Continuing with some lesser-recognized works of great artists
The Flamin’ Groovies are most appreciated for their contribution to “power pop”
Their “Shake Some Action” (from 1976, though it was first recorded in 72) is actually chapter 1 in Greil Marcus’ “History of Rock N Roll in 10 songs”
And secondarily for their 1971 album “Teenage Head”
Which Mick Jagger famously compared favourably to the Stones’ output of the same period
My kids’ preference, however, is for their earlier proto-punk
Mine, too
I’m guessing they particularly enjoy the outlaw message
And love the line “down to, I said, a-NEW ORLEANS!”
This is from 1970, on Kama Sutra Records
The Groovies were from San Francisco
But apparently never much into the Haight-Ashbury scene
And their sound was quite distinct from the psychedelia associated with it
I dig the garage-y vibe
You can hear that these are bunch of junior high buddies rocking out
At this point, Roy Loney was the lead vocalist and guitarist
And Headin for the Texas Border was co-penned by him and Cyril Jordan (the other guitarist)
Loney later left the band and was replaced by Chris Wilson during the Groovies’ prime
Jordan and the bassist, George Alexander, remained throughout the early periods and their height
Though by the 80s, Alexander left for a career in the postal service!
Shout out to the USPS mail carriers
More recently, they got the band back together again Blues Brothers-style
Even Loney was back in it for a bit
But he got sick and died last December
“Roy was born on a Friday the 13th and he died on a Friday the 13th,” Loney’s girlfriend Altmann told the SF Chronicle. “That is a very rockin’ thing to do.”
