Rock Archeologia

The Rubinoos - Everything You Always Wanted to Know (3CD Box-Set) (2007) 

Artist: The Rubinoos
Album: Everything You Always Wanted to Know
Label: Sanctuary/Castle Music Ltd.
Catalog#: CMETD 1431
Release Info: 3 CD Compilation Studio & Live
Released: March 27, 2007
Country Origin: Berkeley, California, US
Genre: Pop/Rock, Power Pop, New Wave
Format: FLAC (track+.cue)
Bitrate: lossless
Duration: 03:19:51

• Just in time to capitalize on an unexpected bit of potential career luck -- Avril Lavigne's spring 2007 single "Girlfriend" blatantly (and without credit) plagiarizes the chorus from the Rubinoos' 1978 power pop classic "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" -- Castle Records has resurrected the Bay Area popsters' key work, most of which has been basically unavailable for years. The exhaustive three-disc set is the first career-long anthology for the group, from its pioneering early work for the great Berserkley label through its collaborations with Todd Rundgren and Utopia, all the way up to its most recent album, Crimes Against Music. There's even a complete live concert, recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in London in 1978. As with most power pop bands, the early work is the best, from a stonking cover of "I Think We're Alone Now" through "Boyfriend" to, improbably, the theme song to the quintessential '80s dumb comedy Revenge of the Nerds. The title is pretty much right on: this may well be all the Rubinoos most people will ever need. - Stewart Mason (www.allmusic.com)

            •  www.rubinoos.com         
            •  en.wikipedia.org
            •  www.facebook.com

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• Tommy Dunbar and Jon Rubin Formed the Rubinoos While Still in Junior High School.The Rubinoos Made their Recording Debut with the Song "Gorilla", on the Beserkley Chartbusters LP. Continuing the Trend of Bands Such as the Raspberries with their Engaging Blend of Innocent Bubblegum and Power Pop, their Cover of Tommy James’ ‘i Think We’re Alone Now’ Made an Appearance in the Lower Reaches of the USA Charts which Gave the Label Its First Hit.

 • Tracklist:

01. Gorilla 03:00
02. I Think We're Alone Now 02:55
03. Leave My Heart Alone 02:39
04. Hard to Get 03:03
05. Peek-A-Boo 02:11
06. Rock and Roll Is Dead 02:53
07. Memories 05:33
08. Nothing a Little Love Won't Cure 02:41
09. Wouldn't It Be Nice 03:25
10. Make It Easy 03:06
11. I Never Thought It Would Happen 02:35
12. Fallin' in Love 02:49
13. I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend 03:19
14. Promise Me 03:24
15. Hold Me 03:02
16. Ronnie 02:40
17. Drivin' Music 03:15
18. Operator 03:00
19. Jennifer 02:35
20. Arcade Queen 02:28
21. Lightning Love Affair 02:48
22. 1, 2, 3 Forever 02:46
23. As Long as I'm with You 02:11
24. Rhythm of Love 01:55
25. Rendezvous 03:34
26. Rock and Roll Is Dead 02:56

• Disc two adds additional rarities from "Garage Sale" (including a great cover of The Raspberries "Cruisin' Music") and tracks that were demoed for a never-completed third group album. These latter tracks, including "Hurts Too Much" and "Hit the Nerve," are a truer continuation of the earlier albums than the Rundgren-produced "Party of Two" (which was credited as a Rubinoos release, but only included Rubin and Dunbar). Also on the second disc are selections from the group's more recent releases, "Paleophonic," "Crimes Against Music," and "Twist Pop Sin." The all-covers "Crimes" offers up moving versions of The Eurythmics "Thorn in My Side" and Todd Rundgren's "There Goes My Inspiration," and a superb Four Seasons styled take on the obscure Lou Christie tune, "If My Car Could Only Talk."

 • Tracklist:

01. Hurts Too Much 02:53
02. Hit the Nerve 02:56
03. I Love the Way You Touch 02:38
04. Never Too Late 03:28
05. Troubled Heart 03:03
06. Alright Without You 01:55
07. If I Had You Back 03:17
08. Handle with Care 03:05
09. Too Up to Feel Down 02:35
10. Revenge of the Nerds 03:18
11. Cruisin' Music 03:22
12. Amnesia 03:42
13. Early Winter 03:15
14. You Don't Know Her 02:39
15. Thorn in My Side 03:13
16. There Goes My Inspiration 0 3:37
17. If My Car Could Only Talk 03:27
18. Heroes and Villains 04:03
19. You Started It 02:51
20. Too Sweet 00:55
21. In the Worst Way 03:41
22. Someday 02:54
23. I Think We're Alone Now (Live) 03:49
24. I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend (Live) 03:29

• Disc three features an entire vintage concert, recorded in 1978 at London's Hammersmith Odeon. In addition to Rubinoos originals (including the otherwise unavailable "Hey Royse"), the band reaches back to their roots as a cover band, singing a cappella on "Rockin' in the Jungle," and jamming on bubblegum's national anthem, "Sugar Sugar." The latter even manages to quote "Smoke on the Water" and "Downtown" before invoking an audience sing-along! The show closes with a 6-minute cover of The Seeds "Pushin' Too Hard," and the disc ends with a a cover of "96 Tears." As tightly controlled as the Rubinoos were on disc, they were equally exhilarating on stage, able to reproduce their harmonies in concert and summon up great rock 'n' roll energy.

 • Tracklist:

01. Intro/Rockin' in the Jungle 03:22
02. Wouldn't It Be Nice 03:41
03. Peek-A-Boo 02:06
04. Hard to Get 02:57
05. Hey Royse 02:07
06. I Never Thought It Would Happen 02:40
07. Fallin' in Love 02:39
08. I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend 03:21
09. I Think We're Alone Now 03:23
10. Rock and Roll Is Dead 05:00
11. Sugar Sugar 07:33
12. Pushin' Too Hard 10:14

Members:
Royse Ader - Bass, Vocals
Michael Boyd - Keyboards
Al Chan - Bass, Vocals
Tommy Dunbar - Guitar, Keyboards, Mixing, Vocals
Jon Rubin - Guitar, Vocals
Donn Spindt - Drums, Vocals
With:
Kit Potamkin - Keyboards
Nick D'Virgilio - Drums, Vocals (Background)
Charlie Davis, Susan Anders - Vocals (Background)
Steve Douglas & the Rebel Rousers - Saxophone
Robert Ferris - Washtub Bass
James Gangwer - Slide Guitar
Kevin Gilbert, Charles Judge, Ervin Kramer, Scott Wilk - Keyboards
Greg Keranen, Robin Sylvester, Eric Clevin - Bass
Larry Lynch, Jon Otis - Congas
Scott Mathews, Toss Panos - Drums
Gary Phillips - Guitar (Acoustic), Back Vocals
Mark Naftalin - Piano
Russ Parrish - Banjo
Steve Stizzo - Accordion

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