Of all of the pre-Knack pop mongers that made their way into the heavy breathing arena of punk minutae known as 'Killed By Death,' Canada's sharp-witted and impossibly sweet Pointed Sticks may very well be the best of the bunch. Formed in 1978 in Vancouver, they released three classic singles on Quintessence Records, and their sound within reflected the sunny and brighter side of underground music that was just beginning to become influential at the time. Their clever and snappy tunes veered far away from the normal nihilism of the day and coupled with the incredibly addictive hooks they interlaced, it was not a surprise that they eventually ended up catching the attention of Stiff Records at the close of 1979. With pummeling drumming from Ken 'Dimwit' Montgomery (who defected from the Subhumans), along with the inimitable Nick Jones on vocals, the Pointed Sticks had all the momentum they needed for 'real' success, which even resulted in an appearance in the Dennis Hopper film "Out of The Blue" in 1980. With their Stiff association firmly in place, they gigged feverishly along the west coast and were invited to England to record their debut album, but were doomed with complications and miscommunications, and were sent back to Canada without the LP after all. Back at home with their Quintessence label in Vancouver, they enlisted none other than future hard-rock producer Bob Rock to oversee the album, and the Perfect Youth LP was born. Now, over 25 years later, and even after a recent Japanese reunion tour, the Sticks are back in business and this Saturday at Richards on Richards in Vancouver, you can see for yourself. And don't forget to pick up your copy of their recently reissued material right HERE. Fellow Vancouver pop addicts the Tranzmitors, who may be the closest thing to the Pointed Sticks regionally and musically, warm up the stage Saturday as well, so if you're inclined to indulge in this much raw pop confection, do not miss their Exploding Hearts-tinged set of hits, which ring true and should be the perfect accompaniment to this night of uplifting rock'n roll.
Check out a live clip of the Pointed Sticks in Japan in 2006 performing their hit "Out of Luck"...
And check out the original video for "Lies" from the late 70s here...
