Which, I suppose, until we can tell you more about the up and coming album Pop Manifesto (catch extracts from all the tracks via the link down in the side panel) is the most important piece of breaking news.
Time for us to wash those dirty coffee cups, throw away the empty beer cans and fight […]
The sessions for Pop Manifesto actually began in very late 2004 with the songs “Anger”, “Money Girl” and “Silver & Gold”. At that time The Scruffs’ line up seemed consistent to Stephen Burns and included Zac Ware on guitars, Simon Cottrell on bass and Mark Rodgers on drums. Zac and Simon had […]
Back at the bar following an Alex Chilton gig at Glasgow’s 13th Note, I struck up a conversation with an American who described himself as a long-time friend of the former Big Star singer. As we continued to talk he casually mentioned a band he’d been in during the ‘70s - The Scruffs. “’Wanna’ Meet […]
“Love, The Scruffs” began in 1998 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Earlier in late 1996, Stephen Burns had recorded his first full record in over 10 years (which will be re-released as “Back From The Grave—The Scruffs”). At this time Burns was living in New Orleans, in relative proximity to Alex Chilton who recorded […]
From the time period of the end of the album MidTown, 1990, until 1997, Stephen Burns did not record any songs: he lived in the south of France and roamed around the country (the song “Catalans” being written during that time).
Returning to the US, Burns worked in the everyday accounting business. In August 1995 […]
In mid year 1982, Stephen Burns left New York City after more than 3 years with The Scruffs having failed to achieve the monetary rewards from major record companies that were not as forthcoming as the critical acclaim that the music and songs of The Scruffs had garnered. The Scruffs had honed their live act […]
Memphis balances allure and mystique like no other city. Out of the deep, dark crevices of its mystery, great music emerged, and it had the allure of wafting barbecue smoke. Everyone knows the Blues. Everybody and his hound dog knows Elvis. But within the city that’s cooked up enough rock’n’roll to feed the entire world, […]
When I originally got involved in working on the liner notes to the Wanna Meet the Scruffs? CD reissue in late 1997, I of course went back and listened to that classic LP many times over. “Man, this is so good! I wonder what their second LP would have sounded like?” I mused aloud. (Sure, […]
In 1990, when Rhino Records was in the planning stages for an upcoming series of releases chronicling power pop, project coordinator Gary Stewart asked me to make a list of tracks I deemed appropriate. The file cabinets began clicking in my head, and the most powerful nodes were immediately activated.
Among the first songs I came […]
In late 1998, Stephen Burns worked on transferring the original 2 track stereo mixes of “Wanna Meet The Scruffs?” from analog to digital and remastering the album to CD. Audiophiles were hoping for a “vinyl mastering” to CD which is exactly what they got and Wanna Meet sounds as terrific on CD as it […]