A nice cover of The Beau Brummels "Just a Little" round out this release.
Its a shame that this band isn't bigger or more well known than they are. They are one of NYC's best kept musical secrets.
CD Baby is expected to carry the album soon, but you can
check out earlier releases there.
Article from
All Music Guide
Review of Bill Popp and The Tapes "My Lonely Mind" by William Ruhlmann
Most aspiring musicians found the music of the Beatles and the British Invasion they fostered inspiring; some found it defining. Among the latter is Bill Popp, who, with his group the Tapes, has now made four self-released albums, all of which reflect the influence of the British Invasion many decades after the fact.
Actually, the group sounds like some of the American bands that arose in the wake of that invasion in the mid-Ô60s, bands like Los Bravos and the Beau Brummels that sometimes have been grouped under the "garage band" or "Nuggets" labels. Popp and the Tapes cover the Beau Brummels' "Just a Little" on this album, just to make the connection obvious.
The bandleader, who has a day job as a plumber, is now in his mid-fifties and pursues his musical career as an impassioned sideline. He has a clear tenor that is somewhat reminiscent of Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits and Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers, and he writes songs full of romantic longing and self-reflection set to catchy pop/rock tunes that his band plays sweetly. On this album, he remakes his 1982 debut single, "Love and Lust," and allows his guitarist, Gerry Barnas, to contribute a song and lead vocal of his own, "I See Your Face." For a change of pace, he tries an Irish-tinged closer, "Emily Lives in Ireland."
05/06/2008 Article from
ANTIMUSIC
CBGB Plumber CD Release Party (Anti-Music News, 05/06/2008)
(PR) Celebrate the release of the new Bill Popp And The Tapes CD My Lonely Mind at Kenny's Castaways, 157 Bleecker Street (between Sullivan and Thompson Streets) on Thursday, June 5th from 6:30-9:00PM. There will be free food and drinks, and free copies of the new CD to the first 75 attendees.
The story of prolific composer Bill Popp can best be summarized with three words: Perseverance, dedication and determination. For over 25 years, power popster, garage rocker, City of New York plumber, and quadruple heart by-pass survivor Bill Popp has had a dedicated cult following in the New York rock club scene Ð especially for his legendary performances at CBGB from 1981 to its closing last year, where the Queens native also was venue owner Hilly Kristal's longtime plumber.
Popp has been tagged "the downtown Elton John" (Boston Phoenix) and a "master songwriter" (New York Press), with a personality in peculiar contrast to his music. Regarded as well by the New York Daily News, New York Post, Village Voice and Newsday for both his relentless artistic and charitable achievements, Popp has amassed a song catalogue containing sensitive and introspective lyrics with melodies reflecting a keen sense for distinctive power pop melodies, and catchy hooks which simply rock.
Bill Popp And The Tapes' long-awaited new CD, My Lonely Mind Ð their first since Popp's return from open-heart surgery Ð is the fourth collection of songs written and produced by Bill Popp. The band includes: Bill Popp on lead and backing vocals, keyboards, and percussion; Gerry Barnas on guitar, whistling, backing vocals, lead vocals on and composer of "I See Your Face"; Roger Foster on drums, percussion and backing vocals, and Mary Noecker on bass and "visuals."
12/07/07 Article from
LIMEWIRE
Off the Beatin' Path - Bill Popp & the Tapes Live @ Pianos 12/06
(Limewire Music, Blog December 07, 2007)
By Guest-Blogger Posted on December 07, 2007
Ben Kreiger
is a musician, writer, and compulsive music collector.
I have heard dozens upon dozens of bands in NYC who claim the Beatles, Kinks, REM, and XTC as influences. Many of these groups have the sound down; Bill Popp & the Tapes have the sound and the songs.
The veteran NYC songwriter could make a living licensing his material out to younger, needy popsters. But Popp will never be pulled away from the stage and his live act is first rate.
My first Tapes experience was about a month ago; I had the unique pleasure of running the soundboard for them at the Sidewalk Cafe. Simply put, the set was astounding; song after song, the band kept churning out brilliantly composed 60s pop compositions that many bands I know would kill for.
Last night, the Tapes delivered another fantastic performance (and the set seemed almost completely different).
Popp is always front and center on keys, singing in his lovely, hint-of-Brit tenor. Jerry Barnas (guitar), Mary Noecker (bass) and Roger Foster (drums) all provided backing vocals at various times. I've seen Noecker play both upright and electric bass at this point and the latter is preferable; her tandem pogo jumps with Barnas are fantastic.
This is an NYC pop act that deserves a revival. Forget the latest hype. Bill Popp & the Tapes are RIYL* the real deal.
*Recommended If You Like
10/23/07 Article NY Post
CBGB TO BE CHIC BOUTIQUE
By DAN KADISON
October 23, 2007 -- It ain't no party at CBGB anymore - the shuttered punk palace on The Bowery has been leased to trendy fashion designer John Varvados.
"We're going in by the spring, hopefully in March," said a Varvatos Co. employee.
News that a chic boutique is coming to an area that recently has added a hotel, a bank, a Starbucks and a Whole Foods surprised few on the once-seedy strip.
But musician Bill Popp, who played CBGB from 1981 until its closing last year, mourned the Bowery's turn for the purse.
"Now it's going to become a contrived type of store, with prices only for the yuppies who are taking over the neighborhood," he lamented.
