Let's Active, or Kyle Continues to Blog About Bloody Power Pop.........

"Face to the wall and the universe is calling. I'm not ready!"

- Writing The Book Of Last Pages by Let's Active


Those who know me, which is pretty much all 5 of you who bother to read my blather, are well aware that over the years, I have developed a fondness for music which is categorized as Power Pop. It stems from a childhood spent listening to The Monkees and their ilk. I have honed my love of this genre as time goes by and there are several touchstones within Power Pop that I need to blog about. One of these is the band Let's Active who were in existence from 1981-1989. They formed in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and were the brainchild of Mitch Easter who was the only member that stayed with them throughout their 9 years. As far as recorded output goes, they were signed to I.R.S. Records and released an E.P. Afoot in 1983. This was followed by 3 full length albums, Cypress in 1984, Big Plans For Everybody in 1986, and Every Dog Has His Day in 1988. These records sold horribly and sounded nothing like most of the music being put out in the 80s. I was introduced to them on a show that used to run on Much Music in its infancy called City Limits. It was a forerunner to The Wedge and hosted by a guy called Christopher Ward. Anyway, he used to play a video by Let's Active from Cypress called Waters Part and Steve and I really dug it. Steve liked the fact that Mitch Easter had 2 females in the band ("That guy knows what he's doing" is his direct quote) and I liked that they played Rickenbachers and sounded like a 60s band. Then, in late 1985, I met a girl named Michelle who managed the Mr. Sound record store in downtown London. She was from Omaha, Nebraska and had ended up in London whilst running from the law in the U.S. with her coke-dealer boyfriend. He flew the coop and she liked it in London and loved her job, so she stayed. She was the one who made me a big fan, not only of Let's Active, but a couple of other little bands who were connected to Mitch Easter named REM and Game Theory. She once camped out on Michael Stipe's parents lawn in Georgia and had the photos to prove it. Mitch Easter produced the first 2 REM albums, Murmur and Reckoning, as well as all of the releases by Game Theory at his record studio in Winston-Salem called the Drive-In. (Yes, it was an old drive-in that he converted into a recording studio.) Let's Active's sound was a mixture of jangly guitars, some country influences and a little Big Star, but mainly it was the writing genius of Mitch Easter with his catchy melodies and vocals that drew me into their lair. I still listen to them all the time and they have stood the test of time very well. Their records sell for exorbitant prices on Ebay to this day. You should get into them too! I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

Best Of Let's Active

1. Won't Go Wrong
2. Waters Part
3. In Little Ways
4. Talking To Myself
5. Counting Down
6. Horizon
7. Prey
8. Ring True
9. Still Dark Out
10. Sweepstakes Winner
11. Writing The Book Of Last Pages
12. Crows On A Phone Line
13. Blue Line
14. Fell
15. Easy Does
16. Badger
17. Ornamental
18. Mr. Fool
19. Lowdown
20. Every Dog Has his Day
21. Co-Star