372 - Tommy Dunbar of The Rubinoos - The CBS Tapes

The Rubinoos came out of Berkley, California in the early Seventies. Known for their melodic hooks and tight harmonies, the band charted with a cover of the Tommy James’ hit, “I Think We’re Alone Now,” and their own “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.” They also placed the title song in the teen classic Revenge of the Nerds. After a hiatus, the guys have actually been quite busy releasing a string of albums that have been well-received in the power pop community. Before all of this, the Rubinoos were just a quartet of kids in high school, looking for a lucky break. The CBS Tapes, is a live, in-the-studio recording featuring the band’s high energy on 11 previously unheard tracks, just out on Yep Roc Records. The band runs though an eclectic set of songs, from the Beatles, the Meters, the Ventures and even the Archies, to several band originals. We talk with guitarist Tommy Dunbar about what led up to this archival release. Plus, the true story of how they got bananas thrown at them opening for Jefferson Starship!