The Beat was the debut album by American power pop

Power pop

Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...

 band The Beat

The Beat (US)

The Beat , were an American rock and power pop group from Los Angeles, California that formed in the late 1970s. The Beat resurfaced in the 1990s and continues to tour and record new material as Paul Collins' Beat...

, released in 1979 on Columbia Records

Columbia Records

Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...

. The Beat featured rhythm guitarist, lead vocalist and primary songwriter Paul Collins

Paul Collins (musician)

Paul Collins is an American writer, author, music producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for his work in the power pop groups The Nerves, The Breakaways and The Beat.-Biography:...

, bassist and second vocalist Steven Huff, lead guitarist and third vocalist Larry Whitman, and drummer and percussionist Michael Ruiz. Before forming the Beat, Paul Collins was a member of Los Angeles power pop group The Nerves

The Nerves

The Nerves were a mid-'70s American power pop trio based in Los Angeles, featuring guitarist Jack Lee, bassist Peter Case, and drummer Paul Collins. All three members composed songs and sang. They managed an international tour in the U.S. and Canada, including dates with The Ramones, and...

 along with Peter Case

Peter Case

Peter Case is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, who has had a wide-ranging career ranging from new wave music to folk rock to solo acoustic performance.-Early career:...

 (later of The Plimsouls

The Plimsouls

The Plimsouls are an American rock band formed in Paramount, California in 1978.-Formation:Formed by singer, guitarist and songwriter Peter Case , the Plimsouls began as a trio in 1978 which included Case, bassist Dave Pahoa and drummer Louie Ramírez...

), and Jack Lee. Case co-wrote with Collins one of the songs appearing on this LP. Also of note, Eddie Money

Eddie Money

Eddie Money is an American rock guitarist, saxophonist and singer-songwriter who found success in the 1970s and 1980s with a string of Top 40 hits and platinum albums...

 co-wrote another of the tracks with Collins, and is given special thanks in the LP's liner notes.

Track listing

All songs written by Paul Collins except where noted.

1. "Rock N Roll Girl" – 2:16
2. "I Don't Fit In" – 2:46
3. "Different Kind of Girl" – 3:23 - P. Collins, S. Huff
4. "Don't Wait Up For Me" – 3:02
5. "You Won't Be Happy" – 2:20
6. "Walking Out On Love" – 1:44
7. "Work-A-Day World" – 2:65
8. "U.S.A." – 2:12 - P. Collins - P. Case
9. "Let Me Into Your Life" – 2:35 - P. Collins, E. Money
10. "Working Too Hard" – 1:57
11. "You and I" – 2:47
12. "Look But Don't Touch" – 3:09

Personnel

Paul Collins– rhythm guitar and lead vocals

Steven Huff– bass and second vocals

Larry Whiman– lead guitar and third vocals

Michael Ruiz– drums and all percussion

Additional Personnel

Bruce Botnick

Bruce Botnick

Bruce Botnick is an American audio engineer and record producer, best known for his work with The Doors, and with Love. He engineered Love's first two albums, and co-produced their third album, Forever Changes, with the band's singer-songwriter, Arthur Lee.In November 1970, he took over production...

– producer

Rik "Aloha" Pekkonen– engineer

Rodney Lovett - assistant engineer

Dave Costel - assistant engineer

Bernie Grundman

Bernie Grundman

-Biography:He is most known for his mastering work and his studio, Bernie Grundman Mastering, which he opened in 1983 in Hollywood. The studio, which includes engineers Chris Bellman, Patricia Sullivan and Brian Gardner, mastered 37 projects which received Grammy Award nominations in 2005.Grundman...

 - mastering engineer at A&M Studios

Recorded at United Western Studios and Cherokee Recording Studios, Hollywood, California, June 1979

Mastered at A&M Studios

Liner notes give special thanks to the following people:

Eddie Money (without you we wouldn't be here now) and Jerry Pompili, all the people at CBS & B.G.P.,

Don Ellis, Ken Sasano, The Masque

The Masque

The Masque was a small punk rock club in central Hollywood, California which existed intermittently from 1977 to 1979. It is remembered as a key part of the early L.A. punk scene.-History:...

, all the boys at the Parking Lot, David Gales, Bill Graham

Bill Graham (promoter)

Bill Graham was an American impresario and rock concert promoter from the 1960s until his death.-Early life:...

and Marcy.

External links

^Official site

^Paul Collins' Beat on MySpace

^Paul Collins' Beat on Facebook

^Paul Collins' bio on ArtistDirect

^Paul Collins on MySpace

^Paul Collins' Beat fan site