MISSED IT BY THAT MUCH

The first thing I thought of when I saw a video of the Liverbirds was that if they were around right now, they'd be huge. The second thing I thought was that if they were around during the mid-late eighties garage and beat resurgence, they'd be huge. The third thing I thought was that if they'd been around in the early sixties, when the Beatles and the Stones were the shit, they'd be huge...wait, they were around when the Beatles and Stones were the shit! The fourth thing I thought was, why weren't they huge?

It would be tempting to chalk their obscurity up to their gender, but it's probably more likely a case of reverse serendipity. They spent the first couple years of their existence from '63-'65, their prime, playing the club circuit in Hamburg (including the Star Club, where the Beatles honed their skills). Though they did have slight brushes. They opened for the Stones on multiple occasions, and when the Kinks had their guitars stolen just before recording "You Really Got Me," they borrowed guitars from the Liverbirds for the session. But, unlike today when every person who's ever picked up a guitar has access to effective self promotion, back then location was everything. So, their fan base was where they played, primarily Germany, Scandinavia, Denmark, and Japan.

Given their similarity to the early Stones (both in sound and material), "what if?" enthusiasts would be excused for pondering what might have been if they stayed together long enough to make their own Exile On Main Street. But, on the other hand, listen to their version of Bo Diddley's "Mona" (below). The thing has a Cramps feel to it. A little in the sound, a lot in the vibe. Highly recommended.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

The Liverbirds - Talking About You mp3 at The Rising Storm
The Liverbirds - Hands Off mp3 at The Rising Storm
The Liverbirds - Roadrunner mp3 at The Hound Blog
The Liverbirds - Peanut Butter mp3 (via 4Shared)
The Liverbirds - Love Hurts mp3 at The Hound Blog
The Liverbirds - Why Do You Hang Around Me mp3 at The Hound Blog
The Liverbirds - Mona mp3 at The Hound Blog
The Liverbirds - Down Home Girl mp3 at The Hound Blog
Video:
The Liverbirds - Diddley Daddy at YouTube
The Liverbirds - Why Do You Hang Around Me? at YouTube
Read:
The Liverbirds - Feature at the Liverpool Echo
The Liverbirds profile at The Hound Blog