The Rubinoos

The Rubinoos, an American power pop outfit, fuse a deep affection for catchy hooks and vocal harmonies with a sharp sense of humor that remains ever-present. They stand out as one of the most talented and clever groups from the 1970s pop era. Similar to the Raspberries and Pezband, their compositions and performances pay warm tribute to the blend of irresistible tunes and energetic guitars established by the Beatles and bubblegum acts. Their 1977 self-titled debut and the 1979 follow-up Back to the Drawing Board overflow with meticulously constructed melodies and playful wit. Later efforts like 1998's Paleophonic and 2019's From Home demonstrated that the group retained the essence of their early work while evolving over time.

Tommy Dunbar, handling guitar, keyboards, and vocals, joined forces with Jon Rubin on lead vocals and rhythm guitar to form the Rubinoos, serving as the band's constant leaders across its entire history. The initial lineup emerged in 1970 when Dunbar and Rubin assembled friends for a high-school dance performance in Berkeley, California. That show centered on '50s and '60s oldies, marking an early expression of their attraction to classic pop sounds. Soon Dunbar and Rubin assembled a steadier version focused on original songs, adding bassist Tom Carpender and drummer Donn Spindt. Because Dunbar's brother Robbie played with established A&M Records act Earth Quake, the Rubinoos became their sibling band, frequently opening shows and absorbing the realities of professional musicianship. After Earth Quake parted ways with A&M, manager Matthew "King" Kaufman launched Beserkley Records to support the group on a smaller label and began scouting additional talent. The Rubinoos received an invitation, cutting their first single "Gorilla" in September 1974. By release time Carpender had departed, with Greg "Curly" Keranen stepping in on bass. The track later surfaced on the Beserkley sampler Beserkley Chartbusters, Vol. One, which also contained two Jonathan Richman numbers featuring the Rubinoos as his backing band. By 1976 Keranen had exited to join Jonathan Richman's Modern Lovers, and Royse Ader joined on bass ahead of the first full-length recording.

The Rubinoos appeared in 1977 to strong notices from rock critics and contained a cover of Tommy James and the Shondells' "I Think We're Alone Now" that reached number 45 on the American singles chart, earning the band a spot on American Bandstand. Back to the Drawing Board followed in 1979 and featured the single "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend," which received substantial airplay across England and Europe. Critics again responded favorably, and the band toured extensively, including an extended stretch opening for Elvis Costello during the breakthrough of Armed Forces. Royse Ader exited in 1980, replaced on bass by Al Chan as work began on a third album. The project stalled at the demo stage after Chan and Spindt departed. Dunbar and Rubin continued under the Rubinoos name and secured a Warner Bros. deal. The 1983 EP Party of Two, produced by Todd Rundgren with Utopia members augmenting the studio lineup, adopted a glossier, synth-pop-tinged approach. One song, "If I Had You Back," entered MTV rotation and prompted an invitation to contribute "Breakdown" and the title track to the Revenge of the Nerds soundtrack.

The Rubinoos entered a hiatus in 1985, though Dunbar and Rubin maintained that the group had never formally disbanded. Dunbar formed Vox Pop with Al Chan and Donn Spindt, while Rubin performed with doo-wop outfit the Mighty Echoes. Two 1994 collections of unreleased material, Garage Sale and Basement Tapes: Studio Demos Circa 1980-1981, the latter preserving the abandoned third-album demos, helped renew interest. This led to the 1998 comeback album Paleophonic, which reunited Dunbar and Rubin with Chan and Spindt. Thereafter the core quartet periodically regrouped for touring and recording as inclination allowed. They issued the covers collection Crimes Against Music in 2002, and a 2002 Japanese tour appeared as Live in Japan in 2004. Air Mail Music released the new studio set Twist Pop Sin in 2005. In 2007 the band gained attention by suing pop star Avril Lavigne over alleged plagiarism of "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" in her hit "Girlfriend," a case settled out of court.

Their first children's album, Biff-Bop-Boing!, arrived in 2010, followed the same year by Automatic Toaster, an album aimed at longtime listeners and produced by fellow power-pop figure Robbie Rist. The Rubinoos joined Yep Roc Records for 2019's From Home, produced by singer/songwriter and longtime admirer Chuck Prophet. The CBS Tapes, released in 2021, presented the first public hearing of a 1976 live-in-the-studio session captured while the band familiarized itself with the facility where its debut album would soon be recorded.