Jack Lee’s timeless pop is dying thanks to a single: ‘Hanging on the phone’
unusual case. The Nerves have published only one standard reference during their short career, the four-song epic of the same name (1976), was self-published to make matters worse. But it is such an extraordinary artifact that it was enough and left to turn the trio into hallowed rock and roll history. Jack Lee, the guitarist, singer, and songwriter for a group that included as many singer-songwriters as the members, and who paved the way for power pop in the punk revolution, has died at the age of 71 of colon cancer.
Lee, who was born in Alaska on March 25, 1952, founded The Nerves in San Francisco in 1974 with Peter Case (guitarist) and Paul Collins (battery). The group self-published the aforementioned saga, with two songs by Lee (“Hanging on the Phone” and “Give Me Some Time”), one by Kiss (“When You Find Out”) and one by Collins (“Work Hard’). Four Jewels Bob Garage. The album was distributed by the Los Angeles independent label Bomp! , driven by lovers of electricity and melody Greg Shaw. In 1977 the band moved to Los Angeles. He created the Hollywood Bank Palace Club, in the basement of what was and would become the Sunset Gower Studios, which was awash with the film and television industries. There they performed The Weirdos, The Dils, The Zippers, The Zeros and The Screamers, as well as The Nerves. A place as good as it gets to establish the birthplace of the Los Angeles punk scene.
DIY tour
In the same DIY spirit, in 1977 The Nerves toured the US and Canada where they came to share the stage with Ramones and Mink DeVille. The group disbanded at an indefinite moment in 1978. Two major names in guitar pop rose from its ashes, plimsolls (case) f The Beat or Paul Collins’ Beat (Collins).
And me, who looked the most talented among the trio that was the center of talent? Jeffrey Lee Pearcejournalist for the “Slash” fanzín, president of the fan club blond and future founder of The Gun Club, he sent Debbie Harry a copy of The Nerves epé, with the exclamation marks of “Hanging on the phone” presumably. With Lee’s (unnecessary, but always good) blessing and production by Mike Chapman, Blondie’s sparkling, energetic version was the second single from “Parallel Lines” (1978), the pinnacle of modern popular music. From there to the planetary eternity, which will report to me Copyright wealth. Def Leppard, L7 and Cat Power will also record versions of “Hanging on the Phone”, the latest for advertising.
Not much more than that
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Susie Fore Lee included “You are my love” on his album Suzi… And Four More Words (1979). A much greater commercial impact was “Come and Stay”, a number by Lee which was a “hit” on “No parlez” (1983), the first LP by Paul Young. Lee released Jack Lee’s greatest hits album. 1” (1983) and “Larger Than Life” (1985).
in 1986 French stamps are a crime Published full-length “Nerves. Jack Lee, Paul Collins, Peter Case, with the four songs from the saga in question, another take from “When You Find Out” and five unreleased songs. Two of them, “Paper Puppets” (Lee) and “One Way Ticket” (Me and Kiss), they were the last 45 spin of The Nerves, which Bomp! I couldn’t edit. Again, two garage pop gems. This cult Nerves record was the true original, the massive Rosetta Stone of power pop As we know it, ‘Long live France’.
