Biography
Years before anyone coined the label alt-country, The Rave-Ups specialized in sincere, melodic rock & roll tinged with a clear country inflection, and their earthy bravado pointed toward that later style on the independent debut Town + Country, issued in 1985. Concurrently, the band showed no reluctance to apply radio-friendly studio gloss, so after moving to a major label they boosted the drum sound and sharpened the choruses across The Book of Your Regrets in 1988 and Chance in 1990. More than three decades elapsed before the quartet issued a fourth album; the 2022 reunion release Tomorrow revealed a band that had swapped some of its earlier sheen for a looser, more natural delivery while preserving the lively character of its songwriting.
The Rave-Ups originated in 1979 when lead singer and guitarist Jimmer Podrasky assembled guitarist Michael Kaniecki, bassist George Carter, and drummer T.J. Junco. All four were students at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and had already performed in local bars for several months when Junco departed and Richard Slevin assumed the drum chair. After the first demos were recorded Slevin also exited, making Victor McPoland the next drummer. The group relocated from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles and secured an eight-week engagement performing onstage for a theatrical production of Sam Shephard’s play The Tooth of Crime. Shortly after that run concluded the lineup dissolved; Podrasky returned to Pittsburgh before heading back to Los Angeles to begin anew.
Podrasky took a position in the mailroom and shipping department at A&M Records, where in 1982 he befriended fellow employee Tim Jimenez, who played drums. By 1983 guitarist Chuck Wada and bassist Douglas Leonard had joined, and this configuration recorded the EP Class Tramp for the local Fun Stuff label. Strong word-of-mouth and steady live appearances exhausted the 3,000-copy pressing, yet Wada and Leonard soon left. Replacements arrived in the persons of two additional A&M mailroom staffers, guitarist Terry Wilson and bassist Tommy Blatnik; the refreshed quartet obtained rehearsal space in the A&M building’s basement. Despite the label connection, the Rave-Ups’ first full-length album remained a Fun Stuff project: 1985’s Town + Country, which featured pedal-steel contributions from Sneaky Pete Kleinow of the Flying Burrito Brothers. The single “Positively Lost Me” received local airplay, and further attention followed when Podrasky began dating actress Beth Ringwald. Beth introduced her sister Molly Ringwald to the music, and Molly quickly became a supporter. Impressed enough to recommend the band to director John Hughes, she helped secure an appearance in the film Pretty in Pink. The Rave-Ups performed “Positively Lost Me” and “Rave Up, Shut Up” in a nightclub scene; although neither track appeared on the official soundtrack, the exposure created considerable interest in the group.
After a lengthy legal struggle to exit their Fun Stuff contract, the Rave-Ups signed with Epic Records in 1987 and delivered their major-label debut The Book of Your Regrets the following year. Despite largely favorable notices, weak promotion hampered sales. Epic exercised its option for another album, and 1990’s Chance took its title from the son born to Podrasky and Beth Ringwald during the recording sessions. The psychedelic-tinged “Respectfully King of Rain” earned radio and MTV exposure, while a second single, “(She Says) Come Around,” also went to radio, yet disappointing sales prompted the label to drop the band. The Rave-Ups continued touring and made a guest spot on the television series Beverly Hills 90210, but mounting frustration over stalled progress led to a breakup in 1992.
Subsequent activities diverged: Jimmer Podrasky fronted the Lovin’ Miserys and released several solo albums; Terry Wilson performed with the Dog People and toured with the Ozark Mountain Daredevils; Tim Jimenez shifted into production and session work; Tommy Blatnik played with the Dancing Hoods and the Lonesome Strangers. In 2000 Podrasky and Wilson, who had kept writing together, completed an album that remained unreleased. Omnivore Recordings issued an expanded reissue of the long-unavailable Town + Country in 2016, prompting the band to reunite for a celebratory concert. Speculation about new material materialized after Podrasky booked studio time at Wilson’s facility to cut a fresh song; recognizing its Rave-Ups character, they invited Blatnik and Jimenez to participate. The sessions yielded the eleven-track album Tomorrow, released by Omnivore in February 2022.
The Rave-Ups originated in 1979 when lead singer and guitarist Jimmer Podrasky assembled guitarist Michael Kaniecki, bassist George Carter, and drummer T.J. Junco. All four were students at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and had already performed in local bars for several months when Junco departed and Richard Slevin assumed the drum chair. After the first demos were recorded Slevin also exited, making Victor McPoland the next drummer. The group relocated from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles and secured an eight-week engagement performing onstage for a theatrical production of Sam Shephard’s play The Tooth of Crime. Shortly after that run concluded the lineup dissolved; Podrasky returned to Pittsburgh before heading back to Los Angeles to begin anew.
Podrasky took a position in the mailroom and shipping department at A&M Records, where in 1982 he befriended fellow employee Tim Jimenez, who played drums. By 1983 guitarist Chuck Wada and bassist Douglas Leonard had joined, and this configuration recorded the EP Class Tramp for the local Fun Stuff label. Strong word-of-mouth and steady live appearances exhausted the 3,000-copy pressing, yet Wada and Leonard soon left. Replacements arrived in the persons of two additional A&M mailroom staffers, guitarist Terry Wilson and bassist Tommy Blatnik; the refreshed quartet obtained rehearsal space in the A&M building’s basement. Despite the label connection, the Rave-Ups’ first full-length album remained a Fun Stuff project: 1985’s Town + Country, which featured pedal-steel contributions from Sneaky Pete Kleinow of the Flying Burrito Brothers. The single “Positively Lost Me” received local airplay, and further attention followed when Podrasky began dating actress Beth Ringwald. Beth introduced her sister Molly Ringwald to the music, and Molly quickly became a supporter. Impressed enough to recommend the band to director John Hughes, she helped secure an appearance in the film Pretty in Pink. The Rave-Ups performed “Positively Lost Me” and “Rave Up, Shut Up” in a nightclub scene; although neither track appeared on the official soundtrack, the exposure created considerable interest in the group.
After a lengthy legal struggle to exit their Fun Stuff contract, the Rave-Ups signed with Epic Records in 1987 and delivered their major-label debut The Book of Your Regrets the following year. Despite largely favorable notices, weak promotion hampered sales. Epic exercised its option for another album, and 1990’s Chance took its title from the son born to Podrasky and Beth Ringwald during the recording sessions. The psychedelic-tinged “Respectfully King of Rain” earned radio and MTV exposure, while a second single, “(She Says) Come Around,” also went to radio, yet disappointing sales prompted the label to drop the band. The Rave-Ups continued touring and made a guest spot on the television series Beverly Hills 90210, but mounting frustration over stalled progress led to a breakup in 1992.
Subsequent activities diverged: Jimmer Podrasky fronted the Lovin’ Miserys and released several solo albums; Terry Wilson performed with the Dog People and toured with the Ozark Mountain Daredevils; Tim Jimenez shifted into production and session work; Tommy Blatnik played with the Dancing Hoods and the Lonesome Strangers. In 2000 Podrasky and Wilson, who had kept writing together, completed an album that remained unreleased. Omnivore Recordings issued an expanded reissue of the long-unavailable Town + Country in 2016, prompting the band to reunite for a celebratory concert. Speculation about new material materialized after Podrasky booked studio time at Wilson’s facility to cut a fresh song; recognizing its Rave-Ups character, they invited Blatnik and Jimenez to participate. The sessions yielded the eleven-track album Tomorrow, released by Omnivore in February 2022.
Albums
Tomorrow
2022
Chance
1990
Hamlet Meets John Doe EP
1989
The Book of Your Regrets
1988
Town + Country
1985
Singles
