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  • THE PLIMSOULS’ NEW “BEACH TOWN CONFIDENTIAL” LIVE LP OUT TODAY ON ALIVE RECORDS!

    PETER CASE & PAUL COLLINS REUNITE FOR A SPECIAL FULL-BAND SPRING 2012 TOUR, WHERE THE TWO WILL PERFORMING SONGS FROM THEIR BACK CATALOGS WITH THE NERVES, THE BREAKAWAYS, THE PLIMSOULS AND THE BEAT!

    The Plimsouls embodied rock & roll in its purest, undistilled form in the era when post-punk droned and new wave popped. Whether on record or onstage, this foursome unleashed urgent, white-hot performances of expertly constructed songs by frontman Peter Case that effortlessly straddled the perfection of British Invasion pop, the raucous, edgier side of early punk and garage rock, and the foundational elements of maximum R&B and wailing soul.

    All of this is documented perfectly in one moment – or one night as the case may be – on the latest Plimsouls live album, Beach Town Confidential.  Recorded at the height of their onstage power at The Golden Bear in Huntington Beach, CA on August 13, 1983, this recording captures Peter Case, Eddie Muñoz, Dave Pahoa and Louie Ramírez ripping through these 16 tracks with a youthful and reckless abandon. Six of these songs have never been recorded before by The Plimsouls (“Making Time,” “Fall On You,” “The Price Of Love,” “Who’s Gonna Break The Ice?,” “Jumpin’ In The Night” and “You Can’t Judge A Book”), plus it also features the only live recordings of “Magic Touch,” “Oldest Story In The World” and “Hobo.”

    The Plimsouls’ Beach Town Confidential was produced by Peter Case and mixed by Peter and Andrew Bush. It will be released Feb. 7, 2012 though Alive Naturalsound Records on LTD. Edition Vinyl (w/ mp3 download card), CD and Digital formats. In addition, Alive is also producing an extremely limited run of 200 pink vinyl LPs (w/ download card) exclusive to mail orders only.

    BEACH TOWN CONFIDENTIAL TRACKLISTING:
    01. Introduction
    02. Shaky City
    03. Makin’ Time
    04. Zero Hour
    05. Hobo
    06. Who’s Gonna Break The Ice
    07. Fall On You
    08. Oldest Story In The World
    09. Magic Touch
    10. A Million Miles Away
    11. Jump, Jive and Harmonize
    12. Jumpin’ In The Night
    13. Now
    14. How Long Will It Take
    15. In This Town
    16. Price of Love
    17. You Can’t Judge a Book

    Prior to Peter Case forming The Plimsouls, he was part of two other influential mid-to-late ’70s bands with Paul Collins  – The Nerves and The Breakaways (Paul would later go on to form his own highly-respected group, The Beat). Both Peter and Paul have enjoyed successful solo careers on record and on the road, but this spring they’ll once again be reunited for a very special North American tour. The two frontmen (along with bassist Timm Buechler and drummer Amos Pitsch) will be performing classic numbers by their bands, The Nerves and The Breakaways, as well as material by The Plimsouls and The Beat. For fans of energetic live performances, visceral rock & roll, and raucous, hook-laden songs that draw as much from the golden age of ’60s pop as they do from punk, these shows should prove to be nothing short of nirvana.

