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Reviews of "The Very Thing That You Treasure"


  • "Beautifully crafted, laid-back pop songs as sunny as a fresh summer's day, and as melancholy as mid-fall, Spike Priggen's The Very Thing That You Treasure is a delicate, yet sophisticated acoustic pop record."

    Alex Steininger

    In Music We Trust


  • "The Very Thing That You Treasure, Priggen will tell you, has been a lifetime in the making. Quite frankly it’s been worth the wait."

    Kurt Hernon

    Bangsheet


  • If there is any justice in this teen-popping world, The Very Thing That You Treasure won't get lost on the streets. It's a sweet little treasure that deserves a home.

    Carrie Havranek

    SonicNet


  • "The Very Thing that You Treasure is, quite simply, an amazing album. From the first track, a gorgeously reverby, jangly pop ballad called "Every Broken Heart," you know you're into something good. Priggen's voice is kind of nasal and a little bit awkward, but there is a gentleness to it that is immediately charming."

    Scout

    Delusions Of Adequacy


  • "Next time I'm getting over a terrorizing, head-over-heels heartbreak, The Very Thing That You Treasure will be in the driver's seat, helping me cry myself into the nearest telephone pole. Until then, this unbelievably depressing CD will be sitting on my shelf, safe from unsuspecting ears that can't deal with its gut-wrenching power. Priggen definitely has issues with chicks, as several tunes (including "Every Broken Heart" and "She Used To Be My Baby") highlight a borderline obsessive-compulsive singer-songwriter bloodletting his emotions onto a recorded medium. Priggen has a way with words, and his exceptional lyrics weave intricate tales of desperation and loss that somehow, by the disc's end, inspire a sense of hope and yearning. Nonetheless, this potent collection of tear jerking, honky-tonk pop tunes is a marvelous expression of calculated emotional outbursts. Medical authorities should be contacted immediately, as this CD should only be allowed into your CD player with a prescription from your local psychiatrist."

    Andrew Magilow

    Splendid E-zine


  • “To be blunt about it, this is a brilliant LP, and as debuts go ranks right up there with those of Marshall Crenshaw, Big Star and The Pretenders. It’s full of indelible hooks and I just want to keep playing it again and again and again…One of the year’s best”

    Toast Magazine


  • “Turns simple phrases around gorgeous melodies and into moving pop poetry”

    Mean Magazine


  • “Gloriously melancholy. Worth every minute of the ride.”

    Power Of Pop


  • “The very definition of bittersweet”

    Joey Sweeney

    Time Out New York


  • "His lyrics seethe with John Lennon's anger (and wit), but most often, and most brilliantly, they hinge on the sort of forlorn melancholy that Chris Bell made so affecting."

    Red Tunic Troll

    Amazon Customer Review


  • "In the finicky music world, Spike Priggen may well be destined to skirt around the perimeters of success for a few more years to come, but his satisfying songs are already worthy of a wider audience. Priggen's debut, The Very Thing That You Treasure, finds the accomplished musician joining the alt.country fray as a less cocky version of Ryan Adams. Two of the better offerings, Every Broken Heart and Outtasight take to the sort of countrified twang that R.E.M. tried for on 1991's Out Of Time. .. It is welcome news that Priggen has already set to work on a follow up."

    Rip It Up Magazine


  • "Priggen's songs are so melodic and throw up so many surprises both lyrically and sonically that it is hard not to love everything on this record.All of the tracks have been a favourite at different times so it is hard to pick out a standout song. It changes from the opening 'Every Broken Heart' to everything in-between that and the last song, 'So Good To See You', a strange psychedelic ballad full of weird effects and mellotron.

    Pennyblack Music Website


  • "In truth it's hard to single out tunes for praise when all 12 tracks are consistently solid. This is a 'song' record, an album that's not about glossy production or sampled drum beats. Spike Priggen writes damn good songs, and that's what you'll find on The Very Thing That You Treasure."

    Barfly.com


  • "Not the most rock 'n' roll of names, and one most likely that most of you have never encountered before, but then 'The Very Thing That You Treasure' isn't the most rock 'n' roll of records. In fact, the debut from New York based multi-instrumentalist Priggen is a wonderfully vibrant melting pot of eclectic pop rock styles that will have power pop fans drooling.

    Classic Rock (UK)


  • "Starting with a chorus of “Every broken heart is just like the first one”, Priggen shows his perfect hand early. Matching Teenage Fanclub with Matthew Sweet, he can’t help but sound like Big Star – which is even better! Irresistibly ragged production and endlessly bittersweet guitar solos will have you singing every line, and feeling like you wrote them all yourself. Proof beyond question that the one thing you can never grow out of is a teenage crush."

