Iconoclassic Records

Formed in Los Angeles in May of 1978, The Knack—lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Doug Fieger, lead guitarist Berton Averre, bassist Prescott Niles and drummer Bruce Gary— emerged against a musical zeitgeist knee deep in disco and arena rock. Their uniform look (skinny ties, white shirts, Beatle boots) and British Invasion flavored sound was a throwback to the ’60s and helped them stand out from other bands on the local L.A. scene. Word quickly spread about their explosive live presentation and The Knack became a sensation on the L.A. club circuit. A major bidding war swiftly ensued with Capitol Records emerging victorious and inking the band to a huge deal worth half a million dollars. Released on June 1, 1979, Get The Knack was an instant sensation, going gold in a whirlwind 13 days and eventually selling over six million copies. The album’s first single, “My Sharona,” occupied the top spot on the Billboard Top 100 charts for five weeks. It’s the quintessential Knack song, a tour-de-force of explosive drumming, a killer riff and Fieger’s stuttering vocal hook nod to The Who’s “My Generation.”