    PETER CASE AND PAUL COLLINS 2012 TOUR DATES:
    March 01 Iron Road Studios, Vancouver BC, CAN
    March 02 The Funhouse, Seattle WA
    March 03 The Star Theatre, Portland OR
    March 05 Red Devil Lounge, San Francisco CA
    March 07 The Echo, Los Angeles CA
    March 08 Bar Pink, San Diego CA
    March 09 Pappy and Harriet’s, Pioneertown TBA CA
    March 11 Club Congress, Tucson AZ
    March 13 Rhythm Room, Phoenix AZ
    March 16 TBA SXSW Official Showcase, Austin TX
    March 17 Alejandro Escovedo’s Taco Party at Maria’s Taco Express Austin TX mid-afternoon
    March 17 Freddie Steady’s 12th Annual Frontier A Go Go And Rock & Roll Hootenanny, Austin TX 5:30 PM
    March 18 The Blue Door, Oklahoma City OK (acoustic duo)
    March 19 The Record Bar, Kansas City MO
    March 20 The Outland, Springfield MO
    March 22 The New Amsterdam, St. Paul MN
    March 24 Shank Hall, Milwaukee WI (w/ Chuck Prophet)
    March 25 Empty Bottle, Chicago IL
    March 27 Ace of Cups, Columbus OH
    March 28 Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland OH
    March 30 Stage on Herr, Harrisburg PA
    March 31 Bridge Street Live, Collinsville CT
    April 12 Bat Shea’s Public House, Troy NY
    April 13 WXPN “Free At Noon” Concert Series, Philadelphia PA
    April 18 Hi-Tone, Memphis TN
    April 19 The High Watt, Nashville TN
    April 20 JJ Bohemia’s Chattanooga TN
    April 21 The Star Bar, Atlanta GA
    April 22 Jack of the Woods, Asheville NC
    [more dates to be announced soon]

    FOR MORE INFO ON PETER CASE:
    http://www.petercase.com
    http://www.alive-totalenergy.com/x/?page_id=2345

    FOR MORE INFO ON PAUL COLLINS:
    http://www.thepaulcollinsbeat.com
    http://www.facebook.com/paulcollinsbeat

    FOR MORE INFO ON THE PETER CASE & PAUL COLLINS TOUR:
    http://www.facebook.com/peterpaulcaco

    FOR MORE INFO ON ALIVE RECORDS:
    http://www.alive-totalenergy.com

    FOR MEDIA AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS:
    Tony Bonyata
    Pavement PR
    p: 262.903.7775
    e: bonyata@wi.rr.com

    ALIVE RECORDS TO RELEASE THE PLIMSOULS LIVE! BEG, BORROW & STEAL ALBUM FEB. 23, 2010!

    Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal showcases THE PLIMSOULS at the height of their power, tearing the roof off and on the verge of starting a riot on L.A.’s old Sunset Strip. Recorded at the Whisky A Go Go on October 31, 1981, this previously unreleased 18 song live album includes many of The Plimsouls’ classics as well as plenty of surprises. It has been stunningly remastered, features previously unpublished and gorgeous photos by renowned photographer Bob Matheu, and also includes three pummelling tracks (“New Orleans,” “Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!” and “Run Run Run”) with special guests The Fleshtones.

    The album will be in-stores (in both vinyl and CD) and digitally online through Alive Records on February 23rd. The first vinyl pressing of the record will also include a poster and is limited to 1,000 copies. Considering that all of The Plimsouls official studio releases are currently out of print, this explosive live document of the band igniting The Whisky nearly three decades ago stands as not only a highly anticipated release from the band, but also as a testament to the power of pure, unadulterated rock & roll.

    “Formed in 1978 by Peter Case (vocals, guitar) following his departure from The Nerves and The Breakaways, with Louie Ramirez (drums), Dave Pahoa (bass) and Eddie Muñoz (guitar), The Plimsouls effectively blended roots, British Invasion and garage rock into one unique soul-punk, garage-pop combo. “They boasted a soulful front man and gifted songwriter in Peter Case; a brittle, unconventional lead guitarist in Eddie Muñoz; and a gutsy, power-packed rhythm section in bassist Dave Pahoa and drummer Lou Ramirez. The ‘Souls didn’t just replicate the cliches of power pop, as so many others did – they, and especially Case, were intent on putting their own imprint on the rock and R&B styles they derived their sound from. Their keen originality and their ‘let’s-rock’ attitude removed them from the run of the mill. Despite the misguided notions of observers intent upon categorization, The Plimsouls were always their own men.” — Chris Morris

    For more info on THE PLIMSOULS:
    http://www.alive-totalenergy.com/x/?page_id=1178
    http://www.myspace.com/plimsouls

    For more info on ALIVE RECORDS:
    http://www.alive-totalenergy.com

    For media and interview requests with Peter Case:
    Tony Bonyata
    Pavement PR
    e: bonyata@wi.rr.com
    p: 262.903.7775
    https://pavementpr.com

