Witchi Tai To

Grace Slick

"In the book 'Peter Pan', sparkle dust lets you fly. In 'The Wizard of Oz', they awaken in a poppy field to see the beautiful Emerald City. Our parents read us stories about chemicals that make it possible to have a good time." - Grace Slick, regarding drug references in her song "White Rabbit"

For decades, we've heard song lyrics about drug use and abuse; both the up side and the down. It was one of the first lyrical topics of recorded popular music, following shortly after love and love lost. The Rhythm and Blues 'race records' of the 1930's, 40's and 50's were loaded with references to all kinds of recreational substances and their effects. But there was a time long before that when naturally occurring drugs were also used in highly spiritual ways to fuel the music made by the shamans of the Native American Indian tribes. Now, hold that thought while I change gears for a minute.

Have you ever heard a song played on the radio that you enjoyed, but they didn't announce the song title or who did it? Most folks have, and now it's not so much of a problem, as you can just look at a screen to see what the song is. But it drove people crazy back in the day when you couldn't look up lyrics online. Your best bet was to call the radio station's request line and maybe the on-air DJ would pick up, if you were lucky.

There was one particular song that used to get periodic airplay on FM stations in Philadelphia back in the mid-70's. I never managed to catch the entire tune, just pieces of it at a time; much in the same manner of how most people have seen "The Shawshank Redemption" on cable TV. For the longest time, I had the vague idea that the song was by Quicksilver Messenger Service, though it turned out that it wasn't, and I still don't what gave me that idea. All I could recall of it was a repeated chant that sounded Native American, and I also thought that it was about 6 or 7 minutes long. For awhile, I had the song confused with Fleetwood Mac's early classic, "Oh Well", which runs about 9 minutes, but that was a red herring also.

The 1969 picture sleeve for the Vanguard 45.

It wasn't until the fall of last year that the song was featured in a random Facebook post, and I finally discovered the title and artist of the song after nearly 4 decades of it hibernating deep in the attic of my musical memory. The song is entitled "Witchi Tai To" and was recorded by a trio called Everything Is Everything. Their sole single, and the album that featured it, were released on the Vanguard/Apostolic label in 1969

In the 1960's, Native American saxophonist Jim Pepper played with many of the greats of the Free Jazz scene, including Larry Coryell, Don Cherry, and Ornette Coleman, and later was a member of Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra during the 1970's. Pepper is also widely credited with introducing Native American musical concepts into Jazz in the mid '60s, having been encouraged in that direction by Coleman and Cherry.

Pepper's composition, "Witchi Tai To", is a prime example of that blending, taking a ceremonial peyote song he'd learned from his grandfather and arranging it in a Jazz setting. Pepper's mother was Creek and his father was Kaw, and he grew up listening to his grandfather sing Native American Church peyote songs and traditional Kaw melodies. These influences stayed with him, and years later found their way into "Witchi Tai To". He first recorded "Witchi Tai To" with his Jazz-Rock-Folk fusion trio, Everything Is Everything, and it found some commercial success upon its release in 1969, reaching #69 on the Billboard Pop chart.

Pepper said that his grandfather never did tell him what the lyric meant in English, saying that he just sang them as he heard them, but Pepper also wrote a new English lyric which emphasized the roots in the peyote ritual, especially by speaking of the Water Spirit, who carries the visions brought on by the peyote.

"Water Spirit feelin' springin' round my head
. Makes me feel glad that I'm not dead

"

The majority of the song is the chant, which Pepper hand wrote on a score chart as the following:

"Witchi tai to, gimme rah
. Ho rah nee ko, ho rah nee ko
. Hey ney, hey ney, no wah

".

So, it may seem that there's not much to the song, except that when taking in the song as a whole, it does have a certain hypnotic effect. I can imagine that, in its original setting, under the influence of some strong peyote, this prayerful chant could have gone on for quite some time.

