Marshall Crenshaw bridged an important gap during the end of the twentieth century. His early hits glimpsed into the recent past; recognizing the work of the ’50s and ’60s masters but soldering it onto 1980s pop, thereby creating a sort of vintage-modern hybrid. Crenshaw also portrayed Buddy Holly in the 1987 film, La Bamba which added yet another layer to his aura back then: as if he were saying, “Hey, I’m going to nail this Buddy Holly cover right now, but stick around to hear my original music, too.”
And there was always plenty of fantastic original Crenshaw music to hear: “Someday, Someway,” “There She Goes Again,” and “Cynical Girl” and his co-written super-hit, “Til I Hear it From You” with the Gin Blossoms, a tune that was inescapable on rock radio during the 1990s (and beyond). He was also always writing and working. During the ’90s, Crenshaw forged a partnership with Razor & Tie Records, releasing several albums with the label.
Today, Crenshaw is revisiting those ’90s albums and reissuing them with fresh masterings and bonus tracks—many released on vinyl for the first time. In this episode, Crenshaw and I discuss his 1999 release, #447. Of course, we also talk about his major label days, the process of recording before digital became de rigueur, getting his act back on the road, and we also reminisce about the last time he and I spoke 10 years ago.
So, join us and remind yourself of how lucky we are to have Marshall Crenshaw in our midst. He might take an occasional glance in the rearview mirror, but his eyes are firmly planted on the road ahead.
Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.