    TNT Magazine (UK)


  • "It's an album of confidant versatility, and the two years it took to record are evident in the sound of the material, the care that has been given. So often these days music can seem meaningless, vocals tossed away with a cheap rhyme, but not here."

    Logged Off Website

TV Neats Original PR Letter

Tv_neats_letterAttention:

In the deserted warehouse section of Lower New Haven there is a sparking-bright new quintet destined to dominate the international airwaves. Rehearsing diligently, TV Neats was first plotted then fabricated by Ricky Rondo, formerly the leader of Hot Bodies. Ricky spent the fall of 1980 producing some local demos, searching for the perfect combination of looks, vocals, and creativity. He approached guitarist and vocalist of the Ex-Cerpts, Michael Priggen and lead singer/keyboard player of The Kids, Ms. Robyn Ouiba to form TV Neats. Bassist Chipper Anderson, a former local musician was called from Hollywood, as he fit right into TV Neats musical attitude.

The band then immediately picked four songs and recorded them in a few short weeks. The entire group has developed in an incredibly rapid fashion, all members agreeing in attitude and direction, not unlike many other hit machines. If local response is any clue (Was I) Dreamin' Again has the possibility of being a colossal midsummer smash for 1981. "Give Me More" shows a moody and structured style while "Shadows" and "Runnin' Round" are as pop as can be and dance city all the way. The gems just keep coming.  TV Neats entire set is worthy of any major labels interest: All differ in style but maintain a consistency in sound while being thoroughly recognizable after just one taste.

TV Neats has the hits. TV Neats has the image. TV Neats would like to be on your record label so they can infect the ears of the young record buying public with their contagious style of pop with a twist.  D. Larson

Read the "Pop As Can Be & Dance City All The Way" Liner Notes
Buy TV Neats & The Excerpts "Pop As Can Be & Dance City All The Way"

Posted by Spike on Aug 05, 2006 at 11:26 AM in Scrapbook, TV Neats |

"Pop As Can Be & Dance City All The Way" Liner Notes

Tv_neats_spike_kneelingTV Neats was the 4th "punk rock" and/or "new wave" band that I was in, in New Haven, Connecticut between 1978 and 1981, after The Special Guests (featuring early New Haven scene producer and former member of "The Snotz" Thom Gartland), The Obvious (with Mark Mulcahy and Ray Neal, both later of Miracle Legion), and The Excerpts (Power-Pop hero Jon Brion's 1st band-represented on this compilation by the song "Will I Ever See You Again").

Ricky Rondo (sometimes "Rondeaux" - real name Ric Orlando) led a power trio called Hot Bodies, which was one of my favorite combos on the local scene (I covered  "In The Inside", written by their drummer Kerry Miller, on my 2005 LP "Stars After Stars After Stars"). There was some talk of me joining Hot Bodies as the 2nd guitarist/singer, but instead Rick broke up the band and started the "local supergroup" TV Neats.

Recording had begun on the first TV Neats demo (sometime in 1980) before I was officially asked to join the band. Ric and keyboardist/singer Robyn Ouiba (real name Robyn Cornell) formerly of "The Kids", had gone into Joe Mendyk's West Haven studio with local "rhythm section for hire", Rich D'Albis (Drums) and Doug "Derek"  Riccio (Bass) -both then of "Doug Derek & The Hoax". They recorded four songs: Ric's "Runnin' Round", "Shadows" and "Don't You Take It Away" and Robyn's "Was I Dreaming Again".  I was soon asked to join the band and I added my guitar and vocals to all 4 songs. The tape garnered a bunch of airplay on the local college radio stations.

The band was then filled out by Robyn's former "The Kids" bandmate, bassist Greg "Chipper" Anderson (who had also been in the Connecticut band "Epitome") who was enticed to move back from Hollywood on the strength of the first TV Neats demo. Jay Potts (real name Potocsky- his brothers are Joel Potts of "Miracle Legion" and Moe Potts of "The Laughing Dogs") was brought in to play the drums.

We played around the local clubs like "The Joint", "The Whalley Cinema" & "The Arcadia Ballroom" with other area bands such as "The Poodle Boys", "Suburbanites",  "Disturbance", and the aforementioned "Doug Derek & The Hoax" as well as opening for, at New Haven's premier venue "Toad's Place",  national and international acts such as "Joan Jett & The Blackhearts" and "The Stranglers" (who made Chip change out of his leather trousers as it was in their contract that no support bands could wear leather on stage!). One of our more unusual regular gigs was opening on weekends for local singer Michael Bolotin (long before he changed his name to Michael Bolton and became so successful) in a loft above a steak restaurant, a job we got because our drummer Jay and his brother Moe (Mark) were also the dual drummers in Bolotin's band.

