Pop's Cool Love

Last updated
Pop's Cool Love
Origin Los Angeles, CA
Genres
Years active1990s
Labels Elektra
Past members Suga Pop
Mike Tyler
Myles John O'Brien
Jerry Cohen
Tal Bergman

Pop's Cool Love was an American rock band from Los Angeles in the early 1990s, featuring multi-instrumentalist and street dancer Suga Pop, guitarist Mike Tyler, bassist Myles John O'Brien, keyboardist Jerry Cohen, and drummer Tal Bergman (later of Rock Candy Funk Party). [1]

They released the album A Man on Elektra Records in 1991, [2] followed by a self-titled album in 1992. Their video for "Free Me" was directed by Tim Pope.

Members of Pop's Cool Love were the backing band for LL Cool J, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, and MC Lyte on a seminal 1991 episode of MTV Unplugged , of which The Chi reviewer Kenji Jasper noted, "Its impact was immeasurable." [3] Producer Chris Shaw noted that the band had one day to prepare, and added pastiches from Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side" and other songs to supplement the rappers' beats. The band later went on tour with A Tribe Called Quest. [1]

Related Research Articles

Nirvana (band) American rock band

Nirvana was an American rock band formed in Aberdeen, Washington, in 1987. Founded by lead singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic, the band went through a succession of drummers, most notably Chad Channing, before recruiting Dave Grohl in 1990. Nirvana's success popularized alternative rock, and they were often referenced as the figurehead band of Generation X. Their music maintains a popular following and continues to influence modern rock culture.

Squeeze (band) British New Wave band

Squeeze are an English rock band that came to prominence in the United Kingdom during the new wave period of the late 1970s, and continued recording in the 1980s, 1990s and 2010s. In the UK, their singles "Cool for Cats", "Up the Junction", and "Labelled with Love" were top-ten chart hits; "Pulling Mussels" only made it to 44 in the UK charts. Though not as commercially successful in the United States, Squeeze had American hits with "Tempted", "Black Coffee in Bed", and "Hourglass", and were considered a part of the Second British Invasion.

MC Lyte Hip hop artist, actor, author, activist

Lana Michele Moorer, better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rapper, DJ, actress and entrepreneur. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, Lyte first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first solo female rapper to release a full album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock. She released a total of eight solo studio albums and an EP with Almost September.

A Tribe Called Quest American hip hop group

A Tribe Called Quest was an American hip hop group formed in St. Albans, Queens, New York, in 1985, originally composed of rapper and main producer Q-Tip, rapper Phife Dawg, DJ and co-producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and rapper Jarobi White. Members of the Native Tongues collective, the group is regarded as a pioneer of alternative hip hop, influencing numerous hip hop and R&B musicians.

The Isley Brothers are an American family musical group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that started as a vocal trio consisting of brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over eight decades, the group has enjoyed one of the "longest, most influential, and most diverse careers in the pantheon of popular music".

<i>MTV Unplugged</i> Music program aired by MTV

MTV Unplugged is an American television series on MTV showcasing musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999 and less frequently from 2000 to 2009, when it was usually billed as MTV Unplugged No. 2.0. Since 2009, MTV Unplugged specials have aired occasionally, sometimes online only. Episodes and specials have tended to showcase one artist or group, playing a combination of their hit songs and covers.

<i>The Low End Theory</i> 1991 studio album by A Tribe Called Quest

The Low End Theory is the second studio album by American hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released on September 24, 1991, by Jive Records. Recording sessions for the album were held mostly at Battery Studios in New York City, from 1990 to 1991. The album was primarily produced by group member Q-Tip, with a minimalist sound that combines bass, drum breaks, and jazz samples, in a departure from the group's debut album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990). Lyrically, the album features social commentary, word play, humor, and interplay between group members Q-Tip and Phife Dawg.

The Native Tongues were a collective of late 1980s and early 1990s hip-hop artists known for their positive-minded, good-natured Afrocentric lyrics, and for pioneering the use of eclectic sampling and later jazz-influenced beats. Its principal members were the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, and A Tribe Called Quest. The collective was also closely tied to the Universal Zulu Nation. Rolling Stone cites the track "Doin' Our Own Dang" as "the definitive Native Tongues posse cut".

