The Knack
There are several bands called The Knack. For the less famous ones: see bel… Read Full Bio ↴There are several bands called The Knack. For the less famous ones: see below. The by far most famous and successful ones were the 'My Sharona' guys from Detroit, MI, United States.
1. The Knack was an American new wave/power pop band from Detroit, Michigan, based in Los Angeles. They rose to fame with their first single, "My Sharona", which was an international hit in 1979. The power pop of "My Sharona", coupled with the band's retro 60s look, earned the band comparisons to The Beatles (though the band members themselves viewed the 'New Beatles' label as tongue-in-cheek). Many music critics hated disco, which dominated the music industry at the time, and were, at best, coolly receptive to other developing trends like punk, electronica, and heavy metal.
The Knack's hard rock influences earned them some critical credibility and massive commercial success with their debut album, 1979's 'Get The Knack'. The band had formed in May 1978, known at first as '20/20', and, after shopping their demo tape to various record labels without success, they began playing the local club circuit. Quickly gaining a following as musicians such as Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen praised them, they finally signed with Capitol Records in January 1979. Reaching #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, 'Get The Knack' has earned praise for decades, with Kurt Cobain in particular claiming it as one of his top fifty albums of all time.
While fans praised their new wave and power pop fueled sound, many critics still found issues with the group's in-your-face image in their lyrics, with accusations of misogyny popping up. After subsequent releases, the social backlash against the Knack (similar to that of The Monkees a generation earlier) was strong. Dave Marsh of 'Rolling Stone' in particular wrote, "In Fieger's lyrics, women are literally commodities whose chief purpose is to be brutalized." A 'Knuke the Knack' campaign emerged based on that as well as the perceived corporate-based over-hype. With their second album, '...But the Little Girls Understand', getting less commercial success (doing well, but not up to expectations), the band broke up mid-tour on New Year’s Day 1982. Besides the turmoil around the group, they also faced near total burnout among themselves, particularly given Fieger's drugs-heavy lifestyle, and the band members reportedly hadn't the energy to do much of anything after their third album, 'Round Trip', came out.
They re-united sporadically several years later and released a new album on January 16, 1991, titled 'Serious Fun'. A comeback accompanied by a public reunion and tour, it failed to reach either commercial or critical success but resulted in the hit single "Rocket O' Love", which reached #9 in Billboard's Mainstream Rock Chart. They continued playing through the 90s and into the new millennium, with 2003's 'Re-Zoom' (or 'Zoom') being their last studio album. Commercial airplay mostly eluded the group over the 90s, but a generation of new fans who loved 80s-era new wave music provided a devoted cult following. Lead singer and main songwriter Doug Fieger was diagnosed with cancer in 2005. Fieger battled the disease until his death on Valentine's Day 2010.
Fieger, a native of Detroit, Michigan, had previously played in a country rock band called Sky. Of the three other original members of the Knack (Berton Averre - Guitar, Prescott Niles - Bass, and Bruce Gary - Drums), Averre and Niles remained with the group as it ended. Gary died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2006. Several drummers had played for the group over the years, including Billy Ward (Serious Fun album), Terry Bozzio (Zoom album), and David Henderson as 'Holmes Jones' (Normal as the Next Guy and Live at the Rock N Roll Funhouse albums). Pat Torpey (Mr. Big) played the drums for the group right before they ended.
There are other artists with the same name:
2. The Knack was a short-lived 1960s American psych/garage band from Los Angeles, CA. They recorded for Capitol Records. Formed in 1965, the band comprising Mike Chain (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dink Kaplan (lead guitar, backing vocals), Larry Gould (bass, backing vocals) and Pug Baker (drums), formally débuted at The Ice House in October 1966 and released four singles in total, of which Time Waits For No One was the best-seller. They toured throughout the U.S. but worked most frequently in Hollywood.
3. The Knack was a mid-60's British band originally known as The Londoners, a moniker they adopted whilst paying their beat group dues in the clubs of Germany in the early 60s. Upon returning to the UK in 1965 and changing their name to the rather hipper The Knack (after the recently released Richard Lester film), they recorded half a dozen singles for Decca and Piccadilly including the mod R&B ravers "She Ain't No Good", "Time Time Time" and "Stop!". Their final single, "(Man From The) Marriage Guidance And Advice Bureau", featured a more mature acoustic sound, which nodded towards both The Kinks and the impending psychedelic explosion. They broke up in 1967 and leader Paul Gurvitz formed the band The Gun.
