Marbles (5)

New York City power pop quartet the Marbles formed in 1974. Singer/guitarist Howard Bowler co-founded the group with his brother, drummer David Bowler, and David's former Columbia University classmate Jim Clifford on bass. Keyboardist Eric Li completed the lineup. By 1975, the Marbles were regular headliners at the legendary Bowery venue CBGB's, where they shared bills with the Ramones, Blondie and Talking Heads. In addition to their identical pudding-bowl haircuts and conservative dress, the quartet also stood in stark contrast to the prevailing NYC culture thanks to a harmony-rich pop sensibility. In 1976, the Marbles nevertheless joined Television and Patti Smith on the landmark Ork label with their debut single "Red Lights." The group then cut several tracks for a proposed CBGB compilation that went unreleased, and was a featured artist in Amos Poe's seminal punk film Blank Generation.