The Cretones

The Cretones were a United States, Los Angeles-based power pop group in the early 1980s.^[1] Led by singer/guitarist and former Eddie Boy Band member, Mark Goldenberg (who also wrote the bulk of The Cretones' material), the group had a strong sense of melody and a lyrical wit that placed them a cut above most of their new wave peers. Other members were Peter Bernstein (bass, vocals), Steve Beers (percussion), and Steve Leonard (keyboards, vocals).

Both their albums were released on Richard Perry's Planet Records label. On the Billboard Hot 100, the group's one charted song, "Real Love," peaked at no. 79 in June 1980;^[2] it was from their first album, Thin Red Line. The song Empty Heart, from their second album Snap Snap, was their only other song to receive significant airplay on album rock stations, but it did not chart as a single.

They are perhaps best known as the group that provided three of the songs on Linda Ronstadt's platinum-selling 1980 rock album, Mad Love. Ronstadt's success served to introduce and highlight Mark Goldenberg's aggressive compositions.

After the band broke up, Mark Goldenberg went on to write the song Automatic for the Pointer Sisters, which was a top 10 hit in 1984. He later toured with artists such as Peter Frampton and Chris Isaak and had moderate success as a new-age instrumental artist in Japan. Since 1994, he has been lead guitarist for Jackson Browne and continues to write, play, and produce. Cretones members Steve Beers and Peter Bernstein helped produce and compose the score to the TV show 21 Jump Street. Steve Beers has been producing television ever since, while Peter Bernstein has gone on to write numerous film and TV scores.

Discography

• Thin Red Line (1980)
• Snap! Snap! (1981)

References