John M. Borack
Encyclopedia
John M. Borack is a music critic and musician
from California
.
, Amplifier, The Garden Grove Journal, Audities and Popsided. He has also contributed to the book and website The Trouser Press
Guide to '90s Rock, and has written liner notes
for CD's by such diverse artists as Tommy Keene
, Raspberries
, The Rooks, Starbuck
("Moonlight Feels Right"), The Rembrandts
, The Lolas, The Toms, sparkle*jets uk and The Scruffs
, among others.
He also penned the extensive notes for Rhino Records' Poptopia! Power Pop Classics of the '80's and has served as executive producer for the CD compilations Right to Chews: Bubblegum Classics Revisited (Not Lame Recordings
, 2002) and Shoe Fetish: A Tribute to Shoes (Parasol Records
, 2001), a tribute disc spotlighting the work of the DIY power pop pioneers.
In 2008, Not Lame Recordings
published John's first book, Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Power Pop
Guide, which quickly sold out four small pressings. He is currently at work on a follow up, Power Pop 360, which will celebrate the genre's finest tunes. 2010 will also see publication of his book John Lennon
: Life Is What Happens.
John will also celebrate his 25th year as a freelance writer for Goldmine in 2010 and continues to write his popular "Rave On" column for the magazine. His Goldmine features have included extensive interviews with Cheap Trick
and Graham Parker
, as well as in-depth looks at the bubblegum
and power pop
genres and the tongue-in-cheek list "25 Songs That Brought Shame to the '70s."
Kenny Howes
for several years, and for the Barry Holdship Four (2005–09), Receiver (2001–03) and The Dons (2002–03), in addition to a brief stint with sparkle*jets uk (early 2000s).
John also currently drums with his band The Popdudes (named by sparkle*jets uk singer/songwriter Mike Simmons after Borack's e-mail address), an "almost anything goes" cover band
whose unofficial motto is "Maximum Rock Stupidity." The core of the Popdudes' rotating lineup is Borack, Simmons, bassist Jamie Knight and, occasionally, vocalist/guitarist Kenny Howes
, with other musicians showing up for live gigs and recording sessions often spontaneously. A Popdudes full-length release (collecting their recordings from various compilation
s) is tentatively scheduled.
A version of the Popdudes that included Borack, keyboardist Brian Curtis (The Oohs) and guitarist/vocalist Mike Jarvis (The Blow Pops, The Lackloves) performed at the International Pop Overthrow
festival in Chicago
in 2003, while Borack, vocalist/guitarist Ed James, bassist Severo Jornacion (The Smithereens
) and vocalist/guitarist Mike Giblin (Cherry Twister
/Parallax Project) appeared as the Popdudes at the Charlotte Pop Festival in September 2009.
Other "Popdudes for a Day or Two" have included Robin Wills (of The Barracudas
), Robbie Rist
, Walter Clevenger, the late Jeff Glenn, Wayne Resnick, Don Mogill (The Dons), Bobby Bognar
(Piper Downs), Todd Simmons, Lisa Mychols
(Masticators, Nushu), Susan West (sparkle*jets uk), Jeremy Morris, Steve Bancroft (Walter Clevenger and the Dairy Kings), Ken West (Receiver), Kerry Chicoine (Receiver), John Perry (Adam Marsland's Chaos Band), and Anthony Grisham (An up-and-coming teenage guitarist).
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Writer
Borack's reviews, columns and feature articles have appeared in periodicals such as GoldmineGoldmine (magazine)
Goldmine, established in 1974, is an American magazine that focuses on the collectors' market for records, tapes, CDs, and music-related memorabilia. Each issue features news articles, interviews, discographies, histories, current reviews on recording stars of the past and present. Discographies...
, Amplifier, The Garden Grove Journal, Audities and Popsided. He has also contributed to the book and website The Trouser Press
Trouser Press
Trouser Press was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow Who fan Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" ...
Guide to '90s Rock, and has written liner notes
Liner notes
Liner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...
for CD's by such diverse artists as Tommy Keene
Tommy Keene
Tommy Keene is an American singer-songwriter, best known for releasing critical acclaimed new wave/power pop songs in the 1980s. He has a longtime cult following among fans of the musical genre of power pop...
, Raspberries
Raspberries (band)
Raspberries is an American power pop/pop rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. They had a run of success in the early 1970s music scene with their crisp pop sound, which Allmusic later described as featuring "exquisitely crafted melodies and achingly gorgeous harmonies." The members were known for their...
, The Rooks, Starbuck
Starbuck (band)
Starbuck was a rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 1974 by keyboardist/vocalist/record producer Bruce Blackman and marimba player Bo Wagner. Both Blackman and Wagner, along with guitarist Johnny Walker, had previous success with Mississippi-based "sunshine pop" group Eternity's Children,...
("Moonlight Feels Right"), The Rembrandts
The Rembrandts
The Rembrandts are an American pop-rock duo formed by Phil Solem and Danny Wilde in 1989. They had previously worked together as members of Great Buildings in 1981...
, The Lolas, The Toms, sparkle*jets uk and The Scruffs
The Scruffs
The Scruffs are a pop music group originally founded by writer/guitarist/vocalist Stephen Burns, guitarist David Branyan, and drummer Zeph Paulson in Memphis, Tennessee circa 1975...
, among others.
He also penned the extensive notes for Rhino Records' Poptopia! Power Pop Classics of the '80's and has served as executive producer for the CD compilations Right to Chews: Bubblegum Classics Revisited (Not Lame Recordings
Not Lame Recordings
Not Lame Recordings was a Ft. Collins, Colorado, United States based independent record label specializing in power pop releases. The company was started by Bruce Brodeen in November 1994 but it shut down per November 24, 2010. The reasons Brodeen mentioned were a career switch combined with...
