In a serependipitous moment of power-pop karmic connectivity, TVD welcomes Jim Basnight to our ‘First Dates’ feature today. Jim, as you’ll read below, has had a pretty extensive career already, some of which happens to be available once again from the fine folks who brought us the Jellyfish box set referenced below–the certainly not, Not Lame family. Plus, you fans of Little Steven’s Underground Garage, we think you’ll find plenty to dig here.
So Jim, where have you been all our lives?
“Jim Basnight is a versatile artist. He leads the Jim Basnight Band, performing around 200 dates a year in the NW US. Jim has released two CD’s “The Jim Basnight Thing” in 1998 and “Recovery Room” in 2004, both on his Precedent label, which he established in the late ’70’s and early 80’s with the release of vinyl releases like “The Moberlys” LP and a few now very collectable 45’s. He also released a full length LP titled “Sexteen” on Lolita Records (France) in 1985 which to this day has endeared him to hard core fans of power-pop and garage music around the world. Previous to the current band Jim led the Rockinghams, who played up and down the west coast from 1993-1998. The Rockinghams released a full length CD, “Makin’ Bacon” posthumously in 1999 on Not Lame (USA). Jim is probably best known internationally for his work as leader and front man of the Moberlys with whom he performed and recorded with from 1979-1989. Two CD’s have been issued by European labels from his years with the Moberlys. Those are “Sexteen” by the Moberlys on the Bear Family/ATM (German) label in 1996 and “Seattle-NY-LA” on the Pop the Balloon (France) label in 2001.
There have also been released a CD comprised of the best of both of those releases titled “Jim Basnight and the Moberlys Return” on the Wizzard-in-Vinyl (Japan) label in 2006 and an LP also drawn from his early work titled “Pop Pleasure” by Jim Basnight and the Moberlys on the Rave Up (Italy). Between his work with the Rockinghams and the Moberlys, Jim performed solo and recorded his first CD “Pop Top”, which was released on his Precedent label in 1993. The Jim Basnight Band puts on a very impressive show, which includes selections from all his CD’s and is possibly one of the best shows out there not known to most of the world. As of now they have only performed, albeit quite successfully in the NW US, but with the upcoming release of “We Rocked and Rolled: The First 25 Years with Jim Basnight, the Moberlys and beyond”, Jim’s intentions are to take the band out beyond his home region and to points around the US, Europe and the Far East.”
Jim Basnight – Hello Mary Jane (Mp3)
The Moberlys – Last Night (Mp3)
Jim Basnight – Python Boogaloo (Mp3)
The Moberlys – Rest Up (Mp3)
The Jim Basnight Thing – Summertime Again (Mp3)
We’re casting about for submissions from readers at large who are in a band, work for a band (or even sleep with a band) for Wednesday’s ‘First Date’ feature. Send us your Mp3’s, photos, and we’ll even let you write your own intro for your band’s coming out party. Dream date, right? So, hit us up – we’re ready to kiss and tell.
