An idiosyncratic blog dedicated to the precursors, the practioners, and the descendants of power pop.
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Friday, November 24, 2017
Tommy Keene 1958-2017
From 1984, please enjoy genuine power pop deity Tommy Keene and his astounding "Places That Are Gone"
And he had scads of songs as good as this.
Seriously, Keene should have been a household name and a gazillionaire.
Whoa, that sucks. Not only because he was he a year younger than me. I musically grew up in DC and Tommy was a local boy made good. Yeah, he should have been much more successful.
Saw him open for Matthew Sweet recently and talked to him afterwards. Had him autograph my copy of Ten Years After. Great talent, way too soon to leave us.
Not one bad album. Not one. Saw Keene open for Lloyd Cole at the short-lived World (on East Third Street, if I recall, and a facility that was once a reception hall) in the mid-1980s. Now THAT was a double bill with my name on it.
And yes, he should've been a household name. And his 2013 album of covers, EXCITEMENT AT YOUR FEET, is wonderful.
RIP Tommy. I'm also a Washington native, and used to hear his music on the late, lamented WHFS. I too saw him as an opening act, for the Connells, back in '92 or thereabouts. (Another great power pop double-bill.) Glad to see there are a few other folks who appreciated his talent.
Very sad to hear this. Nice article from someone who knew him here: http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/music/2017/11/26/Remembering-Tommy-Keene-an-overlooked-power-pop-singer-songwriter/stories/201711260188
Whoa, that sucks. Not only because he was he a year younger than me. I musically grew up in DC and Tommy was a local boy made good. Yeah, he should have been much more successful.
ReplyDeleteSaw him open for Matthew Sweet recently and talked to him afterwards. Had him autograph my copy of Ten Years After. Great talent, way too soon to leave us.
ReplyDeleteNot one bad album. Not one. Saw Keene open for Lloyd Cole at the short-lived World (on East Third Street, if I recall, and a facility that was once a reception hall) in the mid-1980s. Now THAT was a double bill with my name on it.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, he should've been a household name. And his 2013 album of covers, EXCITEMENT AT YOUR FEET, is wonderful.
RIP Tommy. I'm also a Washington native, and used to hear his music on the late, lamented WHFS. I too saw him as an opening act, for the Connells, back in '92 or thereabouts. (Another great power pop double-bill.) Glad to see there are a few other folks who appreciated his talent.
ReplyDeleteMarc
Very sad to hear this. Nice article from someone who knew him here: http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/music/2017/11/26/Remembering-Tommy-Keene-an-overlooked-power-pop-singer-songwriter/stories/201711260188
ReplyDelete