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Just on a trip to my grandparents house in Missouri again and we all know what that means!...Cool Old Stuff!!! Yeah thats right, my grandparents have absolutely great taste in music and lots of cool stuff from the 60's and what-not! So everytime im there it's like going throught this neato museum, and you're supposed to learn stuff when you go to museums right? Well I did and I've discovered some really gear bands and such! Here's a few of the fab bands and stuff I learned about and absolutely LOVE!!! Plus, it's also great to go shopping at gift shops in museums right...well this "gift shop" just happens to be called GRANDPA'S CLOSET OF THINGS HE FORGOT HE HAD! Which is the fabbest thing in the world! Anyroad, without further adieu I present to you..."Assorted Grooviness"!...Enjoy!
The Primitives Great British invasion band frolm the 60s originally from Oxford where they were known as The Cornflakes. They had drummer Pick Withers (who went on to join the Dire straits). It is also rumored that they also had Jimmy Page on lead guitar! (Which is why their 45s were so bloody expensive.) On songs like "Help Me" it sems very possible that Jimmy Page was present but on others like "You Said" it is quite doubtful. (though I'd have to say it's my favorite song of theirs!)
The Troggs "Wild Thing"...need I say more! They also had other cool songs like "Angel of The Morning", "I Can't Let Go", and "Love Is All Around"! Members include Reg Presley (vocals), Chris Britton (guitar), Pete Staples (bass guitar), and Ronnie Bond (drums)!
Donovan What is there to say about Donovan? Can't exactly explain WHO he is...he wanted to be a protest singer like Woody Guthrie and that's what he became. Um...do the words "Sunshine Superman" ring a bell? I'd have to say my favorite song of his would have to be "Universal Soldier". Also, he's a poet! A very good one in fact. His book of poetry "Dry Songs And Scribbles" is absolutely amazing!
The Searchers Their first hit was "Needles and Pins" which was also a fleeting hit for Jackie DeShannon a year earlier. "Needles and Pins" is one of my personal favorites along with "Don't Throw Your Love Away". I also ADORE the song "Mister Tambourine Man"!
The Kinks Consisting of guitar-playing brothers Dave and Ray Davies, Peter Quaife (bass player), and Mick Avory (drummer)...what more could you ask for?...well maybe Jeff Beck, but we'll get to him later...anyroad, what more can i say..they're great! My favorite songs of theirs would have to be "All Day and All of The Night" and "Sunny Afternoon"...(does anyone agree with me that Ringo would sound great singing that song...I don't know why it just sounds like somsething Ringo could sing well.) I also like (as I'm sure everyone else does as well) "You Really Got Me".
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OOOH! LOOKIES! There's More!
The Status Quo They began as the Spectres in 1966 and after 3 unsuccessful singles they became Traffic Jam. Another unsuccessul single later they became The Status Quo. My favorite songs of theirs would have to be "Pictures of Matchstick Men" and "Ice in the Sun", which was written by Marty Wilde and Ronnie Scott. (The bridge of this song where they sing about the girl's eyes, I think it has a very similar sound to that of Beatles pieces like "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"..."or Lovely Rita"...or anything on the Sgt. Pepper album as a matter of fact...maybe just the vocals but I think it does..okay...maybe it's just me!) In 1970 they changed their name again to just Status Quo. They're still kickin' too! They've reached #1 in the UK as recently as 1994!
The Hollies The Hollies, consistin of Allan Clarke (what a great name!), Graham Nash, and Tony Hicks (guitarist), are also a really really gear band! Their 12th UK single and 2nd biggest US hit, "Bus Stop" is definatly another one of my favorites written by Graham Gouldman. (who also wrote "For Your Love" for The Yardbirds...but more on the later as well! PAUL SAMWELL-SMITH...need I say more!) He also wrote many a song for 10CC as well. (Which included Eric Stewart of The Mindbenders. *sigh*...much more about them later too!)
The Ivy League John Carter and Ken Lewis were an already successful songwiting team ( they whote "Can You Hear My Heart Beat" for Herman's Hermits, which wen to #1 in the US) but became even more succesful when they joined up with Perry Ford and became The Ivy League! My favorite song of theirs would have to be their second single "Funny How Love Can Be" which came out in 1964.
*The Yardbirds* The Yardbirds (originally known as The Most Blueswailing Yardbirds) are one of my absolute FAVORITE bands from the 60's! Three absolute guitar GODS came form this group...Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and *Jeff Beck*! Their line-ups are too many to mention but I'd have to say my favorite was the second..which included Keith Relf, *Paul Samwell-Smith*(does he remind anyone else of Ashley Clark?) , Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja, and Jeff Beck (who replaced Eric Clapton...who had replaced Tony Topham of the original line-up...how confusing!) My favorite song of theirs would have to be "For Your Love" but really I LOVE all their music. (I also LOVE Paul Samwell-Smith!...he's the third on the top row)
The Tremeloes Another great group from the 60's. My favorite songs of theirs would have to be "Silence is Golden" and "Even The Bad Times Are Good" (what fun!). The latter was written by Mitch Murray and Peter Callander (who wrote "How Do You Do It" for Gerry and The Pacemakers...scroll down for mre on them...and "I'm Telling You Now" for Freddie and The Dreamers!)
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And More...ooh goody!
*The Mindbenders*
This is also another one of my favorite bands! The Mindbenders (more often credited as Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders) are the gearest! After Wayne Fontana split is when the singles started buzzing up the charts...haha...that teached ya never to underestimate the grooviness of Eric Stewart! Their first single which is my absolute favorite, "Groovy Kind Of Love" reached #2 in both the US and UK. The Mindbenders consist of *Eric Stewart* (who later founded 10CC), Bob Lang (bass), and Ric Rothwell (drummer)! I also like their song called "The Game Of Love".
(ABOVE: The Mindbenders with Ben. E. King...and below that is a picture of Eris Stewart!...sorry I couldn't help myself!)
The Move
Lead guitarist for this group, Ron Wood, wrote my favorite song from this group "I Can Hear The Grass Grow". It was their second hit and reached #5 in the UK. Carl Wayne left the group in '70 and was replaced by Jeff Lynne! (whom we all know and love from the Traveling Wilburys!) Jeff Lynne and Ron Wood went on to become the Electric Light Orchestra.
Gerry and The Pacemakers
Consisting of Gerry Marsden (nice smile and perfect eyebrows...no wonder he was in competition with Macca!...but don't he kind of remind ya of Craig?...okay maybe that's just me too.) , Fred Marsden (drums), Les Chadwick (bass), Les McGuire (piano), and maganged by Brian Epstein, Gerry and The Pacemakers were The Beatles's closest UK competitors. George Martin produced them both and after The Beatles recorded "How Do You Do It" they decided against it and it was given to Gerry. Other great songs of theirs include "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying".
The Marmalade
The Marmalade came ot with THE coolest song ever..."I See The Rain"! Jimi Hendrix even agreed that it was one of the best songs of '67. Unfortunately it only charted in Holland. They were originally known as Dean Ford and The Gaylords but their manager didn't like it. His inspiratoin for their new name came from his breakfast table..and from then on they were known as The Marmalade!
The Zombies
Another gear British group consisting of Rod Argent (keyboard), Colin Blunstone (vocals), Paul Atkinson (guitar), Chris White (bass), and Hugh Grandy (drums). They only lasted for 3 years but they at least threw out one good single! "She's Not There" is one of my favorite songs just because...well...just because!
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