Hi and welcome to the latest newsletter where we make the connection between Shoes and The Jam ( - not Jam Shoes!).
First of all, thanks to everyone who is posting great messages on the Facebook pages about the new release! We are knocked out by the response!
The latest release is the mono version of the 'September Gurls' EP, and although the original stereo mixes are fantastic, especially the cover of Shoes’ 'Boys Don’t Lie', where the vocals answer each other during the coda in a hypnotic repeat, as the guitar solo (not many of these on Squire records!) spirals out of control... until we hit the switch of the multi-track tape recorder! The machine powers down, and the track slows and fades as the electricity drains away.
The original was recorded by Shoes in 1977, and there are many parallels between their first proper album 'Black Vinyl Shoes' and Squire’s formative recordings.
Firstly, Shoes’ album was self-produced, and they used a TEAC 3340S 4-track recorder, exactly the same machine that was used to capture The Numbers demos, also in 1977! Same year, same machine! Similarly, the tracks were built up as layers of recordings, with drums being recorded first on two tracks with Kevin, or Shoes’ drummer Skip, humming the song to themselves as they laid down the beat for the entire track. There were no guide vocals or guitars to follow. At that point, the guitar and lead vocal were added, and the three tracks were then bounced down to one track to free up space for recording bass, harmony, and second guitar! This method was standard practice when using a single 4-track recorder. The Beatles had the luxury of two 4-tracks, allowing them to bounce between machines and preserve the original backing tracks in case of remixing or repairs. But with only one machine, the original takes were recorded over by the overdubs, so you had to be certain of the balance and satisfied with the performances before committing to overdubs!
What’s really interesting is that although Shoes and The Numbers recording process is remarkably similar, theirs was even more meticulous! According to their biography, Jeff used a flowchart to manage signal degradation, and every bounce of the track was an opportunity to layer new instruments or vocals. This technique gave them a sound far richer than what their limited equipment would suggest, especially on a 4-track recorder. We both improvised this method, inspired by Les Paul’s pioneering techniques, and made the most out of every bounce. The sequencing of when each instrument was recorded became crucial, with bass and lead vocals often taped last to preserve clarity. This extra effort is one reason 4-track recordings feel so full despite the technical constraints.
A key point from the biography is that Shoes, like The Numbers, followed a very different path to success to powerpop bands such as Cheap Trick, who played extensively live before recording.
Shoes and The Numbers both focused intensely on recording first. This contrast in the approach is reflected in how much time we both spent perfecting a studio sound before even considering live performances. The meticulous layering and bouncing technique developed in the studio, and follows a similar path to The Byrds who also developed their sound by learning how to make records before stepping out on stage.
According to the excellent Shoes biography, also called 'Boys Don’t Lie', the track 'Boys Don't Lie' was the last song recorded. Written by John Murphy, who was usually the last to finish his compositions, it made it onto the album and even opens the record. Having spent their time recording in the evenings and on weekends, the band had become skilled at recording and considered this song to be the best-recorded example. Indeed, the sound of the track immediately captures you into their sonic world. Using limited equipment, they applied the Roland Space Echo to great effect, and it exemplifies the sound of the record. And of course, it was the track that immediately caught our attention and was on the shortlist for recording for the 'September Gurls' album!
And just like Squire and Hi-Lo Records, They pressed 1,000 copies of the album themselves on their own Black Vinyl Records label, selling 700 and using 300 for promotion. Its success eventually led to Jem Records picking it up for a re-release and wider promotion the following year, which caught the attention of Elektra Records. Elektra imagined the band as another 'The Cars', and after auditioning prospective producers (passing on Martin Rushent—T. Rex, The Stranglers—and Craig Leon—Blondie, The Ramones), the label encouraged them to choose Mike Stone for his engineering work on Queen’s 'News of the World' LP, and his connection to producer Roy Thomas Baker, who produced The Cars. Mike then opted to record in the UK, first at The Manor, Virgin Records' residential studio, in July 1979 for the album that became 'Present Tense'. So remarkably, they were in the UK right at the cusp of the Mod Revival, maybe even visiting the Marquee in Wardour Street, London, to see some mod bands!!
Mixing was completed at Trident Studios in Soho, while they stayed at Virgin’s The Townhouse Studios in Shepherd's Bush, London, where The Jam were concurrently recording their album 'Setting Sons'!
What’s also fascinating about this connection is that Shoes also arrived in London at exactly the same time as Los Angeles band The Knack’s 'My Sharona' hit the charts, and they heard it first in the UK! The UK totally embraced the single, leading to The Knack’s meteoric rise. Carl Cafarelli, in 'Shake Some Action', suggests that the too-fast rise of power pop at that time led to its precipitous decline, noting that for other bands classed under the general umbrella of power pop, “their chances for retail success were mercilessly overshadowed by the blockbuster sales of… The Knack.”
Doug Fieger, lead singer of The Knack, later exclaimed their label, Capitol Records, had not expected the album to sell much, predicting 50,000 units—not the 6 million it sold—and they hadn’t even chosen *My Sharona* as the obvious single until DJs started gravitating towards it.
The “Knacklash” that followed hurt Shoes, as The Knack album had raised the bar for power pop and delivered the new 'The Cars' before the Shoes’ album was even released. Nevertheless, their time in London wasn’t all lost. According to their biography, Shoes got to play the new video game 'Space Invaders' while staying at The Townhouse, and developed a friendly rivalry over the game - with The Jam!
All the best from Squire!