, 2002) and Shoe Fetish: A Tribute to Shoes (Parasol Records
Parasol Records
Parasol Records is an American independent record label based out of Urbana, Illinois. The label was founded by Geoff Merritt as an outgrowth of the catalogue Parasol Mail Order ....
, 2001), a tribute disc spotlighting the work of the DIY power pop pioneers.
In 2008, Not Lame Recordings
Not Lame Recordings
Not Lame Recordings was a Ft. Collins, Colorado, United States based independent record label specializing in power pop releases. The company was started by Bruce Brodeen in November 1994 but it shut down per November 24, 2010. The reasons Brodeen mentioned were a career switch combined with...
published John's first book, Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Power Pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
Guide, which quickly sold out four small pressings. He is currently at work on a follow up, Power Pop 360, which will celebrate the genre's finest tunes. 2010 will also see publication of his book John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
: Life Is What Happens.
John will also celebrate his 25th year as a freelance writer for Goldmine in 2010 and continues to write his popular "Rave On" column for the magazine. His Goldmine features have included extensive interviews with Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
and Graham Parker
Graham Parker
Graham Parker is a British rock singer and songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the popular British band Graham Parker & the Rumour.-Early career :...
, as well as in-depth looks at the bubblegum
Bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers.Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972...
and power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
genres and the tongue-in-cheek list "25 Songs That Brought Shame to the '70s."
Musician
Borack played drums with pop-rockerPop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
Kenny Howes
Kenny Howes
-Early years:Raised in Mulberry, Florida, Howes began his musical endeavors at the age of ten by simultaneously learning the guitar and piano at home and the French horn at school....
for several years, and for the Barry Holdship Four (2005–09), Receiver (2001–03) and The Dons (2002–03), in addition to a brief stint with sparkle*jets uk (early 2000s).
John also currently drums with his band The Popdudes (named by sparkle*jets uk singer/songwriter Mike Simmons after Borack's e-mail address), an "almost anything goes" cover band
Cover band
A cover band , is a band that plays mostly or exclusively cover songs. New or unknown bands often find the cover band format marketable for smaller gigs, and these bands may be known as a wedding band, party band and function band. A band whose covers consist mainly of songs that were chart hits is...
whose unofficial motto is "Maximum Rock Stupidity." The core of the Popdudes' rotating lineup is Borack, Simmons, bassist Jamie Knight and, occasionally, vocalist/guitarist Kenny Howes
Kenny Howes
-Early years:Raised in Mulberry, Florida, Howes began his musical endeavors at the age of ten by simultaneously learning the guitar and piano at home and the French horn at school....
, with other musicians showing up for live gigs and recording sessions often spontaneously. A Popdudes full-length release (collecting their recordings from various compilation
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
s) is tentatively scheduled.
A version of the Popdudes that included Borack, keyboardist Brian Curtis (The Oohs) and guitarist/vocalist Mike Jarvis (The Blow Pops, The Lackloves) performed at the International Pop Overthrow
International Pop Overthrow
The International Pop Overthrow is an American-originated music festival devoted to power pop music and related genres.Taking its name from Material Issue's 1991 album of the same name, the festival began in 1998, and has been held annually in the LA area since then...
festival in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 2003, while Borack, vocalist/guitarist Ed James, bassist Severo Jornacion (The Smithereens
The Smithereens
The Smithereens are a rock band from Carteret, New Jersey, United States. The group formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio , Jim Babjak , Mike Mesaros , and Dennis Diken...
) and vocalist/guitarist Mike Giblin (Cherry Twister
Cherry Twister
Cherry Twister was a power pop band consisting of musicians Steve Ward, Ross Sackler and Michael Giblin. The band began early 1993 from the ashes of Harrisburg-based band 23 Skidoo which included Steve Ward, Ross Sackler, Dave Sheaffer and Joe Pisapia. Pisapia went on to form Nashville-based Joe,...
/Parallax Project) appeared as the Popdudes at the Charlotte Pop Festival in September 2009.
Other "Popdudes for a Day or Two" have included Robin Wills (of The Barracudas
The Barracudas
The Barracudas are an English based Anglo-Canadian band formed in the late 1970s.The band's original lineup consisted of: Jeremy Gluck , Robin Wills , Starkie Phillips and Adam Phillips....
), Robbie Rist
Robbie Rist
Robert Anthony Rist is an American actor and musician.-Acting and voiceover work:As a child, Rist played Cousin Oliver in the final six episodes of The Brady Bunch. With the regular children all getting older, his inclusion was intended to reintroduce cute younger children to the series...
, Walter Clevenger, the late Jeff Glenn, Wayne Resnick, Don Mogill (The Dons), Bobby Bognar
Bobby Bognar
Bobby Bognar is an American musician and actor. Bognar is the lead vocalist and guitar player for The Piper Downs, a four piece rock band from Los Angeles, California. He is also the host of Food Tech on the History Channel.-References:...
(Piper Downs), Todd Simmons, Lisa Mychols
Lisa Mychols
Lisa Mychols is a singer-songwriter currently living in or around Los Angeles, California. Her first solo album, Lost Winter's Dream, a seasonally-themed masterpiece of 60s-inspired pop, was recorded with the help of Darian Sahanaja and Nick Walusko in 1991 and had a limited release in Japan that...
(Masticators, Nushu), Susan West (sparkle*jets uk), Jeremy Morris, Steve Bancroft (Walter Clevenger and the Dairy Kings), Ken West (Receiver), Kerry Chicoine (Receiver), John Perry (Adam Marsland's Chaos Band), and Anthony Grisham (An up-and-coming teenage guitarist).