Pepper recorded "Witchi Tai To" again in 1971 on his own album, "Pepper's Pow Wow", which featured big names of the Fusion scene including Billy Cobham and Chuck Rainey, as well as American Indian singer-songwriter Peter LaFarge. Jim Pepper continued to be active in both Jazz and the Native American cultural community until his death at the age of 50 in 1992. His family donated his saxophone and several of his beautiful handwritten musical scores to the National Museum of the American Indian in 2007.

But the 1970's hadn't yet begun when "Witchi Tai To" was given a vibrant makeover by the folk duo Brewer & Shipley, who most folks remember for their big bong hit, "One Toke Over The Line". That song appeared on their next album, "Tarkio", in 1970, but their 1969 album, "Weeds" was a moderate success of its own, mostly due to their recording of "Witchi Tai To", which began attracting regular FM radio play. The valuable radio exposure created a loyal underground following for the duo and set the stage for the commercial breakthrough they would enjoy with "Tarkio". (Note: "One Toke Over The Line" got an infamous cover treatment on the Lawrence Welk TV show! Check it out the Kool Kovers feature on it here!)

Brewer & Shipley's recording of "Witchi Tai To" runs nearly 7 minutes, serving as the perfect album closer for "Weeds". But at FM stations back then, songs that ran that long or longer were often played when the DJ needed a bathroom break! This version also moves along at a more enthusiastic tempo and is fleshed out a bit with some fine vocal harmony and a treatment of the water spirit verse as a 'round' ala "Frere Jacques".

One more thing. It's subtle, but to my ears, Brewer & Shipley's rhythm guitar chording bears a strong resemblance to "Sweet Jane" by The Velvet Underground. That song was being played live by The Velvets in mid-1969, but didn't see release until the album "Loaded" dropped in November of 1970. So, is it possible that Brewer & Shipley caught a Velvets gig and they later put the riff together with "Witchi Tai To"? I don't know, but like many things, it's possible. But perhaps I'm just hearing things. Blame the peyote.

Gene Shay, the Dean of Folk DJ's

I have to say that I find it interesting how FM DJ's became so attracted to either version of this song. While the song took hold during a resurgence of interest in Folk music around 1969-70, spearheaded locally by the great Philly DJ, Gene Shay, it seemed to stick with radio folks nationally throughout the 70's, and into the present day. I have to wonder whether it's just a nostalgic tune that takes them back to the 'good old days' of radio, or whether there's something else about it that naturally aligns with their spirit, as Jim Pepper may have intended. I heard the song played recently on Sirius XM's Deep Tracks station by Jim Ladd, who has solid roots in 70's FM, like many of those who program Deep Tracks. It's my default Sirius station. Well, that, and Little Steven's Underground Garage.

Time to do a little shopping! There's a perfectly adequate 'Best Of' CD by Brewer & Shipley that has both "One Toke..." and "Witchi Tai To" on it. Amazon has it, but it might also be found in either the Folk or Oldies section of your local, well curated music shop. Both "Weeds" and "Tarkio" appear to still be in print as well, if you must go that route.

Finding an original copy of "Witchi Tai To" will take some digging and some cash. The sole album by Everything Is Everything is long out of print, so you may have better luck scoring a reissue 45 at a record show. The Mp3 you heard in this article came from a fine series called "Hard To Find 45's On CD", which features, as advertised, lots of big hits along with a healthy dollop of oddball novelty tunes and some truly great one hit wonders that you just don't hear every day. The series is highly recommended for oldies fans. Just review each volume for the tunes that you want, as they're in no particular sequence.

The solo music of Jim Pepper is also available, but premium priced, so 'caveat emptor' when buying online.

For those of you who are curious about either Native American music, or the history of peyote in Native American spirituality, there is a series of brief paragraphs on the Brittanica website, but the excerpt from "Plants of the Gods: Their Sacred, Healing and Hallucinogenic Powers" at Peyote.org goes a whole lot further, and is much more informative. For music, I will recommend a visit to the website of Canyon Records, the home of Native American music since 1951.

Note: Although Peyote is federally classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic, its use by Native American Church members is legal in the United States. There's more info on the legal specifics here. Nonetheless, I must emphasize that this feature article is intended only to inform and entertain, and should not be construed as an endorsement of any kind regarding the use of Peyote, or any hallucinogen, be it natural or chemical. Music is our drug of choice here.

