decade to its enduring late period gems, exploring both leading and lesser lights, the old hands and new talents who made it such an exciting musical happening. By the middle of the decade, the term power pop had been all but retired, but a handful of new bands found success by avoiding it, whilst new movements, including the Paisley Underground and indie pop, helped keep others alive under new brandings. All the while a small number of holdouts, the pop equivalent of the soldiers lost in the jungle after the war had ended, strove to keep the music and the name alive.

Packed with classic cuts and long-overlooked rough diamonds, and appearing at a time when new outfits like The Lemon Twigs pick through the body of 80s power pop for material and inspiration and some key artists like Redd Kross and The Bangles are celebrated in books and film, I Wanna Be A Teen Again is a timely examination and celebration of this action-packed era and its thrilling sounds.

TRACK LISTIG

DISC ONE

1  Stiv Bators - Not That Way Anymore

2  The Knack - I Want Ya

3  The Know - (I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence Dear

4  The Romantics - When I Look In Your Eyes

5  Nikki & The Corvettes - Just What I Need

6  Zeros - They Say That (Everything's Alright)

7  Mn'M's - I'm Tired

8  The Flashcubes - It's You Tonight (Basement Tapes Version)

9  Radio City - Don't Mistake Love

10  Screen Test - Nothing Really Matters When You're Young

11  Moondogs - When Sixteen Wasn't So Sweet

12  The Pranks - What's The Point

13  NRBQ - You Can't Hide

14  Utopia - I Just Want To Touch You

15  The Shivvers - Please Stand By

16  Eric Carmen - It' Hurts Too Much

17  Hilly Michaels - Calling All Girls

18  Promise - Back In My Heart

19  The Late Show - Take A Chance

20  The Heats – Remember Me

21  Off Broadway - Quick Turns

22  Shoes - She Satisfies

23  The Everythingers - Saccharine

24  Rick Springfield - Jessie's Girl

25  SVT - Love Blind

26  Tommy Hoehn - Get Away

27  Phil Seymour - Precious To Me

28  David Quinton - Make Up Your Mind

DISC TWO

1  The Flamin' Groovies - So Much In Love

2  The Plimsouls – Now

3  20/20 - The Night I Heard A Scream

4  Great Buildings - Hold On To Something

5  The Go-Gos - How Much More

6  The Wigs - Tell It All

7  The Rubinoos - Let's Make It Tonight

8  The Toms - (I Wanna Be A) Teen Again

9  The Michael Guthrie Band - Sorry About That

10  Eddy Best - Things I Should've Said

11  The Decoys - Not The Tremblin' Kind

12  Marshall Crenshaw - Cynical Girl

13  The Bongos - The Bulrushes

14  The Floor Models - You'll Come Around

15  Paul Collins' Beat - The Kids Are The Same

16  Dwight Twilley - I'm Back Again

17  Cheap Trick - If You Want My Love

18  Bruce Moody - AM Romance

19  The Bangles - Mary Street

20  The Spongetones - Here I Go Again

21  The Fad - Where The Colours Are

22  Club Wow - What's With You

23  Jim Basnight & The Moberlys - I Want To Be Yours 24 Steve Rosenbaum - Girl From Seventeen

25 Let's Active - Every Word Means No

DISC THREE

1  Ramones - My My Kind Of Girl

2  Fastbacks - Now Is The Time

3  Game Theory - Too Late For Tears

4  The dB's - Love Is For Lovers

5  Katrina And The Waves - Do You Want Crying

6  Candy - Whatever Happened to Fun…

7  Julian Leal - You And I

8  Riff Doctors - Turn Me On

9  The Beat Rodeo - Just Friends

10  Gary Herrewig - Hurt You Too

11  Windbreakers - Can't Go On This Way

12  Tommy Keene - Places That Are Gone (Geoff Emerick Version)

13  The Smithereens - Strangers When We Meet

14  The Mosquitos - That Was Then, This Is Now

15  Sex Clark Five - I Want You Mine

16  The Patriots - It Don't Show

17  Flying Color - Dear Friend (Album Version)

18  Bill Lloyd - Lisa Anne

19  The Long Ryders - I Want You Bad

20  Chris 'Klondike' Masuak - How Could He Resist?

21  The Infidels - I Can't Make You Mine

22  Redd Kross - Ballad Of A Love Doll

23  Material Issue - Renee Remains The Same

24  The Pursuit of Happiness - She's So Young

25  Velvet Crush - Walking Out On Love