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  • REVIEWS

    • "Alive, the Bomp!-related LA indie label, has done an exemplary job in recent years re-stocking record store bins with re-issues of long-lost Nerves and Breakaways material for both longtime fans and (especially, it seems) younger listeners who’ve developed a newfound appreciation for high-energy power pop through its raggedy connection to punk. Alive’s campaign has also included new music from Paul Collins (2010’s King of Powerpop) and wish-we’d-been-there archival live recordings (The Nerves Live at the Pirate’s Cove, The Plimsouls’ Live! Beg Borrow & Steal), and now this excellent concert from Peter Case’s post-Nerves/Breakaways outfit can be added to the stack."

      Jeff Clark / Stomp And Stammer

    • "Live albums rarely do themselves justice yet this one is different. It captures not only the fresh and frenetic sound that The Plimsouls had but you can feel the excitement within the crowd. 18 tracks being squeezed into 53 minutes tells you that there’s no hanging about, no self indulgent 10 minute guitar or drum solos. The band maintain an almost superhuman energy throughout as one song melts into another, building an enthusiastic crowd into a sweat drenched frenzy."

      Playing Out Loud

    • "As fine as the PLIMSOULS’ studio records are, they’ve always been overshadowed by the band’s rep as a live act – indeed, the word “legendary” often gets tossed around in reference to the L.A. quartet’s vintage live shows. Recorded at the Whiskey a Go Go on Halloween in 1981, Live: Beg, Borrow & Steal affirms that legend, as PETER CASE, EDDIE MUNOZ, DAVID PAHOA and LOU RAMIREZ rip through a set of turbocharged power pop, stripped-down R&B and blazing rock & roll with the skill of veterans and the enthusiasm of teenagers. (…) And while it may come as a surprise to fans of his more recent folk work, Case proves himself quite possibly the best rock & roll singer of his era. Whether you want to get a concentrated shot of Plimsouls goodness or the right platter to rock the party, Live: Beg, Borrow & Steal is an excellent dose of caffeinated adrenaline."

      Michael Toland / The Big Takeover

    • "Power pop fans treasure the Plimsouls’ studio recordings, but their live set proves them one of the era’s top rock ‘n’ roll bands. When they get deep into the groove it feels as if Peter Case is doing all he can to stay on top of this hard-charging band. Nearly thirty years later this set still commands you get up and move around – the Plimsouls’ powers transcend time and space. Less than half the titles here, recorded at the Whisky A Go Go, overlap with One Night in America, and the inclusion of “Lost Time,” “Women,” “Zero Hour,” “I Want You Back,” and “Everyday Things” makes this disc an essential for fans. Alive’s packaging includes a six-panel insert with terrific period photos (including the stellar color cover shot). Now if only they could get 1981’s The Plimsouls back in print!"

      Hyperbolium

    • "Case’s fiery rasp dominates these 18 songs, as if he’s developed his entire vocal style from listening to John Lennon on a tape loop of Twist & Shout. There’s further evidence of his anglophile passions on covers of The Who (Run Run Run) and The Kinks (Come On Now), with guitarist Eddie Munoz throwing some roof-rattling beat group shapes. Of the original band material, the near-hit A Million Miles Away gives the closest indication to the gentler sound of Case’s later work. For most part it’s a fuzz pedal party of the highester order."

      Terry Staunton / Record Collector

    • "Long before Fall Out Boy and the mall punk movement, The Plimsouls were cutting their teeth in sweaty clubs with authentic rebelliousness and plenty of pent up aggression. That’s why Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal (Alive) is a dual treat for both those were there during its early 1980s conquest and for those who missed the first round but now have a chance to check out the resurgence. The concert collection was culled from a Halloween show in 1981 at the legendary Whisky A Go Go (including some tunes with The Fleshtones), and while it may be a bit raw (as was the case on most recording equipment back then), it captures the band in all is gritty, ballsy glory. From the fierce send off of “Hush Hush” to the down and dirty “Inch By Inch” to the swinger on steroids “Jump, Jive & Harmonize” and the triumphant “Dizzy Miss Lizzy,” the foursome is at the top of its game and supercharged with fury every step of the way. And considering the document spans 18 tracks and clocks in at nearly an hour, there’s plenty to devour, making it an essential score for both Plimsouls’ faithful and retro rock n’ rollers or punks of any age in general."