Man With Money

Marshall Crenshaw with a version of his younger self

At a recent performance by singer-songwriter Marshall Crenshaw, he chose to open his show with a cover of a fairly obscure tune by The Everly Brothers called "Man With Money". This was a pleasant surprise, as Crenshaw is known for making interesting choices when it comes to cover songs. Those who heard Marshall announce the Everly name and were expecting "Bye Bye Love" or some other early classic may have been slightly disappointed or confused, but "Man With Money" was an excellent selection by Crenshaw, as he made the song sound like he could have written it himself. Although that's partly due to Crenshaw being the musical craftsman that he is, it is also clearly the hallmark of a well written song. Any song that is malleable enough to be interpreted by other performers that already have their own identifiable musical personality, and can be made to sound like it fits comfortably in their repertoire, while retaining its own identity as the song that it is... well... that, my friends, is a well written song.

"Man With Money" kicked off Side 2 of the Everly's 1965 album, "Beat & Soul", recorded during their tenure with Warner Brothers. The song is a classic 'wrong side of the tracks' tale of misguided affection, and I found it interesting that it's the only song on the album that was composed by Don and Phil Everly. The rest are all covers, but fitting ones, such as Mickey & Sylvia's "Love Is Strange", and Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready". The album also features backing performances by then-unknown and uncredited members of the famed Wrecking Crew, such as Glen Campbell, Leon Russell, Billy Preston, drummer Jim Gordon, and pianist Larry Knechtel, along with guitarists Sonny Curtis and James Burton. (A bit of musical trivia: Knechtel was later a member of Bread, and composed the piano parts for "Bridge Over Troubled Water".) The album, however, was not a stateside hit by any stretch, peaking at #141 on the Billboard Pop Albums charts.

The 1965 US single with picture sleeve

"Man With Money" had been relegated to the B-side of the US single, "Love Is Strange", even though it was one of the better original songs the Everlys recorded during the 1960's. Regarding its appearance on an album that's otherwise entirely made up of covers, there's the possibility of Don Everly's insistence, or more likely, a contractual stipulation. Perhaps Warner Brothers simply felt that an album featuring "Love Is Strange" as the opening track should include the B-side as well.

However, because "Love Is Strange" became more of a hit in England than America, "Man With Money" did not escape the notice of musicians in the UK, where it was recorded by the now obscure bands, The Eyes and A Wild Uncertainty, who styled themselves after The Who, as best they could.

"Man With Money" was also cut by The Who themselves in 1966, although it remained unreleased until its appearance as a bonus track on the 1995 expanded edition of "A Quick One". It may have been intended for a B-side of their own, as The Who was still recording covers for that sole purpose as of then. The Who did perform it once at a BBC session for the TV show, "Ready Steady Go". This is another fine example of how a good song can retain its own identity despite the fact that it fits perfectly with the thrashing sound and overall repertoire of The Who as they were at that time. It also manages to sound as if Pete Townshend could have written it; no small task for any song. It fits The Who like a well worn glove. It's also interesting that this version presciently foretells how Townshend's own songwriting would progress over a fairly brief time from then.

During the late 70's New Wave era, the song surfaced again on "Think Pink", the second album from The Fabulous Poodles, who had momentarily hit the big time with their FM radio hit "Mirror Star", a song about how posing leads to success in the music biz. Coming from a New Wave band, I can't decide whether that is ironic, sarcastic, or honest.

This version of "Man With Money" did manage to sound like the 'Fab Poos' alright, for what bit of musical individuality they had, but there's little trace of any lineage to the prior recordings. By lineage, I mean it lacks credibility. It's all about the fashionable production and pseudo-punk presentation of the day, and has little substance. Some things that seem right at the time do not age well, but you might enjoy a listen for yourself nonetheless.