Q-Tip (musician) American rapper, singer and producer

Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American rapper, record producer, singer, and DJ. Nicknamed The Abstract, he is noted for his innovative jazz-influenced style of hip hop production and his philosophical, esoteric and introspective lyrical themes. He embarked on his music career in the late 1980s, as an MC and main producer of the influential alternative hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. In the mid-1990s, he co-founded the production team The Ummah, followed by the release of his gold-certified solo debut Amplified in 1999. In the following decade, he released the Grammy Award-nominated album The Renaissance (2008) and the experimental album Kamaal the Abstract (2009).

<i>Kerplunk</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Green Day

Kerplunk is the second studio album by American rock band Green Day, released on December 17, 1991, by Lookout! Records. Kerplunk was Green Day's last independent release on the Lookout Records label, and was also the first album to feature Tré Cool on drums. Kerplunk officially includes only 12 tracks, but the versions released on CD and cassette also include the 4 tracks from the Sweet Children EP. One of those tracks is a cover of The Who's "My Generation". Green Day guitarist and singer Billie Joe Armstrong stated in a 2021 Vulture magazine interview that Kerplunk is his favorite album, citing it as "kind of autobiographical."

Phife Dawg American rapper (1970–2016)

Malik Izaak Taylor, known professionally as Phife Dawg, was an American rapper and a member of the group A Tribe Called Quest with Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. He was also known as the "Five-Foot Assassin" and "The Five-Footer", because he stood at 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m).

Someday (Mariah Carey song) 1990 single by Mariah Carey

"Someday" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey from her self-titled debut studio album (1990). It is a dance-pop, new jack swing and R&B song. Prior to Carey signing a record contract, she and producer Ben Margulies had written and produced a four-track demo which included "Someday". After signing a contract with Columbia Records, Carey began work on her debut album and she reached out to Ric Wake to ask if he would produce the song, to which he agreed. The composition of the demo recording was changed during the recording process, most notably replacing the horns with a guitar, which Carey disapproved of.

A Change of Pace is an American five piece pop punk band from Peoria, Arizona, United States. The band was on both the 2005 and 2006 Warped Tours.

Love Me Two Times 1967 single by the Doors

"Love Me Two Times" is a song by the American rock band the Doors. First appearing on their second studio album Strange Days, it was later edited to a 2:37 length and released as the second single from that album. The single reached number 25 on the charts in the United States.

Can I Kick It? 1990 single by A Tribe Called Quest

"Can I Kick It?" is a 1990 song by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released as the third single from their debut album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990). The song, which has a call and response chorus, was recorded in 1989, when the band members were aged 18-19.

Softer, Softest 1995 single by Hole

"Softer, Softest" is a song by American alternative rock band Hole, written by frontwoman Courtney Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson. The song was released as the band's eighth single and fourth and final single from their second studio album, Live Through This, in December 1995. The single was released just as the band finished their extensive touring in 1995.

Then Jerico English rock band

Then Jerico are an English rock band. They scored four top 40 hits in the UK during the 1980s.

<i>Unplugged: The Complete 1991 and 2001 Sessions</i> Live R.E.M. album released in 2014

Unplugged: The Complete 1991 and 2001 Sessions is a 2014 live album from alternative rock band R.E.M., released initially on vinyl recordings through Rhino Records for Record Store Day, later made available on compact disc and digitally. The album is composed of two performances that the band made on the U.S. television show MTV Unplugged. Among the album's 33 tracks are 11 performances which were not aired on either broadcast. To promote the album, Mike Mills signed copies at independent record store Bull Moose in Scarborough, Maine. Video of the concerts was released later that year on REMTV.

<i>Mad Love</i> (EP) 1990 EP by Lush

Mad Love is the debut extended play by the English alternative rock band Lush. It was released on 26 February 1990 by 4AD. Produced by Cocteau Twins guitarist Robin Guthrie, Mad Love was composed of four tracks—including a rerecording of "Thoughtforms", a song from Lush's debut mini-album Scar (1989).

Paul McCartney Band

The Paul McCartney Band is singer Paul McCartney's longtime band of studio and touring musicians. The core lineup has been steady since 2002: In addition to McCartney, it includes Wix Wickens on keyboards and serving as musical director, Rusty Anderson on guitar, Brian Ray on guitar and bass, and Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums.

References

  1. 1 2 Shaw, Chris (2016-04-30). "It Was 25 Years Ago Today..." Chris Shaw Mix. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  2. Himes, Geoffrey (1991-11-01). "Pop's Cool Love Better Backtracking". Washington Post.
  3. Jasper, Kenji (2014-09-22). "When Hip-Hop Plugged into 'Unplugged'". The Chi. Retrieved 2020-08-10.