The Nerves: Peter Case & Paul Collins Touch a Nerve
Originally hailing from Buffalo NY, Peter Case would travel out to California to find his fame and fortune as 1/3 of the first real DIY band of all time, The Nerves. Consisting of Case, downstater Paul Collins, and California musician Jack Lee, the Nerves changed the course of pop history. One could argue that they were the originals, the precursor to today’s online, independent rock band.
With no contract and no major (or minor) record company backing, they toured the midwest on a tour budget of 0. Zilch. Nadda. And they made enough of an impact to have a hit song, albeit performed by Blondie. Hangin’ On The Telephone would become an underground favorite of power pop fans and an influence to countless young artists and bands since.
Some thirty years later, 2/3 of The Nerves are back together, at least for a short tour. This spring, check out Peter Case and Paul Collins at a venue near you. You’ll be privvy to the best melodies on the planet and a real pop education.
Here’s the Nerves tour schedule thus far (all in 2012):
FRI 2 MAR 2012
Peter Case & Paul Collins
The Funhouse
Seattle, WA.
WED 7 MAR
Peter Case & Paul Collins
The Songs of the Nerves, The Plimsouls, Peter Case, and Paul Collins
The Echo
Los Angeles, CA.
THU 8 MAR
Peter Case
Paul Collins and Peter Case & Paul Collins
Bar Pink
San Diego, CA.
FRI 9 MAR
Peter Case & Paul Collins
Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace
Pioneertown, CA.
TUES 13 MAR
Peter Case
Paul Collins and Peter Case & Paul Collins
Rhythm Room
Phoenix, AZ.
Special note for those located in North Carolina: Peter Case has been known to play in the state, most recently in Greensboro, Raliegh, and Winston-Salem. I would expect that a future tour date will be announced for the general area.
This is great news! Most people dont realize, The Nerves formed the same year as The Ramones, (in 1974), making their own records, booking their own tours and driving in their own customized station wagon, which Paul Collins supplied. Ironically, The Nerves toured with both The Ramones and Eddie Money, who co-wrote Let Me Into Your Life with Paul Collins. These musical friendships later helped Paul Collins and Peter Case when they disbanded The Nerves and The Breakaways to form spinoff groups The Beat (Collins) and The Plimsouls (Case). The Paul Collins Beat were featured on the Caddyshack motion picture soundtrack with Journey and Kenny Loggins, while The Plimsouls were featured as a performing band in the 80s Nicholas Cage film “Valley Girl.”
Fast forward to the present day and you have two separate groups with Peter Case & Band and The Paul Collins Beat. Peter Case has a large adult following in the world of folk music and singer/songwriters. Case has won words of praise from artists such as Bruce Springsteen. With kind words from punk artists such as members of The Ramones, Paul Collins has a large youth fanbase consisting of teens, twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings. Collins owns a partnered booking agency called The Beat Army, which focuses on booking new rock bands and organizing tours. In 2011, Paul Collins performed live as a guest with Green Day. Their frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong is an avid fan of The Nerves and has been covering the song Walking Out On Love as part of the American Idiot Broadway musical production. For many years, fans in the audiences of Peter Case and Paul Collins would request songs from their group The Nerves. Both artists have embraced and accepted the popularity and legendary status of The Nerves. Its hard to categorize The Nerves in one particular genre and further proof would be the cover versions of their songs as done by modern indie rock artists such as Cat Power. With any luck Im hoping Peter Case and Paul Collins will record a live album and film a live concert DVD during their tour tribute to The Nerves.
All very true. I had the pleasure to work with Paul and John Wicks when they went on the road together doing
acoustic house shows last year. In an acoustic setting the songs were able to take center stage, and it became
even more obvious what songwriting masters they both were.
And I must add, Paul Collins is one helluva fun guy to be around.
Paul just did and interview where he shares a bit of what he has planned for the future. You can find it here.