Incidentally, it seems no one ever bothered to tell the poor boy of the song that if he is reduced to burglary to pay for some glittery trinkets so some materialistic chippie might think better of him, then she is obviously a bad influence on him, and he might be a tad delusional to boot. The money will run out, he'll soon enough get nicked for robbery, then she'll be off with some spoiled twit from a fraternity. Such is the sorry tale of the path of poor decisions.

The 'orrible 'Oo, as Roger Daltrey called them.

The entire catalog of The Who has been restored to like-new brilliance by some judicious remastering and in some cases, luxurious deluxe packaging. This is something of a minor miracle, considering the terribly poor care taken with many of their early master tapes (anything pre-"Tommy"). That said, if you're any sort of Who fan, there's no reason to short change yourself with any incarnation of a hits package or box set, as they all fall short. The individual albums stand best on their own, so I'd just pick a favorite, such as the masterwork that is "Who's Next", or the thunderous "Live At Leeds", and you can work your way forward or back from there. For all you turntable jockeys, you're in luck, as most of their best work is available on pristine 180 gram vinyl.

Everly Brothers fans have their work cut out for them, as any decent reissue of their work seems to go off the market soon after release, causing an unreasonable leap in its value. "Beat & Soul" is available on Amazon as an Mp3 download, but the CD is averaging about $55! There was an excellent boxed set issued in the 90's that I'm not even going to discuss, due to its now inflated value to collectors. So, the simplest, cheapest way to have some essential Everlys on your shelf is this fine 2 disc anthology from Rhino Records that assembles all their major recordings from the Cadence and Warner labels. New, for under $10.

All that ever was released by The Fabulous Poodles is now long out of print; a fact hardly worth getting upset over. However, if you must indulge, there is an Mp3 download of a 'best of' collection available online at A-Mart. I've never understood how or why 20 track anthologies are assembled for bands that had but one minor hit. Must be the money. It's always the money.

Speaking of money, Marshall Crenshaw's version of "Man With Money" has not yet been released, or perhaps not even recorded yet. If it shows up anywhere, it will be as a B-side in his ongoing series of 10" vinyl EP's that are available through Crenshaw's online store. Each one includes a digital download card as a bonus. The next EP, "Red Wine" will not include "Man With Money", but I'm sure it'll be fun anyway. It's out April 22nd. Note to collectors: the EP's that are sold thru indie record shops are pressed in colored vinyl! All the records sold online are in black only.

Heart Of Stone

One of the major traits I look for in a cover version, especially one of a classic song, is that the performer doing the cover doesn't dispose of their own established musical identity in favor of trying to replicate the sound of the original artist. The result of that is often not good, even when mimicking the original recording in detail was the whole point of the exercise. Then it falls back to pass or fail, with pass being the more rare outcome.

But today's featured band will have no trouble with any of that, as they probably couldn't sound like anyone else if they wanted to, and that's a very good thing. Over the last 45 years, the Allman Brothers Band has established a firm and unique identity in the American musical landscape. Following the loss of two crucial band members, Duane Allman and Berry Oakley, back in the early 1970's, the band very well could have folded right then, but bravely soldiered on with the release of "Brothers And Sisters". Had they decided to pack it in at that time, they would still be in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame for their incandescent live performances, notably those recorded at New York's Fillmore East.

Stepping into the large shoes of guitarists Duane Allman and the retired Dickey Betts are Derek Trucks, nephew of Allmans' drummer Butch Trucks, and Warren Haynes. While both musicians have their own bands, they somehow found time to keep the fire burning with The Allman Brothers until January of this year, when Derek and Warren issued this joint statement announcing their departure from the band.

Warren Haynes & Derek Trucks, hittin' the note.

"Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks have confirmed they will be leaving the legendary Allman Brothers Band at the end of 2014 to focus on other projects. 'For 25 years and 15 years respectively, we’ve had the honor and pleasure of playing, living, learning, and traveling with the Allman Brothers Band, one of the truly legendary rock and roll bands. We will be forever grateful for the opportunity and the experience, and for the love, enthusiasm, and support of the incredible fans. We are both preparing to dig even deeper into our various creative and musical endeavors and, as a result, 2014 will be our final year as part of the band. We are looking forward to seeing our loyal ABB fans at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta this Friday night January 10th and in March at the Beacon Theater in New York City as we celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the band.' – Warren Haynes & Derek Trucks". As some other original members were contemplating retirement as well, 2014 could be the final curtain for The Allman Brothers Band. But shed no tears; 45 years is a damn good run by any standard.

