Stars After Stars After Stars

Only Children Sleeping

The 6th song on my new CD "Stars After Stars After Stars" is "Only Children Sleeping" - originally recorded by The Jacobites (Dave Kusworth/Nikki Sudden).
 
I've been a big Jacobites fan since I first became aware of them in the mid-80's. I've always loved The Only Ones, and Johnny Thunders, and these guys crossed that kinda Junkie Rock vibe, with this incredibly sweet, romantic side (especially Kusworth). In the summer of 1994 I bicycled from Battersea to Islington and back in the rain to see the Jacobites after Sudden and Kusworth re-united (Nikki's Brother, the Late Epic Soundtracks, was the DJ that night). They were brilliant. An autographed setlist from that night is part of the cover art on my new CD.

If there are any reviewers or audiobloggers out there who would like a copy or download, email me. Both of my CD's can be listened to in their entirety here and here.

Spike Priggen-Only Children Sleeping.mp3
Spike Priggen-Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Optigan
Danny Weinkauf-Bass
Mark Spencer-6 and 12 String Guitars,Hammond Organ
Jon Graboff-Pedal Steel, Mandolin
Bun E Carlos-Drums
Eddy Zweiback-Percussion

The Jacobites-Only Children Sleeping.mp3

Spike At Lakeside NYC Monday

I'm playing at the Lakeside Lounge in NYC Monday night in support of my new CD "Stars After Stars After Stars". Please come down-show at 9:30.

SPIKE PRIGGEN
With
GREG BESHERS
NANCY POLSTEIN
CHRIS ERICSON
EDDY ZWEIBACK

LAKESIDE LOUNGE
MAY 9TH, 2005
162 AVENUE B (10TH & 11TH)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
212.529.8463

Inaudible Cities Post

Inaudible Cities has a cool little post about my blogs and new record.

All Music Guide Review

Stars After Stars After Stars
Spike Priggen   
by John D. Luerssen
From The All Music Guide

Unlike most albums of covers, Spike Priggen's Stars After Stars After Stars succeeds from start to finish. Priggen -- who's done time in almost-famous bands like Dumptruck, The Liquor Giants and The Caroline Know -- knows a thing about arranging an alt-pop song, and it shows on this diverse song cycle. "In The Inside" is a scorching, superb take on the Hot Bodies' original, and The Zombies' "How We Were Before" comes off as a winsome, warm tribute. A pair of ballads (The Pontiac Brothers' twangy, spooky "Be Married Song" and Jenifer Jackson's shimmering, guitar weeper "When You Looked At Me" are done right, while Priggen's lilting, gorgeous rendition of Big Star's "Nighttime" may be the best thing going for Stars After Stars After Stars. The man even scores by resuscitating Alice Cooper's rebellious hard rock classic "I'm Eighteen", turning it into a likable countrified bastardization of the original. Well done, Spike, well done.

Big Store

The 5th song on my new CD Stars After Stars After Stars by Spike Priggen is "Big Store" by Nikki Sudden/Dave Kusworth-Jacobites (written by Stephen Duffy).

There was a pre-Jacobites band called the Hawks that featured Kusworth and Stephen Duffy that originally did this song, so I guess mine is a cover of a cover. It's a pretty classic song, 4 chords - no changes, with a great Televisionesque guitar part. Not sure exactly what it's about, but I like it. I saw Stephen Duffy, as Tin-Tin, performing (lip-synching) his dance hit "Kiss Me" back in the early '80's when I was working at Danceteria, and I certainly disco danced to it many times.
Spike Priggen-Big Store.mp3
Spike Priggen-Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Dean Falcone-Bass
Mark Spencer-Hammond Organ
Ivan Julian-Solo Guitars
Bun E Carlos-Drums
The Jacobites-Big Store.mp3

East Bay Express Review

Spike Priggen
Stars After Stars After Stars
By Eli Messinger
Published: Wednesday, April 20, 2005

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.

