Too Late - Shoes

[enndaley]

Not just "Power Pop"-this is PURE power pop. Thanks for posting it.

[juliano66]

back when ya c'd wander around the suburbs without gettin shot--beat up maybe! late 70's early 80's..

[sodbuster925]

these CHICAGO guys were really a damn good band they really had great harmonizing

[grooviefan]

hard to believe, but they are working on a new album 15 years since the last group effort. so to speak, not counting jeff''s solo album can't wait

[Quigggy]

this song is infectious

[lurch321]

One of the videos played during MTV's first 24 hours on the air was this one.

[BasswipeNC]

These guys were great. I wish they'd come down south and do a show or two.

[fgldnglbs]

Those of us in Philly remember seeing their long form promo on PRISM. Offhand, I recall their explaination of the band's name, that the Beatles jokingly said that they otherwise would have called themselves the Shoes. That's why the name fits. The 60's through the 80's were a period where they went through trends/sounds every 2-3 years; bands like the Bangles, Los Lobos ,-- R.E.M. and so on were about unfinished business.

[kevhead66]

How come these guys weren't as popular as The Cars? What a great sound.

[mangansis1]

Just FYI: look for an authorized band bio in 2011.

[gordonioni]

Love the guitar driven real rock and roll! So many good groups and songs out there that must be stumbled upon and searched for as the music industry goes for the almighty dollar and not for talent and quality. Sorta like our govt.

[OffTheCharts365]

Thanks for posting this video/song.

Listen for great music like this on a new radio station called "OffTheCharts" - featuring 70's (and some 80's) lost hits and chart wonders!

Go to Live365.com, type OFFTHECHARTS in the Search box and click on the station logo.  The audio stream should begin. Become a VIP member and listen commercial free!

This song is being featured this week!

Again, thanks for posting!

[jjames17407]

my senior year favorite!

[therealpattibowie]

what a shame these guys didn't keep playing. they were one of my fav bands in the late 70's. 

[crosscatch]

@therealpattibowie I believe they are still playing but they don't work too hard. I saw them in a free show at the park here in Chicago. They were really good and really pumped up by the reception. I think they do occasional shows but that's it for live. I imagine they still write. I think I read two or three of the guys are involved in production.

[fucktheutubeusername]

!POWERPOP!

[poptopia1]

those hooks.that harmony powerpop nirvana!

[kevhead66]

@poptopia1 great point

[Neptuneman07]

Excellent Power Pop Rocker!

[ChuckNow]

My band used to cover this song. It kicks ass! Great, great band.

[ErikdeRed]

Doesn't look anyone's playing bass. Unless maybe it's a 6-string...?

[lostmyshu]

@ErikdeRed john's playing a hamer 8-string bass. they were pretty new at the time...nick lowe also had one. tom petersson of cheap trick plays 12-string basses from hamer...the strings are grouped in sets of 3.

[lostmyshu]

that little grin gary shoots off at the 27 sec mark is to die for too!

[messrocks89]

Soooooo good! Those harmonies are to die for.

[Meehowski]

Epic.............

[castertunes1967]

power pop rules...these guys are a flagship for the genre....never heard of them til now

[titov61]

where are these guys from? - definitely remember JJ, Martha, Mark, etc. playing this a lot - and it never sounded over played... great stuff

[hendu13]

Zion, Illinois

[johnozed]

Great songs, great band! Sadly overlooked. If it wasn't for MTV I wouldn't have heard of them...

[MODbelle]

I had this album when I was in High School.Haven't heard this song since,Thank You!

[Msumner316]

This was one of the first bands played on MTV back in the very early eighties. They were very unassuming in they're appearance but the sound was very club like. I used to see bands like them in Virginia Beach Virginia every weekend. The sound grabs you and I never forgot the Shoes.

[conqueroo1]

Shoes rule. Period.

[bleach1958]

I loved the Shoes growing up and this was my favorite! They should have been bigger.Jeff Murphy went on to produce Material Issue-another great band.I've never seen this video before-very good!

[MCFCTrick]

They are still together and playing!! Great Power-Pop band!

[chrisbrownwifey8195]

been lookin for this. this is early mtv stuff

[charold3]

Hmm. I don't remember seeing a lot of music like this (i.e., good) on mtv. Saw a lot of crap, some decent stuff, a few great things, but no Shoes (dammit!). This should have been a hit. So should many other Shoes songs.

[Gerkinstock]

Do you remember "Tailing You" by Dirty Looks?

[TimmytheGeek2009]

wow...great flashback....and such great hair.

[staceintheface]

omg, this puts a huge smile on my face. i was such a fan in high school. too bad these guys never made it big!

[peebsmom1]

Boy does this bring back some great memories! Thanks so much for posting it:)

[calinder403]

ISU campus, Normal IL, circa 1982 - free concert, parking lot of Julian Hall.

[lostmyshu]

HOT...HOT...HOT!!!

[fucktheutubeusername]

woaw!cool.

[ledgerunner21]

This was the " Break up song " from the first REAL girlfriend, haven't heard this since 81, thanx

[Stainboy669]

Pure AWESOME!

[ographic]

boomabang

[TheGregWoodBand]

yep, early MTV days, good one!

[JPGR66]

shoes!!! look for a song by them called "tomorrow night." thats my fave shoes tune!