I've only seen a filmed concert of Warren and Derek playing with The Allman Brothers, and their combined musicality is incendiary. However, I did get to catch Derek performing with his wife, Susan Tedeschi, at a Soul and Blues festival in Las Vegas last year. Susan is amazing in her own right, but I swear, if Derek Trucks is not the return to this life of Duane Allman himself, then he is certainly able to channel Duane's musical spirit. Derek is one of those rare players with a unique voice, stunning musicality, and few peers. I'd put him in the same league with Jeff Beck; he's that good. But just to be fair, Warren Haynes is no slouch himself.

Hearing this track for the first time, I experienced what National Public Radio refers to as a 'driveway moment'. I had Sirius XM on in the car, and had just about arrived at my house when this song began. I was enjoying it so much, I didn't turn the car off and go inside until the song had finished playing! That doesn't happen often. Ok, I did turn the engine off. I'm not wasting gas just to listen to the radio!

From the 2003 Allman Brothers album, "Hittin' The Note", here's Warren and Derek flaking the ceiling plaster on a soulful version of the early Rolling Stones hit, "Heart Of Stone", that's sung by Gregg Allman with all his usual fervor. Derek's blistering slide solo kicks in at about the 3:20 mark, then Warren joins in. All killer, no filler.

"Hittin' The Note" was the Allman's first studio album to include Derek Trucks, bassist Oteil Burbridge, and marked the full-time return of Warren Haynes to the band. It was also their first studio album without original guitarist Dickey Betts. Also featured on the album is a spirited rendition of John Mayall's "Maydell"; another song that fits the Allmans like a well worn glove. We may have to get to that one on these pages sometime soon.

The Rolling Stones, where many parents of the day wanted them.

Now, as to why The Allman Brothers would choose to do "Heart Of Stone", my guess is that although it's similar to many American Soul ballads of the period, particularly the influential writing of Arthur Alexander, it wasn't the same as any other Blues or Soul song that The Rolling Stones had been covering at the time. Mick 'n Keef's songwriting had progressed to where they were finding their own voice and raising it above their influences, so it was a good place for someone like the Allmans to hunt for an early Stones song to do. Besides, it would be pointless for the Allmans to do a cover of a Stones cover. They'd just go right to the source, as they've done for decades.

"Heart Of Stone" was first released in December of 1964 as a single in the US, where it became their second Top 20 US hit, reaching #19. The song was included on the US album, "The Rolling Stones, Now!", the following February. In England, it appeared on the UK version of "Out Of Our Heads", and in many European countries on an EP, with a subsequent single release. A longer early version appeared in 1975 on the odds 'n sods album "Metamorphosis". That one was recorded on 21–23 July 1964 with Jimmy Page on guitar and Clem Cattini on drums, probably as a demo. Here's the Stones' original single version.

For reasons unknown to us, reissues of Rolling Stones albums are some of the highest priced CD's and downloads out there, with the notable exception of their live archive series that's available at Google Play for about 5 bucks each. But despite their apparent need to fatten their 401k's while they can, one must consider The Stones' spotty track record since 1980. So from a viewpoint of stocking your library with legitimate Rock history, I will suggest that you ignore the ever popular "Hot Rocks" compilation and go straight for the far superior "Singles Collection: The London Years". It's still not cheap, as it contains 3 discs, but it's a comprehensive treasury of all their A and B sides from their reign as one of the top singles bands of the 60's; many of them in their powerful original mono mixes. From 1970 on, you're fairly safe on your own.

