The 1981 Listening Post - The Fabulous Knobs - Hugs and Kisses

 Reviewed by Paul J Zickler

Released: 1981 The Fabulous Knobs Hugs And Kisses Genre: Rock Rating: 3.75 out of 5 Highlights: Don’t Stop Now String Of Pearls I Don’t Know Why I’m a sucker for legendary local bands who never quite make it big but maintain a loyal following for years within their own area code. (See my Jr. Cadillac review for a band from my own neck of the woods with even more staying power) The Fabulous Knobs were apparently the toast of the town – in this case, Raleigh, North Carolina – from 1979 until their breakup in 1984. They packed local clubs with an irresistible brand of R&B-based rock, featuring high energy covers, respectable originals, comedic between-song skits, solid musical chops and double lead vocals from Debra DeMilo and David Enloe. Alas, the live experience is notorious for not translating well to a studio album, but Hugs and Kisses is still a very listenable record with some really nice moments. Unfortunately, there are only seven songs here, and two of them are instrumentals. This might actually be an EP, which breaks the Listening Post rule, but it’s such an obscure little gem that it feels mean to eliminate it based on length. The highlights include the opening cut, Don’t Stop Now, a bouncy party jam that probably ran two minutes longer live; String of Pearls, a white-boy-funky, hand-clapping booty shaker; and I Don’t Know Why, a soulful mid tempo number that allows DeMilo to stretch out vocally on the verses before the band leaps in and takes things up a notch on the choruses. This one features a solo break that seems ready to take off into the stratosphere, then abruptly stops and peters out before the 4 minute mark. It’s easy to imagine all three of these tunes being stronger in a live show environment, and I have no doubt they were. I picture a well-meaning producer telling the band to keep it short; nobody’s going to play your 7 minute jam on the radio, kids. Truly unfortunate for posterity. I’m glad there were (and are) bands like The Fabulous Knobs out there entertaining the club crowds, keeping rock and roll alive, even if the only evidence from the era is good memories and grainy VHS tapes in somebody’s attic. There is a must-see video for Don’t Stop Now on YouTube. I totally get why this band hit locally when they did. They have all the requisite New Wave Bar Band clothes, Debra’s nails the Mick Jagger thing, the two guitarists generate a playful nerd vibe, the keyboardist leans into it like Steve Nieve, the bass player is a dead ringer for John Entwhistle with his no-fucks-given attitude, and the drummer looks like a total goofball. There’s even a closeup of the guitar solo, played on a sweet vintage Telecaster. It’s filmed in front of some poorly edited green screen backdrop, and everyone’s lovably awkward. Check it out! https://youtu.be/89Bne19so3s