Barbi and the Kens

New York City had a burgeoning music scene in the years directly after the punk and new wave explosion of the mid 1970s, and Barbie and the Kens were part of that scene.

This Mini-Lp (actually and extended play disk with four songs) got some airplay on New York stations, and the group's sound is reminiscent of the B52s. Note that the B side includes a cover of the Monkees hit, which is actually mixed with some chords from the Lemon Pipers' "Green Tambourine"!

I don't know what happened to this band after this single, but even today, it's fun to listen to.

Barbi and the Kens - Pay My Bills-Uptown Downtown Cruising.mp3

Barbi and the Kens - Just a Gigolo-I'm Not Your Stepping Stone.mp3