Almost everything ever released by The Allman Brothers Band, even titles that went out of print, have found their way back to the musical marketplace as either downloads or hard copy CD's. For all of you connoisseurs of high quality vinyl, be advised that Allman Brothers titles are always among the first to be reissued. Do yourself a humongous favor and look into the incredible music being made by both the Tedeschi-Trucks Band and Warren Haynes. By all means, go see them play live, should they visit your city. Your soon-to-be blown mind will thank you profusely.

Shake Some Action

"Everyone talks about Rock these days, but the problem is, they forget all about the Roll." - Keith Richards

"There’s a big difference between Rock, and Rock & Roll. I'm a fan of Rock & Roll. Rock, which to me lacks swing, not so much." - Eric Ambel

Back in the very late 90's, I happened to fall in with a band of musical miscreants who went by the dubious moniker of The Trailer Kings. We were a cover band whose music was mostly modern Blues, but with a distinctly ragged Rock edge. We didn't care if anyone danced or not. If we liked a song enough, we played it; often as loud as possible. One of the 3 guitarists in that band had this marvelous little 40 watt Dr. Z amplifier. When he played his Gibson 335 hollowbody thru it, at the right settings, that amp could remove tattoos at 30 feet. So yes, power was valued over finesse, but the groove, and sweet guitar tone, were king. Some of the songs we played the best were by writers of Americana, like Dave Alvin or John Hiatt, who can populate his song/stories with some wonderfully messed up characters. It makes for good storytelling when there's some issues happening.

Another of our favorite musicians was a fellow named Eric Ambel, who often goes by the nickname of 'Roscoe'. In 1994, Eric Ambel released, in the words of another reviewer, "the album Keith Richards should have made". It's called "Loud and Lonesome", and kicks off with a vicious rocker called "Song For The Walls". Our little ensemble never failed to drill that one into the floor. God, that song was fun to play! Guaranteed to shake down any loose ceiling plaster. Have a listen to it, but play it loud or don't bother.

Eric Ambel, rockin' a Jerry Jones 12 thru a Dr. Z.

Now, I told you that story about that song so I can tell you another story about a different song! First of all, if Eric Ambel is a new name to you, then know that he's got some solid musical cred. Before his current duties as producer, bandleader, studio proprietor and bar owner, he was an early member of Joan Jett's Blackhearts, and later, helped form the snarly supergroup, The Yayhoos. Eric was also lead guitarist for Steve Earle's band, The Dukes.

In 2004, Eric launched his own label, Lakeside Lounge Records, to address the long absence of his solo albums from the market. The initial release was "Knucklehead", the first new Eric Ambel album in a decade, and what a fine collection it is.

"Knucklehead" compiles 15 previously unreleased tracks recorded by Ambel over 14 years with a variety of notable collaborators, including Eric's mighty band from the 80's, The Del-Lords. The album also features The Bottle Rockets, Andy York, Warner Hodges, Will Rigby, and Ambel's Yayhoos cohorts Dan Baird, Keith Christopher and Terry Anderson. Steve Earle also contributes a previously unheard song of his, "The Usual Time". Besides "Knucklehead", Eric's label has issued remastered editions of his two previous albums, 1988's "Roscoe's Gang" and 1994's "Loud and Lonesome", with deluxe packaging and extensive liner notes.

One of the highlights of "Knucklehead" is a powerful cover version of what is possibly the best remembered song by The Flamin' Groovies, "Shake Some Action", which was recorded during the last sessions of The Del-Lords, prior to their recent revival. This is smokin' hot stuff and I defy you to resist shakin' your groove thang, because this one goes straight to the hips.

In an exclusive interview with Kool Kovers, Eric talked about "Shake Some Action" and other cover songs, the attitude of groove, touring, and some other musical things of interest.

The Del-Lords in 2013, wreckin' the joint again.

Kool Kovers: I'm surprised that The Del-Lords didn't release "Shake Some Action" themselves. What happened there?

Eric Ambel: The band kind of fell apart after those sessions, so that and a few other good songs like our cover of "Sounds Of Silence" which appeared on the recent "Right For Jerry, Vol. 2" never got released.