On April 1-3, 1981 we returned to Joe Mendyk's studio and recorded 9 more songs. An alternate version of the 1st demo's "Don't You Take It Away", "Who's Courtin' Who", Robyn's "I Said On No", my song "Pushing Buttons", "Band Tonite", the obligatory "white reggae" jam "Sound Off", "I'm OK" (written by Ric but sung by me), "Do You Remember Me" and "Dear Abby".

By the end of July 1981, Chipper had left the line-up to start a band with New Haven guitar prodigy Bobbie Rose (The Snotz). He was replaced by former "Hot Bodies" member Scott Harris (that's him in the pictures of TV Neats live on the New Haven Green). The band broke up not too long after that. Ric and Jay moved to Boston and started the funk band "Skin". Robyn stopped playing music and for a while managed the band "October Days". I played bass in "Stray Divides" with Mark Mulcahy and Ray Neal and future "Dumptruck" co-founder (and former "Suburbanite") Kirk Swan, until I finished high school & moved to New York City in the fall of 1982 to attend the School of Visual Arts.

In 2006, Ric Orlando is a successful chef and restauranteur near Woodstock, NY. Robyn Cornell lives with her husband and son in her home town of Monroe, Connecticut. Greg "Chipper' Anderson is a professional fox hunter in North Carolina and still plays in bands. Michael "Spike" Priggen is a songwriter and recording artist in New York City and publishes the blog Bedazzled.tv.

Read TV Neats Original PR Letter
Buy TV Neats & The Excerpts "Pop As Can Be & Dance City All The Way"

Posted by Spike on Aug 05, 2006 at 11:25 AM in Scrapbook, TV Neats |

TV Neats 9/27/81

71314376_c8a3e026a3_oTV Neats 9/27/81
New Haven Green
New Haven CT
Photos By Ian Churchill
A Flickr Photo Set
More On TV Neats

Posted by Spike on Dec 08, 2005 at 06:52 PM in Pictures, Scrapbook, TV Neats |

Me And Bun E

BunespikeHere's me and Bun E Carlos in the front seat of my (since deceased) 1977 Volare Station Wagon. We're on our way to Brooklyn's "Fireproof Recording"  where Bun E played on 8 Spike Priggen tracks in one day (nice going Bun E!). 6 songs are on my new all-covers CD "Stars After Stars After Stars" and there'll be 2 more on my next all originals CD (working title "There's No Sound In Flutes").

Posted by Spike on Jun 13, 2005 at 11:02 AM in Pictures, Scrapbook, Stars After Stars After Stars |

When You Looked At Me

Sleeping350The 4th song on my new CD is "When You Looked At Me" written by Jenifer Jackson. I first heard this song on Jenifer's "Love Lane" EP-soon after that I got to play bass on it for a few gigs with her. Jenifer's songs have this timeless pop quality. Although it's probably the most modern song on the record (chronologically), it sounds like it could one of the oldest. I'm betting this is one of the few songs in recorded history that features pedal steel AND lap steel.
When You Looked At Me-Spike Priggen.mp3
Spike Priggen-Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Mark Spencer-6 and 12 String Guitars, Lap Steel,
Baritone Guitar, Chamberlain Oboe
Brian Doherty-Drums
George Rush-Bass
Jon Graboff-Rhythm and Lead 12 String Guitar, Pedal Steel
Eddy Zweiback-Percussion   
When You Looked At Me-Jenifer Jackson.mp3
Buy my new CD
Listen to the whole CD

Posted by Spike on Apr 17, 2005 at 12:11 PM in Scrapbook, Sounds, Stars After Stars After Stars |

New Haven Advocate 05/16/02

From The New Haven Advocate
Music Notes
By Kathleen Cei
Published 05/16/02
(Yes, It's really taken that long to get this record released)

When twangy/jangly power popster Spike Priggen was recording at Brooklyn's Fireproof Recording studio a few weeks ago, he told the drummer, "It's really great having you here--I don't have to tell you to play it more like Bun E. Carlos" like he's done in previous sessions. That's because this time, the guy behind the kit was Bun E. Carlos, of Cheap Trick chainsmoking fame.

They recorded eight songs together with local one-man-supergroup and Priggen's former Hello Strangers bandmate (from the '80s New Haven scene) Dean Falcone on bass.
Now doing the solo thing in New York City, Priggen is also remembered locally for playing in The Stray Divides, and in the early '90s with David Brooks in The Lean-Tos and The Streams.

