The La's (Scouse slang term for "lads") were a short-lived but very influential Jangle/Power Pop group from Liverpool, England. They are known for their Retraux sound that was inspired by groups like The Hollies and The Kinks, and their hit single "There She Goes." They released a critically-acclaimed Self-Titled Album in 1990, but because of conflicts between the band and lead singer Lee Mavers' extreme perfectionism, they disowned the final result and broke up shortly after the album's release. Every other release they've done since has been compilation albums and live material. They are notable for being a major influence in Britpop, and many bands such as Oasis and Travis have labeled them as an influence.
The bassist and backing vocalist of the group, John Power, later went on to form fellow Britpop band Cast.
The La's discography
- The La's (1990)
Tropes related to The La's
- Alternative Rock: As a broad category encompassing Britpop and the jangle pop of bands like R.E.M., the group definitely qualifies as an example.
- Big Rock Ending: "Looking Glass" ends with one, all crashing drums and guitar noise.
- Britpop: The Trope Codifier. Later Britpop groups like Blur and Oasis have all cited The La's as being a major influence.
- Drugs Are Good: There is debate on whether "There She Goes" is or isn't about heroin, due to lyrics like "racing through my brain" and "pulsing through my vein".
Word of God says it's "just a love song about a girl that you like but never talk to." - Early-Installment Weirdness: The original incarnation of the group fronted by Mike Badger was much artsier and influenced by Captain Beefheart than the jangly pop they became famous for.
- Epic Rocking: "Looking Glass," clocking at a whopping 7 minutes and 52 seconds, is the longest song made by the group.
- Fading into the Next Song: "There She Goes" —> "Doledrum" on The La's.
- Jangle Pop: Songs like "There She Goes," "Timeless Melody," and "I Can't Sleep" are all good examples of the style.
- Minimalistic Cover Art: The La's is simply a black-and-white (or sepia or green-tinted, depending on where you live) photo of an eye, with "The La's" printed in the top left corner. The 1990 "There She Goes" single is just an eye and some lips on a white background. The band, of course, had no say in any art choices.
- One-Book Author: The band is notable for releasing only one studio album.
- One-Eyed Shot: The cover to their only studio album consists solely of a woman's eye in close-up.
- The Perfectionist: Lee Mavers. Their only studio album went through several sessions with different producers, and Mavers proved impossible to please during the process, complaining constantly about the sound and mood of the recordings. When a finished release was cobbled together from Steve Lillywhite's sessions, the band in general and Mavers in particular disavowed the resulting album.
- Power Pop: Applies to much of their work, with "Failure" and "I Can't Sleep" especially good examples.
- Retraux: Definitely applies to their only studio release, influenced by bands such as The Beatles, The Hollies, and The Kinks.
- Re-release the Song: "There She Goes" was originally released in 1988 and was re-released in 1990.
- Self-Titled Album: Applies to their only studio album. Although originally it was supposed to be called Callin' All.
- Single Stanza Song: "There She Goes" qualifies, with minimal modifications.
- The Something Song: "Freedom Song."