1. The Knack was an American new wave/power pop band from Detroit, Michigan, based in Los Angeles. They rose to fame with their first single, "My Sharona", which was an international hit in 1979. The power pop of "My Sharona", coupled with the band's retro 60s look, earned the band comparisons to The Beatles (though the band members themselves viewed the 'New Beatles' label as tongue-in-cheek). Many music critics hated disco, which dominated the music industry at the time, and were, at best, coolly receptive to other developing trends like punk, electronica, and heavy metal.
The Knack's hard rock influences earned them some critical credibility and massive commercial success with their debut album, 1979's 'Get The Knack'. The band had formed in May 1978, known at first as '20/20', and, after shopping their demo tape to various record labels without success, they began playing the local club circuit. Quickly gaining a following as musicians such as Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen praised them, they finally signed with Capitol Records in January 1979. Reaching #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, 'Get The Knack' has earned praise for decades, with Kurt Cobain in particular claiming it as one of his top fifty albums of all time.
While fans praised their new wave and power pop fueled sound, many critics still found issues with the group's in-your-face image in their lyrics, with accusations of misogyny popping up. After subsequent releases, the social backlash against the Knack (similar to that of The Monkees a generation earlier) was strong. Dave Marsh of 'Rolling Stone' in particular wrote, "In Fieger's lyrics, women are literally commodities whose chief purpose is to be brutalized." A 'Knuke the Knack' campaign emerged based on that as well as the perceived corporate-based over-hype. With their second album, '...But the Little Girls Understand', getting less commercial success (doing well, but not up to expectations), the band broke up mid-tour on New Year’s Day 1982. Besides the turmoil around the group, they also faced near total burnout among themselves, particularly given Fieger's drugs-heavy lifestyle, and the band members reportedly hadn't the energy to do much of anything after their third album, 'Round Trip', came out.
They re-united sporadically several years later and released a new album on January 16, 1991, titled 'Serious Fun'. A comeback accompanied by a public reunion and tour, it failed to reach either commercial or critical success but resulted in the hit single "Rocket O' Love", which reached #9 in Billboard's Mainstream Rock Chart. They continued playing through the 90s and into the new millennium, with 2003's 'Re-Zoom' (or 'Zoom') being their last studio album. Commercial airplay mostly eluded the group over the 90s, but a generation of new fans who loved 80s-era new wave music provided a devoted cult following. Lead singer and main songwriter Doug Fieger was diagnosed with cancer in 2005. Fieger battled the disease until his death on Valentine's Day 2010.
Fieger, a native of Detroit, Michigan, had previously played in a country rock band called Sky. Of the three other original members of the Knack (Berton Averre - Guitar, Prescott Niles - Bass, and Bruce Gary - Drums), Averre and Niles remained with the group as it ended. Gary died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2006. Several drummers had played for the group over the years, including Billy Ward (Serious Fun album), Terry Bozzio (Zoom album), and David Henderson as 'Holmes Jones' (Normal as the Next Guy and Live at the Rock N Roll Funhouse albums). Pat Torpey (Mr. Big) played the drums for the group right before they ended.
There are other artists with the same name:
2. The Knack was a short-lived 1960s American psych/garage band from Los Angeles, CA. They recorded for Capitol Records. Formed in 1965, the band comprising Mike Chain (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dink Kaplan (lead guitar, backing vocals), Larry Gould (bass, backing vocals) and Pug Baker (drums), formally débuted at The Ice House in October 1966 and released four singles in total, of which Time Waits For No One was the best-seller. They toured throughout the U.S. but worked most frequently in Hollywood.
3. The Knack was a mid-60's British band originally known as The Londoners, a moniker they adopted whilst paying their beat group dues in the clubs of Germany in the early 60s. Upon returning to the UK in 1965 and changing their name to the rather hipper The Knack (after the recently released Richard Lester film), they recorded half a dozen singles for Decca and Piccadilly including the mod R&B ravers "She Ain't No Good", "Time Time Time" and "Stop!". Their final single, "(Man From The) Marriage Guidance And Advice Bureau", featured a more mature acoustic sound, which nodded towards both The Kinks and the impending psychedelic explosion. They broke up in 1967 and leader Paul Gurvitz formed the band The Gun.