When You Looked At Me

The 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

South Florida's Entertainment News & Views Review

Spike Priggen: Stars After Stars After Stars (Volare)
With an extensive two-decade pedigree that’s found him working with some of the most America’s most illustrious alt-rock ensembles (Dumptruck, Liquor Giants, the Schramms, etc.), Spike Priggen certainly knows great power pop when he hears it. So while an album of obscure covers may seem an unlikely career move a mere two sets into his solo sojourn, given his musical inclinations, it does seem to make some sense.
Granted, most people will have no idea who these artists are. The Pontiac Brothers, the Jacobites, the Hot Bodies and Scritti Politti never made much of an impact on the public radar. The Zombies, the Ramones, and Tracey Thorn of Everything but the Girl are represented, but Priggen’s song selection still manages to keep the recognition factor nearly nil. The best known track by far turns out to be a revved-up cover of Alice Cooper’s defiant adolescent anthem, “I’m Eighteen,” rendered here in a manner befitting Neil Young and Crazy Horse, i.e. all attitude and amplitude.

Nevertheless, despite the lack of instant identification, Priggen does an admirable job of reinventing this melodic material. The fact that they’re not known actually works in his favor; unhindered by previous perceptions, he makes these tunes his own, embellishing each with lavish arrangements befitting his pop pedigree. As a result, “In the Inside,” “Be Married Song,” “Big Store,” and “Only Children Sleeping” sound like radio-ready contenders circa the ‘70s, rich, robust and instantly accessible. Things take a strange turn when the album reaches its end, as a rambling dialogue by an obviously inept talent promoter takes over the proceedings. Two uncredited songs follow, but by then the listener’s so perplexed, they seem like an unlikely coda.

Nevertheless, with Stars After Stars After Stars coming on top of his outstanding debut, The Very Thing You Treasure, Priggen’s proven his point. Rock ‘n’ roll is often at its best when it comes from unexpected sources.    By Lee Zimmerman

How We Were Before

The 3rd song on my new CD "Stars After Stars After Stars" is "How We Were Before", one of the rare Colin Blunstone penned Zombies songs. I've always loved it's dreamy "end-of-the-party" vibe and can be found singing it at the end of many a party....

Spike Priggen-How We Were Before.rm
Spike Priggen-Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Danny Weinkauf-Bass
Mark Spencer-Fender Bass VI, 6 and 12 String Guitars, Hammond M3 Organ
Jon Graboff-Pedal Steel, Mandolin
Eddy Zweiback-Percussion
CP Roth-Chamberlain
Bun E Carlos-Drums

Evansville Courier & Press Review

By MARK WILSON, Music critic
April 1, 2005
Spike Priggen
Stars After Stars After Stars (Volare Label)

Intelligent, well-crafted pop rock is vastly underrepresented in today's music scene. There seems to be a a consensus that it has to be disguised as "punk" (of the most lightweight variety), and even then it's generally rendered in primary colors and paint-by-numbers formula.

But for those willing to dig a little deeper, there is still a wealth of great new music out there. Priggen's 2001 solo debut, "The Very Thing You Treasure," was an under-the-radar gem. It wasn't just critics who picked up on it. It slipped into the mainstream with a song on the TV show "Felicity" and another song ("Outtasight") appearing in the first-ever iPod TV commercial. Considering that mega-rockers U2 are also shilling for iPod these days, that puts Priggen in some pretty heady company.

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."

Other highlights include a beautiful, guitar-filled version of singer-songwriter Jennifer Jackson's "When You Looked at Me," a loving rendition of Alex Chilton's "Nighttime" and the melancholy "How We Were Before," originally done by the Zombies.

The other thing that makes this album work so well is its stellar caste of backing musicians. In addition to Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos on six songs, "Stars After Stars After Stars" features a virtual Who's Who of the New York City underground music scene, including legendary guitarist Ivan Julian and musicians who have played with acts such as They Might Be Giants, Fountains of Wayne, Jay Farrar, Beat Rodeo, XTC and even Ozzy Osbourne.

Don't miss the bonus tracks either, which include the hilarious underground hipster "J and H Productions" tape (Google it for background) and two excellent bonus songs that are as good as any of the songs on the proper album.