Still unclear is how much of the 13,000 square feet Varvatos will occupy.
Link to Article
04/20/06 Article NY Daily News
Pump it up!: Bill Popp unites rockers to support heart health
By J.R. TAYLOR
Bill Popp shows his heart-surgery scar backstage and [...] plays with the Tapes at SoHo's Crash Mansion.
Outside the Austin Convention Center on a brisk Texas morning, Bill Popp has a hard-luck story about life in a rock 'n' roll band. So do all the other musicians here for the SXSW festival. There are more than 1,000 bands taking over the city's nightclubs. Popp's in town to try to make some connections, but he's not like the other would-be rock stars.
For one thing, Popp is bragging about his dad.
"One time," Popp recalls, "we left a club and found that somebody had robbed the battery out of our van. My father comes driving into Manhattan at 69 years old, at 5 o'clock in the morning, in pouring rain, with a battery so we could get our equipment home. That was my old man, you know?"
Most musicians wouldn't risk being heard speaking fondly about their fathers - but Popp is a little more mature. The 52-year-old Brooklyn bachelor has more than 20 years of stories about performing as leader of Bill Popp & the Tapes. The act is now working on its fourth album of fairly rockin' guitar-pop.
But on May 24 and 25, Popp will reach a different kind of musical milestone, holding the 20th annual Daddy Tapes Benefit for the American Heart Association at Kenny's Castaways in Greenwich Village. The event honors the late George L. Popp - aka Daddy Tapes - who passed away in 1986 from a heart attack. It's become one of the more pleasant traditions in the New York City rock community, notable for its low-key atmosphere and gathering of minor rock stars/survivors of the local music scene.
Bill Popp remains grateful for the chance to do the ultimate uncool in rock - paying tribute to his father's sacrifices. "My dad could've moved to Florida," Popp explains, "but he kept the house in Brooklyn and his night watchman's job so that I would have a place to live cheaply. I could afford studio time because of him. And my dad always showed up at gigs. It was kind of rad to see some guy over 40 there, with his pipe and his cowboy shirt. I don't think he understood rock, but he enjoyed what I was doing."
The annual fund-raiser took the place of what had become a regular birthday party for Popp's father. In that spirit, the event has traditionally been held on George Popp's birth date of March 19. This year, however, the event was postponed for just about the best excuse a rock musician can offer.
"I had all the acts booked in January," says Popp, "and then I went in for my annual checkup."My doctor says, 'I hear some kind of murmur,' so I go to see a cardiologist. I'm thinking they'll find a blockage or something. I'd been feeling kind of weird, anyway, fatigued every now and then. When the cardiologist gets done, I'm told that I have to get bypass surgery.
"I go, 'Can it wait until April?'" Popp continues. "He says, 'Well, to be honest, you're a candidate for sudden death.'"
Popp laughs at the memory. "I find out [on Valentine's Day] that I got to get the surgery done, and I'm rolled into surgery on the 22nd. They wound up doing a quadruple bypass."
"So now the party's going to happen on May 24 and 25. I'm making it a two-day event, and I'm hoping everyone who agreed to do it before can make it this time."
With typical courtesy, Kenny's Castaways was quick to accommodate the change. "They've been so supportive over the years," says Popp. "Pat Kenny owned the bar, and he passed away last year. He'd always throw $200 into the box at the end of the night. Now we bill the show as 'in the spirit of Pat Kenny.'"
With the passing of Pat Kenny, this year's event also adds to the roster of sons honoring their fathers. "On a personal note," says Tommy Kenny - now running his father's bar - "the event's taken on a greater meaning this year. I can relate to Bill wanting to keep his father's memory alive."
"It's been the longest-running event we've ever had here, and I'd like to keep it that way," Kenny continues. "Bill's a good friend, and he was a good friend to my dad. And, in their own ways, our fathers both loved the music industry and wanted to be a part of it."
And since George Popp didn't know that much about rock music, he'd probably be impressed with a typical lineup for one of his benefit concerts. There have been a few big names and rising stars over the years - Nellie McKay, Danny Kalb of the Blues Project - but the Daddy Tapes fund-raisers remain a far cry from Live Aid.
"I'd wanted the 20th anniversary to be a bigger deal," says Popp, "and I started in December thinking of big names I could get to play for the 20th anniversary. I approached everyone from Yoko Ono to Lou Reed's management. Yoko's people even got back to me with a letter telling me she was going to be out of town. I was lucky enough to get [Patti Smith guitarist] Lenny Kaye, and lots of good local people." Other better-known acts on the bill include singer-songwriter David Poe, punk rockers Sea Monster and '80s power-pop icons Catholic Girls.
Even without megastars, Popp can be proud of what he's accomplished. "It may not seem like much," he says, "but there's been this $5 door charge that's raised over $11,000 for the American Heart Association - and that's only been from me doing it once a year. Last year made something like $835.
"If you get into bigger names and a bigger venue, then there's security, and then some people start wanting to get paid. It would've been nice if [the event] had really taken off, but I've got people playing and raising money, and the name of Daddy Tapes lives on."
"That's the sad thing," Popp adds. "I wanted this to become its own foundation. The reality is that it won't. It'll die when I do. That never hit me until this year. I've been raising money for the American Heart Association, and now I'm a candidate. I've been raising money for my own research." Popp has another good laugh in the cool Texas morning air. "If my father was alive, he'd be shaking his head over that."
