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.
Mister Magazine
The Knack Lyrics
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behind the deadlines behind the smile
he's the man digging dirt trying to keep himself clean
he's the pimp he's the prostitute mister magazine
where someone suffers he's always there
to make it rougher to foul the air
he's perfected the art of the vicious and mean
conscience has he any (not much)
ideals no not many
only what a penny buys
remorse he can't feel it
his source won't reveal it
of course it's the public's right to buy it
i'll keep on praying there'll come a day
i hear them saying you've gone away
and we won't shed a tear as you're leaving the scene
it's a pleasure not knowing you mister magazine mister magazine
mister magazine
mister magazine
mister magazine
mister magazine
mister magazine
The Knack's song "Mister Magazine" is a sharp critique of the media industry and those who work within it. The lyrics describe the titular character as someone who "hocks the headlines" and "sets the style," but also digs up dirt and creates controversy just to keep readers interested. He's portrayed as both a pimp and prostitute - someone who sells both himself and his product to the highest bidder. The chorus repeats the phrase "Mister Magazine," hammering home the idea that the media industry is just one big machine that churns out content without any regard for morals, ethics, or the impact it might have on people's lives.
Throughout the song, The Knack makes it clear that Mister Magazine has no conscience, few if any moral ideals, and is only interested in the bottom line. "Remorse he can't feel it," they sing, "his source won't reveal it, of course it's the public's right to buy it." The final verse sees the band imagining a world in which Mister Magazine has disappeared, and they express the hope that they won't be shedding any tears over his departure.
In short, "Mister Magazine" is a blistering takedown of the media industry as a whole, taking aim at the greed, sensationalism, and lack of integrity that it often embodies.
Line by Line Meaning
who hocks the headlines who sets the style
He's the one who sells the attention-grabbing headlines and dictates what's considered stylish.
behind the deadlines behind the smile
Despite appearing friendly and professional, he's ruthless with tight deadlines and a cutthroat attitude.
he's the man digging dirt trying to keep himself clean
He'll go to any length to uncover gossip and controversy, all while pretending to maintain his own squeaky-clean image.
he's the pimp he's the prostitute mister magazine
His manipulation and exploitation of others in the name of selling magazines make him both the pimp and the prostitute.
where someone suffers he's always there
He thrives on the misfortunes and suffering of others and is quick to exploit them for his own gain.
to make it rougher to foul the air
He'll do whatever it takes to make a story more shocking, even if that means deliberately worsening someone's situation or spreading rumors.
he's perfected the art of the vicious and mean
He's a master at being cruel and malicious, using his power to trample over others in pursuit of his own success.
just a day at the office for mister magazine
This behavior has become so ingrained in his work that it's just business as usual for him.
conscience has he any (not much)
He lacks a strong moral compass, doing whatever is necessary to make a profit without much regard for its ethical implications.
ideals no not many
He doesn't hold many principles or values that guide his actions, being driven more by personal gain than anything else.
only what a penny buys
He's motivated primarily by money and willing to compromise his integrity to get it.
remorse he can't feel it
He's unable to feel regret or sorrow for the harm he's caused others, as he's too focused on advancing his career.
his source won't reveal it
He's careful to protect his sources, even if that means causing harm or spreading lies.
of course it's the public's right to buy it
He justifies his actions by claiming that the public has the right to know, even if that means sacrificing people's privacy, dignity or safety.
i'll keep on praying there'll come a day
The singer hopes for a day when Mister Magazine will no longer be in power or be able to cause harm.
i hear them saying you've gone away
The artist imagines a future where Mister Magazine is no longer relevant or successful.
and we won't shed a tear as you're leaving the scene
The people who have been harmed by Mister Magazine won't mourn his departure.
it's a pleasure not knowing you mister magazine mister magazine
The singer takes joy in the idea of Mister Magazine being gone and not having to deal with his destructive influence anymore.
Contributed by Colton I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.