Really, really fab!
Your collection, if like mine, contains several hidden gems that even you forget about over time. But when you stumble across them years later, you immediately know why you were hooked in the first place. With so many bands springing up in the post-Beatle era and beyond, how could you know about them all? Some incredibly talented ones never got too far outside of their zip code for one reason or another, but we all know there are diamonds in that rough…
One such band was The Raves, from Atlanta. Years after its release. their album Past Perfect Tense is still a sixteen-track breath of fresh air. Here’s what I wrote for TransAction a dozen years ago…
My God, two of them even *look* like John and Paul! This collection of Beatle-esque pop from the 1980s proves that along with The Flashcubes and The Toms there were many other great bands that didn’t get their due. Chuck, John and Jim Yoakum handled the guitar-bass-drums axis while Ken Kennedy added some flash lead guitar. Although the production immediately screams “local band”, the songs don’t – they’re pure New Wave pop.
“Any Way You Can”, “Every Little Bit Hurts” and “Make Up Your Mind” are just three of the sixteen tracks that you can play in tandem with bands like Artful Dodger, The Jags and The Sinceros. “Tonight It’s Going To Be Great” is The Records via Buddy Holly and you’ll like the Elvis Costello nod on the intro to “Chastity”. Four guys weaned on classic pop rock who decided to make some of their own.
Go ahead – drop a few more names. The Rubinoos. Dwight Twilley. Sloan. Everly Brothers. Name any melodic or powerpop band you want…if you like them, you’ll like this. I have no idea what happened to the band after this – a very common tale – although Chuck did work with the late Graham Chapman of Monty Python.
But do try and track down this hard to find little gem – you will be richly rewarded.
The Raves at AllMusic.com
A couple of YouTube videos courtesy The Yoakum Channel.
An old interview at Bubblegum The Punk
Dr. Bristol's Prescription 
Thank you for such kind words about this recording. You’re right in that there are always many undiscovered, talented artists out there all the time. I hope anyone who gets “Past Perfect Tense” will enjoy it and email me for other Raves recordings.
Great memories, man. Thanks for the good words and the blast from the past. I agree with all you said. As for what happened to us: We all went our own ways with careers, marriages, etc. and we all still play a bit on some level though not together as a band -mainly for fun. Now, I’m helping my son to be a songwriter and player. – John
Raves update – The Raves, are playing again and ready to record new material. Next show is Sept at the International Pop Overthrow festival in Atlanta.