In late 1998 Stephen Burns arrived in Glasgow, Scotland and with the help of a plethora of friends recorded “Love, The Scruffs” at CaVa Studios in Glasgow and returned to Memphis to mix the album at Ardent Studios. Great reviews greeted the album, but Burns retreated into his new home in Glasgow and began work on the next Scruffs’ recording, “Swingin’ Singles”.
Though the band made two yearly tours of Japan and performed in London as well as secured label deals in Japan and Britain, Stephen Burns was convinced The Scruffs were ready for the top of the pops.
Continuing a trend towards a greater emphasis on orchestral instrumentation augmenting the power of the basic pop quartet (begun on “Swingin’ Singles” with arranger Peter Shand), Burns geared up a total range of pop compositions for the album “Pop Manifesto, The Scruffs. Recorded over a year with permanent Scruffs Simon Cottrell, Mark Rodgers and Paul Napier with major contributions from Zachary Ware, Giles Lamb, Peter Shand and engineer Geoff Allan, “Pop Manifesto” was recorded at CaVa studios in Glasgow and finished and mixed at Ardent studios in Memphis in June of 2006. This album is an absolute must listen for any pop music fan who wants jangling power guitars, driving
Though the band made two yearly tours of Japan and performed in London as well as secured label deals in Japan and Britain, Stephen Burns was convinced The Scruffs were ready for the top of the pops.
Continuing a trend towards a greater emphasis on orchestral instrumentation augmenting the power of the basic pop quartet (begun on “Swingin’ Singles” with arranger Peter Shand), Burns geared up a total range of pop compositions for the album “Pop Manifesto, The Scruffs. Recorded over a year with permanent Scruffs Simon Cottrell, Mark Rodgers and Paul Napier with major contributions from Zachary Ware, Giles Lamb, Peter Shand and engineer Geoff Allan, “Pop Manifesto” was recorded at CaVa studios in Glasgow and finished and mixed at Ardent studios in Memphis in June of 2006. This album is an absolute must listen for any pop music fan who wants jangling power guitars, driving
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guitars, driving bass and drums, stunning melodies and soaring vocals and orchestration.
From classic songs like “Revenge”, “Bedtime Stories”, “Break The Ice”, “I’m A Failure” through “Teenage Gurls”, “Treachery”, “Things Are Green”, “My Little Russian Girl”, “You Gotta Let Him Go”, “Canyon Girls”, “A Girl Can Make You Cry”, “Loving and Lying Game”, “Sugar”, “You Are Wrong (I Am Right)”, “Will I Love You?”, and “There’s A Girl I Know”, “Jihann”, “Don’t You Go There”, “3 Girls” or “She’s Got It For You”, Stephen Burns has been writing and producing should have been/could have been hit songs for years. Fortunately, thousands of Scruff fans all over the world have heard the words and music! Scruff fans unite! The Scruffs march onward!
From classic songs like “Revenge”, “Bedtime Stories”, “Break The Ice”, “I’m A Failure” through “Teenage Gurls”, “Treachery”, “Things Are Green”, “My Little Russian Girl”, “You Gotta Let Him Go”, “Canyon Girls”, “A Girl Can Make You Cry”, “Loving and Lying Game”, “Sugar”, “You Are Wrong (I Am Right)”, “Will I Love You?”, and “There’s A Girl I Know”, “Jihann”, “Don’t You Go There”, “3 Girls” or “She’s Got It For You”, Stephen Burns has been writing and producing should have been/could have been hit songs for years. Fortunately, thousands of Scruff fans all over the world have heard the words and music! Scruff fans unite! The Scruffs march onward!
Legendary band, The Scruffs, originally hailed from Memphis, Tennessee and became Southern pioneers of the “power pop” musical movement. Founded by lead songwriter, singer and guitarist Stephen Burns, The Scruffs recorded the classic cult album “Wanna Meet The Scruffs?” at Ardent Studios in Memphis, in 1977.
Critical acclaim struck the band, much the same as fellow Memphians, Big Star, and a second album was recorded entitled “Teenage Gurls”. (This album would remain unreleased for 20 years.)
On the promise of fame and fortune, the original Scruffs resettled in Manhattan, New York City for 3 years. During that time, Stephen Burns kept the band gigging and recording. In 1980-81, a single, “When Donna Romances” was a pick hit in Record World. Despite great performances at CBGBs, Max’s Kansas City, Trax, Hurrah’s and other top venues, The Scruffs remained unsigned to a major record label.
In late 1982, Stephen Burns returned to Memphis, the original Scruffs all but psychologically destroyed from the flames of fame and failure. Perhaps the original prediction of the hit song “I’m A Failure” (from “Wanna Meet The Scruffs?) was a song of self fulfilling prophecy.
During the mid 1980s, Burns recorded songs at Ardent and other Memphis studios and those recordings became the album “MidTown” and was a pick hit in The Village Voice when finally released in 1998.
On the promise of fame and fortune, the original Scruffs resettled in Manhattan, New York City for 3 years. During that time, Stephen Burns kept the band gigging and recording. In 1980-81, a single, “When Donna Romances” was a pick hit in Record World. Despite great performances at CBGBs, Max’s Kansas City, Trax, Hurrah’s and other top venues, The Scruffs remained unsigned to a major record label.
In late 1982, Stephen Burns returned to Memphis, the original Scruffs all but psychologically destroyed from the flames of fame and failure. Perhaps the original prediction of the hit song “I’m A Failure” (from “Wanna Meet The Scruffs?) was a song of self fulfilling prophecy.
During the mid 1980s, Burns recorded songs at Ardent and other Memphis studios and those recordings became the album “MidTown” and was a pick hit in The Village Voice when finally released in 1998.
The Scruffs have received a great many reviews over the years and we do intend to gather a lot of these together and post them on the site. Meantime, here are some that can be accessed online:
- Village Voice, original reviews for Wanna Meet and Midtown
- Review of Angst by Mark Deming, All Music Guide
- Little Hits rare article and pix on “She Say Yea” by The Scruffs
- Wanna Meet The Scruffs article from Japan, Target Earth Records
- History of Rock (in Spanish language)
You'll also find some brief historical notes (where relevant) attached to the page devoted to each of the eight albums.