Artist description "Beat Me Like A Star" the first release by this 60's inspired punk power pop band. Now remastered and for the first time available on CD with two added tracks.

Musical Influences 60's British Invasion, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, 70's Punk and Mod revival, The Jam, The Real Kids, The Sex Pistols, The New York Dolls, 80's Alterative, The Replacements, Birdland.

Similar Artists No artist we sound like are popular!

Artist History Originally recorded after the breakup of the band in 1994 as a way for Purdy Spackle and Charles McNeil to start a record label. Brian Jones Was Murdered had been a three piece during this last incarnation, but this was Bakersfield, California 1992-93 and thier style of 60's inspired Punk Power Pop was not the most popular. This was a period of Coffee Houses and groups that sounded like The Toad the Wet Sprocket and The heavy alternative Seattle Sound. They did all right, but when Bass player James Baggs (who was originally the drummer) moved to New York City (see Lower Eastside Stitches link) things started to end. Kenny “Motor” Mount and Charles carried on with a new bassist, named Greg ?, but things weren’t going thier way so when he moved to San Francisco, Charles and Kenny decided to pack it in. That would have been the end of it but several months later, after his band The Mutilators had split up, Purdy wanted to start “Spackletone Records USA”. Charles suggested releasing a 7in. EP of Brian Jones Was Murdered, thinking they had been a good band and should have something to remember it by, a swansong so to speak. So they called up Kenny and with Purdy on bass went into “Slumlord Studios” to recorded the tracks that became “Beat Me Like A Star”. Once the EP was out Charles wanted to do a couple of shows for the release. But Purdy had just joined Cradle of Thorns (later to be know as Videodrone) who were on Triple X Records and was off to become a RockStar. Kenny wasn’t up for it either as this was right back to were they had left off. So in order to do the release shows Charles needed to find a whole new band. Through “Slumlord” Scott Pipkin he was introduced to a bass player, singer, songwriter named Dave “skinny” Pearson who agreed to do some shows. Dave knew a drummer he had played with for years, named Aaron Lehman, who was willing to join up. So Brian Jones Was Murdered was reborn if only for a short time and set out to play a few shows in support of “Beat Me Like A Star”. That short time ended up lasting four years and saw the addition of a second guitarist, singer, songwriter named Chris "COB" O’Brien. The release of “Death of a Popstar” a full length CD (see links), a song turned into a local Bakersfield radio and TV commercial, songs on several foreign Compilations, an opening slot in support of Fiona Apple and another for Dred Zeppelin, along with a nice collection of press clippings and review’s. The original “Beat Me Like Star” EP only had five tracks: “By Your Side”, “Say”, “Please”, “So Long Now”, “lost and Found”. Nine songs had been record, a cover of “Twenty Flight Rock” which was not finished; “Crying” and “Love Song #9” which have been added; and finally a cover of The Beatles “Help” which for copyright reasons MP3 will not allow to be included; which is also the reason the original artwork could not be used.

Group Members Charles McNeil: guitar/vocals, Kenny "Motor" Mount: drums/vocals, Purdy Spackle: Bass/no vocals.

Albums "Beat Me Like A Star", "Death of a Popstar"

Press Reviews "Popsided" - "Beat Me Like A Star"... will leave more hooks in your head than those needed to reel in a whale."Bam" - "Beat Me Like A Star" displays a distinct fondness for hit-making sounds of the early Beatles and Rolling Stones records."Fruitbasket Upset" - "Beat Me Like A Star" Five cuts of hook-filled, powerful Beatle-esque punk greatness..."So Long Now" and "By Your Side" areboth rich melodic songs with more than a passing resemblance to Bostons Primo 70's pop rockers, The Real Kids."Maximumrocknroll" - Like The Beatles but more modern.

Additional Info "Down in Pooh's corner, the complete "Beat Me Like A Star" master recordings"

Location Bakersfield, CA - USA

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