KK: In the liner notes of "Knucklehead", you mentioned the phrase "Turn Up and Slow Down". I feel that is a key mindset to making music that rocks hard by allowing space in the rhythm so the groove can breathe.

EA: It was Lou Whitney who said "Turn Up and Slow Down" at the sessions. Another great phrase to hear right before you start a song is one that Dan Zanes would say when I was recording with him; "Keep It Sexy".

KK: Hopefully, "Shake Some Action" is one of your favorite covers that you've done. What are some others that you liked? Any that you haven't done yet that you want to do?

EA: I've always loved doing covers with all the bands I've been in. The Yayhoos, and Dan Baird in particular, were, and are great at doing unique covers. Our versions of "Dancing Queen" by Abba, and "Roam" by the B-52’s are stand out examples. At one point in the 90’s, I was so Iggy obsessed that I was doing 3 of his songs in my set regularly. "Open Up & Bleed" is a fantastic song that may have never really been realized fully by The Stooges.

KK: Are there any tour plans for The Del-Lords, or yourself with any band, for 2014?

EA: The Del-Lords hope to do some playing in 2014. It’s very daunting scheduling gigs with all of my producing; Scott (Kempner) living in California and Frank’s obligations with Cracker, but we hope to get out there.

KK: And just because I'm curious, what is the lyric to "Song For The Walls" all about?

EA: Kevin Salem and I wrote that song. I had the music and Kevin came over and the lyrics came in a flash. You can take them any way you want. The title says most of it.

The Flamin' Groovies in the 70's.

Regarding the original version of "Shake Some Action", it was the title song of the 4th album by The Flamin' Groovies, an American band founded in San Francisco way back in 1965, by Ron Greco, Cyril Jordan and Roy Loney. Their first album, 1969's "Supersnazz", featured a 1950's Rock 'n Roll style mixed with other more melodic songs that foresaw the Power Pop movement of the 70's, predating bands like The Raspberries and Cheap Trick. In 1971, Roy Loney left the band and was replaced by singer and guitarist Chris Wilson, who, along with Cyril Jordan, began to move the group in a more overtly Pop direction. Between 1971 and 1976, little was heard of the group except their 1972 anti-drug single "Slow Death", which was co-written by Loney. But eventually, they teamed up with Welsh guitar and production wizard Dave Edmunds, and recorded their now-classic album, "Shake Some Action".

As you listen to this, I'm sure you'll an increase in the 'busyness' of the rhythm section. One main difference is that there's 8th notes on the Hi-Hat here, while on Eric Ambel's recording, it's quarters. That simple contrast can be where 'groove' lives or dies. Don't get me wrong, the Groovies' version rocks alright, and it's great, but Ambel's recording swings, and swings hard. To me, it's just another example of how less can indeed, be more.

There's plenty of music by The Flamin' Groovies available, new and used, both at Amazon and your local well-curated music emporium. Thing is, there's enough redundant releases out there on multiple record labels that it gets a bit confusing. So, if the band is new to you, I will recommend this excellent single disc anthology from Sire Records that, although long out of print, is still comfortably affordable, especially used. If you simply must have something even more collectable and price isn't a concern for you, there's "The Complete Sire Recordings". If you can do that one, then I wish I had your problems.

In the case of active independent musicians, I will always recommend that you buy direct from them whenever possible. Why? Mostly so they can get paid for their music as best as possible by eliminating 3rd party involvement. The music of Eric Ambel can easily be found at Amazon, but Eric has a store on his website, so I'd look there first. For those who prefer digital music, Eric has a page on the always reliable and highly recommended Bandcamp website. If you're curious about Eric's other bands like The Del-Lords or The Yayhoos, and you should be, their respective websites have plenty of info for you.

For you musician types, especially those back east, who are looking to get some recording or mixing done by someone who knows his craft, you can contact Eric at Cowboy Technical Services in Brooklyn, New York. Bring your A game.

Kool Kovers would like to extend a hearty "Thank You!" to Eric Ambel for his most cordial participation in the writing of this feature article. You rock in a mighty manner, Sir. All 3's on the Z!