Forgotten early New Wave...

How about Big Star, Matthew Sweet, Syd Straw, and Marti Jones?

I was in a cover band in Hawaii when the Motels were in town for a concert (early 80s)...we were playing 6 nights a week in a giant hipster dance club so we were tight, and Martha came in and sang with us...we already did a few of their songs and it was really cool (and spooky) to hear the actual voice from a song coming through the monitors...we even did a song that the Motels touring band DIDN'T do and she nailed it. Nice person that Martha.

Saw the Motels on campus while attending college in Wisconsin, '82 or '83, I believe. They made a lasting impression on me. Had an excellent time.

Since I was in Boston during that period, definitely:

O Positive
Tribe
Scruffy the Cat

Club scene in Beantown was amazing.

David

The Shoes are really great,have all their recordings.They always to me sounded like The Cars.