      Andy Argyrakis / Hear/Say

    • "The Plimsouls are known to the public primarily for the song “A Million Miles Away” from Valley Girl. If you think that song was catchy, how’d ya like 17 more like it? Yes, L.A. was chock full of great bands and clubs in 1981. Hard-core punk and alternative bands were a dime-a-dozen on the scene, but the Plimsouls carved out a fresh and frenetic power pop sound. They retained a garage rock edge that cemented their identity. You can pick out a Plimsouls song from the soulful opening riffs of Eddie Munoz’s lead guitar every time. (…) The sound on Live! Beg Borrow & Steal is crisp and clean. It really gives you the sense that you’re standing right there in front of the stage listening to the band. Even the cheering and shouting fans come through clearly. The band sits in front of the original Sunset Grill (the same one made famous by the Don Henley song) in the cover photo. The CD insert contains striking photos of the band by renowned rock photographer Robert Matheu. A note to vinyl collectors — Alive Naturalsound Records is releasing a limited edition LP version of Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal, with a free poster."

      Blogcritics

    • "A phenomenally hot show, recorded on Halloween 1981 by The Plimsouls, Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal is a steamin’ disc featuring highlights from their first two albums, before the second one was released."

      Scratch Disc

    • "With Peter Case at the helm, the Plimsouls were at the forefront of an army of 1980s guitar bands that drew from punk’s energy but with a lot more attention to melody. This performance at the Whiskey A Go Go is a searing 18-track reminder of what made them important beyond the footnote appearance "A Million Miles Away" in Valley Girl. While generally lumped in with the power-pop revivalists of the time, Beg, Borrow & Steal proves the Plimsouls were capable of raising a lot of hell."

    • "Peter Case has a richly deserved reputation as an ace songwriter and top-shelf rock & roll singer, but his bandmates were every bit as strong as he was this evening, and guitarist Eddie Muñoz, bassist Dave Pahoa, and drummer Lou Ramirez sound as precise as a Swiss watch while kicking out the big beat with heart, soul, and plenty of sweat. (…) If you loved the Plimsouls, Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal will instantly remind you why they were one of the best bands of the early ’80s, and if you’ve never given them a listen, this is good enough to make anyone with ears a believer."

      Mark Deming / All Music Guide

    • "This is a great quote from a super cool person who really loved the latest musical offering the band presented."

      Drew Olson / OnLosAngelesCA

    • "The first song that really leaps out at me is "Inch by Inch" (one of my favorite tracks from 1983′s Everywhere at Once) which, I’m assuming, must have been written during the time between the ONiA performance and this one at the Whiskey. While the album version has a shiny, new wave sheen, here it is presented in all of its raw glory. Eddie Muñoz’ guitar sounds phenomenal, and Peter Case’s vocals are to die for– what I think a young John Lennon might have sounded like during one of those legendary eight hour sets in Hamburg. Other originals not featured on the previous live document, are "Every Day Things" "Shaky City", "Lost Time", "I’ll Get Lucky", "Zero Hour" and "I Want You Back". To go along with tremendous versions of "Hush Hush", "Now", and "A Million Miles Away". Oh, and let’s not forget the covers. There are two Easybeats songs featured, "Women" which would make an appearance on their debut, self-titled long player and a fantastic version of "Sorry". A nod to both their L.A. and Hispanic roots, the Plimsouls’ rollicking version of Thee Midnighters’ "Jump, Jive and Harmonize" absolutely tears the roof down. There’s more, to be sure, but listening to this record nearly thirty years after this show was recorded, one word comes to mind: Timeless."