His newest project, a follow-up to last year's The Very Thing That You Treasure, will be an all-covers CD, including tracks recorded with Bun E. and Dean-ie, like Big Star's "Nightime," Alice Cooper's "I'm Eighteen" and Jacobites' "Big Store," as well as a cover of the local classic "In the Inside," a song originally written in the late '70s by drummer Kerry Miller (currently of The Swaggerts and Los Gatos) back while he was in The Hot Bodies with shades-onstage Ric (Orlando) Rondo.

The song was covered once before in the '90s by Miller's pals F'n Colleen. Miller is bemused by the staying power of "In the Inside" since, he laughs, "it only has two chords." Priggen thinks Miller's "gonna like my version. It's like The Sweet meets The Beach Boys."

A 13-year-old Priggen first met Bun E. backstage at The Palace when Cheap Trick opened for Foreigner, and they've been pals and 45's collectors since. Falcone, a life-long Cheap Trick fan (known to have performed the entire Live at Budakon album at Rudy's on Christmas shows past with Jim Balga, Wally Gates and Scott MacDonald), played it cool during the session, but says he turned into a big geek fan afterwards, which was fine by Bun E.

Posted by Spike on Mar 29, 2005 at 12:29 AM in Press, Scrapbook, Stars After Stars After Stars, What's New |

In the Inside

Hot_bodiesThe first song on my new LP "Stars After Stars After Stars" is a cover of a song by Hot Bodies called "In The Inside"

Hot Bodies were one of my favorite local New Haven bands of the late '70's New Wave/Punk scene. Lead singer Ricky Rondo was kind of a hero of mine and taught me some important guitar licks (the scream bend!). There was some talk of me joining Hot Bodies as the 2nd guitarist, but Rick broke up the band instead, and started another, TV Neats, that included me.

The song was written by their drummer Kerry Miller, the only guy on the New Haven scene who was as big an Alex Chilton freak as me. He claims to have written the riff on a guitar of mine , I don't remember, but I can't imagine why he'd make it up... One of the 1st songs I learned how to play on guitar (2 easy chords). The working title of the record was always "In The Inside", it wasn't until after it was done that the whole "Stars After Stars After Stars" concept was hatched.

Spike Priggen-In The Inside.rm
Spike Priggen-Vocals, Guitar, Synth
Danny Weinkauf-Bass 
Mark Spencer-Lead Guitars
Ivan Julian-Guitar Solo
Bun E Carlos-Drums
Eddy Zweiback-Percussion

Posted by Spike on Mar 14, 2005 at 11:38 PM in Scrapbook, Sounds, Stars After Stars After Stars |

Shielded By Death Volume 3

Tvneats_1This is so weird. I never thought I'd have a "What's New" item about a band I was in 25 years ago, but I just figured out (through a discography on this site) that a song I wrote (and sang) when I was like 14, "Pushing Buttons" (for the band I was in then, TV Neats) is on a compilation CD called Shielded By Death Vol. 3 on Bacchus Archives Records. Not only that, but another TV Neats song (written by band leader Ricky Rondo) is on "Meet Me In The Time Tunnel – Obscure Powerpop From The Land Of The Lost 1978-1985" from the Japanese "Wizzard In Vinyl" label. And both songs have gotten airplay. On cool stations!
Now I don't know who, if anyone, gave anybody permission to put this stuff out, but it's pretty funny that someone would wanna. That doesn't mean I don't want my 8.5 cents per record (which I've recently found out is the standard royalty rate- 'cause I'm having to pay it to all the artists I cover on my new record!).
Mp3 of "Pushing Buttons" is here . Now I gotta go figure else what other songs of mine are out there on records I don't know about.

Posted by Spike on Feb 18, 2005 at 01:57 AM in Pictures, Scrapbook, TV Neats, What's New |

The Lonely Crowd

ThelonelycrowdIn 1994 I spent about 6 months in Europe, playing gigs in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Paris (singing covers in an Irish Pub). I spent several months in Scotland altogether and Malcolm Ross and I formed a cover band called "The Lonely Crowd", after a book I found, which was pretty popular in dodgy pubs all over Edinburgh. Every gig Paul Haig (Josef K) would get up and sing a Velvets Medley and Jo Callis (Rezillos/Human League) got up and played some Chuck Berry style guitar at one gig.
Picture Caption: Me, Malcolm Ross and Billy Buckley in our cover band The Lonely Crowd.