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The Knack Lyrics
(She's So) Selfish baby gonna shut you down she got a funny little face but…
Africa step inside so you step inside and you hear a sound from …
Ambition who wants it who dares why bother oh yeah you're eager you…
Another Lousy Day In Paradise I never thought we'd end up here you always seemed so…
Art War no i don't give a shit about warhol and oldenberg's really…
Baby Talks Dirty you know my baby talks dirty you know my baby she…
Boys Go Crazy yeah she's a runaround she's the heavyweight champion tease…
Can I Borrow A Kiss i was a knock-kneed freckle faced overshy underfed boy in t…
Can't Put A Price On Love you smoked me like a cigarette i was burned i was…
Disillusion Town Fieger-Averre Tell me your desperate dreams Find me a fa…
Don't Look Back One, two, three, four! Cold rain pourin' and I'm feelin' …
End Of The Game i didn't want to do it i know i wasn't kind there's…
Everything I Do everything i do makes her sad if i say i love…
Frustrated frustrated she's getting to me frustrated do what you do to…
Girl I Never Lied to You Corey-Byrom Picking up the pieces They're shattered all …
Good Enough how long before you come around how long before we tumble…
Good Girl Don't She's your adolescent dream, Schoolboy stuff, a sticky sweet…
Hard Way Boys like you were born to waste You never listen to…
Harder On You you know it's gonna be hard on me feeling the way…
Heartbeat heartbeat why do you miss when my baby kisses me heartbeat…
Hold On Tight And Don't Let Go make a me feel right you gotta rock me give me…
How Can Love Hurt So Much Convincing myself I don't want you But nothing I say can…
I Knew the Bride By Nick Lowe and his Cowboy Outfit Well the bride …
I Want Love love love love love i want i don't want the keys to…
I Want Ya you wanna know why i would let you go you'll never know h…
In Blue Tonight tell me where did the years go summer used to move…
It's Not Me Fieger-Bossman If my smile is like the sun Shining 'til …
It's You believe me when i say it's you it's you squeeze me uh…
Just Wait And See i know she's yours now oh you'll find out if you…
Les Girls (Doug Fieger) On the beach in St. Tropez Sweet-smel…
Let Me Out one two three four let me out come and get me…
Lil' Cals Big Mistake i still remember the whole affair but i don't go for…
Love Is All There Is you've been hurt once maybe twice i can see that light…
Lucinda She hides behind a smile She lies Beware of what you do T…
Maybe Tonight I don't know why I never, said it before. I don't…
Mister Magazine who hocks the headlines who sets the style behind the deadl…
Mr Handleman Come mr. handleman take my wife home You can′t leave a…
My Sharona Ooh, my little pretty one, my pretty one When you gonna…
My Sharona * Ooh, my little pretty one, my pretty one When you gonna…
My Sharona - Edit Ooh my little pretty one, pretty one. When you gonna give…
My Sherona Hoo, my little pretty one, my pretty one When you gonna…
Normal as the Next Guy Fieger-Averre Normal as the next guy I'm normal as the…
Oh Tara Oh Tara (Doug Fieger) oh tara oh oh you squeeze my heart an…
One Day at a Time who you gonna run to when you're running low where you…
Pay the Devil Ooh baby ooh ooh baby ooh Got to learn to give…
Pop Is Dead i wonder what they'll say years from now who'll understand …
Radiating Love Step out of your shoes and dive in The water is…
River Of Sighs bang bang drop dead rip it up and paint it…
Rocket o' Love All right. Baby. One shot. Ecstasy, Funk has fever gotta…
Sharona Ooh, my little pretty one, my pretty one When you gonna…
She Says I know Love is open Follow, this is easy Hiding inside A…
Siamese Twins Ooh, my little pretty one, my pretty one When you gonna…
Siamese Twins (The Monkey and Me) Hes on my back Hes on my back Hes on…
Smilin you tell me you're the second coming but you come once…
Soul Kissin' she got the natural nectar like the honey from a honey…
Spiritual Pursuit Fieger I've been tryin' for so many years To find a mean…
Sweet Dreams these children of the dark boy don't you know they get…
Teacher Teacher Young love, teacher's pet Cheeks flushed, apple red Ringin…
Tell Me You're Mine there you go giving me the palpitation face it you're fine …
That Thing You Do! You, Doin' that thing you do, Breaking my heart into a mil…
That's What The Little Girls Do That's what the little girls do To you, to you Oh, that's…
The Feeling I Get it's awful hard no it's not very easy for me to…
The Hard Way Boys like you were born to waste, You never listen to…
Tomorrow don't come a-hanging around my door i made it clear my…
We Are Waiting oh we are waiting to show you a different view we are…
You Gotta Be There you don't gotta tell me what i want to hear and…
Younger Girl She's one of those girls who seems to come in…
Your Number Or Your Name Saw your face from a window Now I can't let it…