[pitch30320]

19799999999999999999999999

[robodoll]

The SHOES were god head!!

[KCVROCKS2008]

power pop RULES!

[TheGregWoodBand]

Ahhhhh yesssss.........

[RyoSanadaOfWildfire]

like 3 years ago vh1 classics played the very first day of mtv and i remeber liking some song from a band shoes. i finally tracked it down!

[R8RLV]

Gary Klebe rules!

These guys really cranked out a pile of good tunes in a couple years. Love Shoes!

[bds1167]

the earliest of earliest MTV. From Zion, Illinois!

[Viznel137]

Yeah!Three times is a good song-so was their album i think was called boomarang!!!

[waveblast2]

Present Tense is a classic,someone please post

"Three Times".

[craigkleber]

undeniably strong pop - thanks for posting, never saw the video until this

[blueleopardmedia]

This is a great little song, and an excellent group.

[mpc3po]

love the moody dream pop... a little like the 38 special style among others...great hook...I've also had this melody floating around for a while until lpstd1 posted it...thanks a mill for this rare nugget.

[beatlefan64]

A great track! I have this album as well. I have been a fan of The Shoes for quite a few years. I had no idea until now that there was any video footage around, very cool!

[999manman]

Haven't heard this since '79! Thanks for reassuring me I wasn't just imagining it!

[SunnBurn]

Great song. Been looking for this for a while. Reminds me of the Raspberries.

[triviaman4444]

What a great posting. I've had this melody floating around in my head for 25 years since I last saw the video on MTV. Thanks for bringing it back to life.

[KENVAIL]

my fave kinds of music are: 3)surf music 2)psychobilly/rockabilly 1)POWER POP! the sad thing is, i am just discovering their stuff after all these years!

[rdw7300]

Thanks for the post, Lpstd1. The Shoes, one of rock's great do-it-yourselfers. They put out their music their way and you if you heard it you were among the blessed.

[hintysen]

My opinion: History will show that this band had the greatest difference between a) its talent and quality and b) its level of success. These are tremendous pop songs that will (already have) stand (stood) the test of time.

[endangeredspeciesscr]

I love this!!! I even have the ALBUM - bought it new! Did you know they are from Zion, IL? What happened to any of them?

[Sahdadky]

I love this tune. I actually have it on a CD of 1970's hits. Brings back great memories!

[jolivia]

a truly great tune...I'M NOT WORTHY! Joe Brya, the GO.

[grooviefan]

there is no such thing  as a bad shoe song. no filler. all power pop. 100 % american.. god bless the shoes.

[johnmaserati]

I STILL got the cassette! Not so sure it will play without destroying itself! LOL

[winger69]

Can You Imagine That I Brought This Tune To Our Bar Band, (Metal Based...) And They Dug It...We Also Played "Yellow Pills" By 20/20...And Of Course...No One Else Did...Hah!!!...Everybody Loved Our "Yellow Pills"...

[juliano66]

Ageless, timeless p-pop-these dudes we're in a world of their own--it's still seductive the intelligent rock of that era, those hi-dollar NW Chicago suburbs--Athens, GA wasn't the only hidden talent pool back then.. Shoes Rules.

[BigBishop1]

nechicago zion very blue collar

[puppypoo1978]

Im really dissapointed that they werent bigger than they were I think the present tense album and off broadways " on " album were the best power pop had to offer. every song on the album was great. Both bands from the Chicago album that missed their mark.Now they both play at firefighter benefits in the suberbs of Chicago. Its a pity

[elgiablo]

OMG ! I have'nt seen this in years ! I still have this on vinyl !!! Thanks for sharing !

[jaye230]

...One of the best pop bands EVER....

[neeseeper]

What a perfect moment in time! Great stuff!

[usedwigs]

yep. still holds up. great stuff

[pernicketty]

Thank you Lpstd1. All of these Shoes classics have been going through my brain for the last 25yrs+. I never dreamed I'd ever get to see the band performing them. Too Late is my favourite of all their great songs.

[klikoboef]

jeugdsentiment

[sgrroiii]

What's wrong with the Monkees ?

[pernicketty]

Why not ask them?

[MonsieurArachide]

Thank you for posting this classic video! The first live concert I ever saw was Shoes at Chicagofest in 1978. I've been a fan since my dad gave me a copy of Black Vinyl Shoes that he got from his coworker, John Murphy. Dad tried to convince us that Shoes sounded like The Monkees but we knew better.

[JettBlackBerryX]

I saw them at chicagofest too. Best Power Pop Band EVER.

[jhrunion]

This really holds up! It still has the power to lift my mood!

[hollies65]

I'll add my voice to the chorus....great.

[bluemulekicksass]

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!! SHOES - Too Late is one of the greatest PowerPop songs in history! It is as fresh as it was in 79' and will never not be considered "timeless". Everyone who see this vid should sent it to two freinds and see just what kind of a buzz this tune gets . . .

[bedfordforrest]

I smell like cabbage because I am half german.

[BradPittiful]

i remember first seeing this video on video jukebox

oh and bedfordforrest smells like cabbage

[bedfordforrest]

One of the bands that never quite made it, although I'm not sure why, they were a great band!

[Gerkinstock]

God, I love this song! From Day One of MTV.