CENTRAL DEPARTURE - Rock'n'Roll DJ 7"EP

One of the greatest (mostly) unheard power pop songs in history. And that video...

For all the enduring interest in classic American power pop, New York City group Central Departure remain largely unknown. Among serious fans, however, the band’s sole single is a coveted piece. Released in 1981, the A-side is a crisp, speedy blast of top-notch power pop. ‘Rock’n’Roll DJ’ should have been a massive radio hit, but group weren’t too disappointed when sales failed to match their hopes; if the public hadn’t noticed, Capitol Records had, and a major label contract appeared imminent. As the musicians prepared to enter the studio and lay down their second single, though, the hammer dropped: they had been declined at the last minute. With these hopes now dashed, the demoralised group dissolved not long after.