Greg Shaw : He Put The Bomp

CMJ review
HE PUT THE BOMP! IN THE BOMP - GREG SHAW: Various Artists
By Eric Davidson
It's not a stretch to say that pop music would be a different thing today if it weren't for Greg Shaw. He began his musical enterprises in the very early 1970s, right at the get-go of "new wave." His Bomp magazine trumpeted then-forgotten garage rock bands of the '60s (who were the roots of punk), and chronicled the latest teen-hearted rock and roll groups, eventually garnering him writing stints at Creem, Rolling Stone and other mags. He put his money where his beat was, starting Bomp! Records in 1974, releasing platters from the Flamin' Groovies and other power pop masters before the genre was coined, by Shaw of course. Through the early '80s, he continued giving wax space to prime voices of the new wave era (Devo, Weirdos, Zeros, Stiv Bators, Nikki And The Corvettes, and numerous neo-garage bands). He then reintroduced the Stooges' most raw sides to the alt-rock intelligentsia via Bomp's Stooges rarities comps of the '90s. And after surviving personal troubles, he revved up Bomp again with new acts in the '00s (Black Lips, Dreadful Yawns, Brian Jonestown Massacre). Sadly, just as Bomp was becoming a player again, Shaw died in 2004.
This tribute compilation features new recordings from the label's alumni or poppers-in-arms covering Bomp faves. The Briefs buzz through the Zeros' "She's Just A Girl On The Block." Scuzz-punks will love the Dwarves doing the Weirdos and Brooklyn's Stalkers slugging through "Chunk Of Steel." Graying garage gods the Lyres, Barracudas and Nikki Corvette all do Shaw proud with their tracks. And some surging psychedelia (Morning After Girls, Warlocks) attest to Shaw's undeniable flower power beginnings. But the most effecting surprise may be Nikki Sudden and Captain Sensible's springy acoustic amble through Iggy Pop's "Kill City," as the now deceased Sudden echoes the fun in the face of infinity spirit that marked the best of Greg Shaw's endeavors.