Posted by Spike on Jan 22, 2005 at 10:04 PM in Malcolm Ross, Pictures, Scrapbook |

The Lean-To's/ The Streams

SpikeprigginThe Lean-To's was a band formed by my friends Joe Rees (who I'd known since high school) and David Brooks (who I knew from my 1 year at SVA), I played bass and Jim Balga drums. After the Lean-To's disbanded, David started The Streams, with me on bass and Jeff Weiderschall ("Baby Huey" and original member of Miracle Legion) on drums. The Lean-To's had 1 7 inch single and a bunch of unreleased recordings. The Streams had several 7 inches and a slew of unreleased recordings.
Photo by Kathleen Cei.

Posted by Spike on Jan 22, 2005 at 04:10 PM in Pictures, Scrapbook, The Lean-To's, The Streams |

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Reviews Of "Stars After Stars After Stars"


  • "New York-based Spike Priggen of Liquor Giants, Pussywillows, and Dumptruck enthralled fans with his 2001 solo debut's synthesis of Big Star's chime, the dBs' quirkiness, and Dwight Twilley's pure pop power. This follow-up of lovingly selected covers (in the tradition of Bowie's Pin-Ups and the Band's Moondog Matinee) melds the hearts and minds of the originals with his overarching melancholy, mating a collector's ear for material with a producer's imagination for re-creation. Highlights include Priggen's versions of the Pontiac Brothers' yearning "Be Married Song" and the Zombies' delicate morning-after B-side "How We Were Before." The Ramones, Tracey Thorn, and Scritti Politti's songs all find a common wistfulness in Priggen's soul- and country-inflected arrangements. Closing the disc is a mesmerizing found-sound "J&H Productions" tape, in which a would-be Cincinnati concert promoter attempts to "get with" the "label industry." Whether the "label industry" "gets with" Spike Priggen, lovers of Lennon, Chilton, Stamey, and Sweet certainly should."

    Eli Messinger

    East Bay Express


  • "Although it is a highly eclectic collection of mostly obscure songs by other artists, Priggen's second album, "Stars After Stars After Stars," underscores the considerable depths of his talent. Priggen makes each song his own, giving the album a remarkable coherent sound. Some of that is due to his song selection, songs which, except for a straightforward reading of Alice Cooper's "Eighteen," render themselves to his vaguely rootsy power pop interpretations. Priggen reclaims "Questioningly," the Ramones' well-written but improbable stab at country-rock and rescues from obscurity early British pop gems such as Tracy Thorn's "Plainsailing" and Scritti Politti's "A Slow Soul.""

    Mark Wilson

    Evansville Courier & Press


  • "This second album finds Spike Priggen and a bunch of friends (Ivan Julian, Bun E Carlos, etc.) covering some great underknown songs by folks like the Pontiac Brothers, the Zombies, Nikki Sudden/Dave Kusworth the Jacobites, Tracy Thorn, the Ramones, etc. If Spike is doing all of the vocals as the press kit seems to indicate; he's the best singing vocal mimic I've ever heard. His Tracy Thorn, and Joey Ramone are uncanny."

    George Parsons

    Dream Magazine #5


  • "Priggen is a frequent performer on the NYC scene and at various times has been a member of Dumptruck, Hello Strangers, Liquor Giants, Schramms, and Pussywillows. His 2001 debut revealed a tremendous talent for perfect pop songs often filtered through a country sound. Therefore, the first track on his new disc comes as quite a shock with its blast of synthesizer. Thereafter, he returns to his normal style, for which a useful comparison is Freedy Johnston, whom Priggen resembles in vocal timbre, melodically (especially), and to a lesser extent in overall style. It's a sound that doesn't work well unless lavished on high-quality songs, and Priggen supplies plenty."

    Steve

    The Big Takeover


  • "Most of the album is a nostalgic look back at the artist's past, including the bands he's played in as well as those he's idolized, including the Hot Bodies, the Jacobites, and the Zombies. He works through these songs competently and respectfully, and in the end what he's created is a tribute to his own musical development. But in doing so he's also given us a window back into some forgotten moments in music from the 70's and 80's various indie, new-wave, and punk scenes."

    George Ford

    Delusions Of Adequacy


  • "On Spike's new "Stars After Stars After Stars" he pulls off the neat trick of recording a classy set of covers (The Pontiac Bros. "Be Married Song"; Zombies, Jenifer Jackson, Sudden & Kusworth) with a star-studded cast (Bun E Carlos, Ivan Julian). He's kicked around in some bands that almost crossed over (Dumptruck, The Liquor Giants, The Caroline Know)--can he finally get a break?". -

    Josh Goldfein

    The Village Voice

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