J.D. Buhl Was Berkeley, California's Best-Kept Late 70s Pop Secret

Des Moines in the mid 70s probably seemed a lot further from the happening scenes of Los Angeles and New York than it does today. With Patti Smith, the Ramones and Television happening on one side of the country and The Weirdos, Screamers and The Avengers doing their thing on the other, Jeffrey David Buhl was stuck in the Iowa capital working in a record store.

But when pricing and shelving Ramones and Modern Lovers records simply got too much, Buhl packed up and headed to Berkley, California where he quickly immersed himself in the local music scene. Going by the name J.D, he was soon fronting the Saviours, a band that later evolved into the Jars, and he ended up leading his own band J.D. Buhl & the Believers through the first half of the 80s.

Buhl later spent time teaching English at a university and it's funny to find students posting his old songs on YouTube with "Mr. Buhl used to play in a weird rock band!!" type comments.

Little Victories 1978-1985, released on Mighty Mouth music, is a new compilation that hand picks 12 Buhl tracks from across his career. From his 60s inspired pop to weirder garage stuff there is always lots of New York Dolls and Nerves influenced melody.

Tracks like "Late 78" brim with a snarly and sneering punk attitude while his first single "Do Ya Blame Me", recorded with the Jars, is a classic piece of garage pop.

J.D. says it best, as he describes his songwriting as being, "clever and hooky, about drive, feel and guitar riffs and out to capture imaginations."

'Little Victories 1978-1985' is available Jan 27 on Mighty Mouth Music.