What I Got for Christmas

One of the hidden benefits of blogging: if your family knows about your blog, they can usually guess what to get you. Woo hoo!

Blue Ash - Around Again (2 CDs)

Blue Ash`s fate mirrored that of fellow power-poppers like Big Star: not enough sales to back up all those critical hosannas. Youngstown, Ohio, Blue Ash formed in 1969, and soon won comparisons to the usual suspects associated with the tag: the Beatles and the Who. Raspberries and Badfinger, not far behind. Strong regional interest secured a deal in1973 with Mercury Records, home of the New York Dolls. Both bands even had the same champion A&R man Paul Nelson, who plucked Blue Ash`s demo from an unsolicited tape pile. No More, No Less appeared that year, and is best remembered for its raucously melodic leadoff track, "Abracadabra (Have You Seen Her?")". Critics fell all over themselves, but sparse sales dashed hopes of continuing with Mercury. Their second, Front Page News arrived on Playboy Records in 1977, the group`s talent burned brightly as ever though snowed under horns and strings but failed to improve its fortunes. Other than leader Frank Secich`s work with Dead Boy Stiv Bators in the late 70`s, there ends the story. Until now.

This 2 CD collection gathers up some of the most amazing material recorded by Blue Ash between 1969-1977. With more than 200 studio tracks to choose from, the 44 songs here represent the finest in the genre of the then-developing genre of `power pop`. It`s a legacy that can now be extended, continued and shine into the future and influence new-comers to the roots of that `classic power pop` sound. Lots more great information on BLUE ASH can be found at www.blueashmusic.com