Smash Palace

After co-vocalist Brian Butler departed the pop quintet Quincy, the remaining members altered both their moniker to Lulu Temple and their sound from pop to white-new wave-funk. Guitarist Stephen Butler, Brian’s brother, soon exited Lulu Temple as well; the siblings then united again to launch Smash Palace, a crunchy guitar band steeped in British pop from earlier eras and the present day. Bassist Phil Barnett, rhythm guitarist Greg Persun, and drummer Harry Lewis completed the lineup that secured a CBS contract and issued the self-titled debut album in 1985. Although the record targeted a broader listenership than either Quincy or Lulu Temple and “Living on the Borderline” received notable radio exposure, weak sales prompted the label to drop the group. Most acts would have ended there, yet Smash Palace resurfaced when Imagine Records issued the entirely new Fast, Long, Loud in 1999. Only the Butler brothers remained, but the core approach persisted: crunchy Brit-influenced guitar pop delivered through more intimate production. While this incarnation might not reach a wider audience than its predecessor, it merits one—the album delivers harder-rocking energy than many outfits half the band’s age.