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.

Pop Is Dead
The Knack Lyrics

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i wonder what they'll say years from now
who'll understand it all anyhow
art straight from the heart
piercing the gloom
on the walls of a tomb

hey pop is dead
bring your shovel

hey pop is dead
bust your bubble
hey pop is dead
please don't trouble me
not while i'm watching tv

i listened for the sound of the truth
it glistened on the young wasted youth
bright vision of light
tossed on the floor
'til it shimmered no more

hey pop is dead
bring your shovel
hey pop is dead
bust your bubble
hey pop is dead
please don't trouble me
not while i'm watching tv

feel me
peel me
punch me
steal me

hey pop is dead
bring your shovel
hey pop is dead
bust your bubble
hey pop is dead

please don't trouble me
not while i'm watching tv

Overall Meaning

The Knack's song "Pop is Dead" is a commentary on the state of popular music at the time of its release. The lyrics express a sense of disillusionment with the music industry, suggesting that the "pop" that was being produced lacked substance and authenticity. The singer wonders what people will say about this era of music in the future, questioning whether anyone will really understand it. The lyrics suggest that true art comes from the heart, but that it is often buried in the noise of the industry.

The chorus of the song, "Hey pop is dead, bring your shovel," is a metaphor for burying the shallow, commercialized "pop" of the music industry. The call to "bust your bubble" is a challenge to those who are complacent with the status quo, urging them to recognize the emptiness of what they are consuming. The final plea, "please don't trouble me, not while I'm watching TV," suggests that the singer is tired of the constant barrage of commercialized music and just wants to be left alone.

The overall message of the song is one of defiance and a call for authenticity in art. The lyrics suggest that true artists should strive to create something meaningful and honest, and that listeners should demand more from their music than just catchy hooks and commercial appeal.

Line by Line Meaning

i wonder what they'll say years from now
Curious about the possible opinions of future generations.

who'll understand it all anyhow
Who could ever truly comprehend it?

art straight from the heart
Genuine and sincere expression of creativity.

piercing the gloom
Breaking through the darkness and negativity.

on the walls of a tomb
Displayed in a place of death or decay.

hey pop is dead
Pronouncement of the end of popular culture dominating society.

bring your shovel
Urging people to dig up the remnants of popular culture and bury it.

bust your bubble
Challenging people to confront their illusions about popular culture.

please don't trouble me
Suggesting a desire to avoid the controversy or discussion surrounding this topic.

not while i'm watching tv
Preferring to remain in a passive state of entertainment rather than engaging with societal issues.

i listened for the sound of the truth
Searching for a genuine and honest representation of reality.