      Burn And Shine

    • "They left behind but two albums and one ep’s worth of material in their time together, but the Plimsouls left an indelible impression. Rooted in the sounds of the Beatles, Kinks and one-hit wonder American rock, they bristled with an energy that commanded the affection and respect of punk-era peers in Los Angeles bands like X and the Gun Club. It was a time before the ascendance of punk purism, a time when kids rocked out to anything that, well, rocked out. (…) Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal does the job live recordings are supposed to; it makes you wish you were there."

      Steve Wilson / KCFreePress

    • "The amazing sound of this CD—the great guitar crunch especially, clearly split between left and right channels—displays the band’s ability to house all the then-recent new wave strains and slash them out at handclap-able will. The Plimsouls had a rep for being one of the best live L.A. bands ever, and here is the most keen document of that."

      Eric Davidson / The Agit Reader

    • "Live! Beg, Borrow And Steal contains the sort of no-frills, straight ahead Rock N Roll that made the Beatles media darlings on both sides of the Atlantic. The Plimsouls practice their highly melodic Rock N Roll on a Los Angeles crowd on Halloween 1981, with Peter Case at the top of his vocal game and the band hitting on all eight cylinders."

      Wildy’s World

    • "Recorded on Halloween night in 1981, it’s certainly a nice time warp that sounds pretty good for the time period. As any good live release should hope to accomplish, Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal puts you right in the crowd for a dirty rock and roll set from the Plimsouls that is appropriately rough around the edges. As a bonus, The Fleshtones join in on three cuts."

      Addicted To Vinyl

    • "If you missed out on The Plimsouls’ heyday, Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal is a terrific introduction to the band’s hard-driving sound. If you’re already a fan, it’s a welcome reminder of how much they’re missed."

      MusicTap

    • "I do recall: the pure stoke I felt towards my father as he drove our orange, ’73 Ford Pinto up some L.A. freeway, headlights illuminating the road ahead of us, the seemingly cavernous venue, the sweet stink of marijuana smoke clouding the room, the raw energy of live drums, guitar, and the bass setting the pace of my heart, Peter Case in the flesh, cocked pigeon-toed at the mic belting out the songs I’d sung to myself hundreds of times before, the epiphany of rock and roll. And now these resurrected feelings of youth, stirred to life by this live album from that same tour, ordain my middle-age. Now what? Do it all again, this time with my own kids in tow."

      3Hive

    • "The Plimsouls were LA’s answer to eighties Southern jangle pop and they deserve to be remembered for more than writing one true power pop classic (as if that isn’t enough). Highly recommended."

      Hickory Wind

    • "Los Angeles at the turn of the ’80s musta been some place to be for all serious music heads. The Gun Club, X, The Misfits, The Motels and The Blasters were all making seminal records, Steve Wynn’s Dream Syndicate were just about to break through and this then-impressionable 14-year old was frantically scanning Sylvie Simmons’ weekly LA column in ‘Sounds’ trying to catch up. There’s a serious omission from that short-list of demi-Gods, of course. Peter Case’s incendiary quartet THE PLIMSOULS were already confirmed LA heroes and this rapturously-received, adrenaline-soaked live recording from a charged Halloween ’81 show at Hollywood’s legendary Whiskey A-Go-Go more than justifies the MC introducing them as “LA’S finest.” (…) ‘Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal’ may never have the same cachet as legendary live albums like The Who’s ‘Live At Leeds’, but it vividly captures the seething excitement of a great Plimsouls gig for posterity and deserves to be bracketed with The Dream Syndicate’s great ‘Live At Raji’s. That means it’s an essential document of the fertile 80s L.A scene and you should check it out at your earliest convenience."

      Tim Peacock / Whisperin And Hollerin

    • "Make no mistake, The Plimsouls' 'Live! Beg, Borrow & Steal' is a close-fisted power-pop tour de force." - POPMATTERS

    • "It's clear that the listener is being treated to a ragged but right, aural document of a band that clearly gave it everything they had and left it all on the stage that particular evening." - GOLDMINE MAGAZINE

    • "18 tracks of vintage Plimsouls, recorded at the Whisky-A-Go-Go in October 1981. The recording quality top-notch, packaging great and tune selection what you would expect. Now it’s up to you." - MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL