I was driving home today, listening to Exile on Main St., thinking what a zillion people have thought over the years, that it's a damn fine album. Then I asked myself the unanswerable question. Where were the American Stones back then? Who were the American Stones back then? Was there ever an American version of the Stones? No, not really. They were the Stones, at their peak. Who's gonna compete with that? Who's even close to the task?. I went through the checklist. Creedence? They were huge, hit after hit, and long jams on the LPs, they did cool covers, and there were a two guitar band. De-merits? They were a four piece and the lacked a certain je ne sais decadence.
Who else? NRBQ? Good songs, good covers, but one guitar. Terry Adams, one always in the spotlight, played keys. Shit, why go down the checklist. Thinking of them as an American version of the Stones is almost laughable. No danger apparent in NRBQ. Seems we're going to have to loosen the guidelines. Okay, Flamin' Groovies? Ooh, we're getting closer. Back around 1968-1970 before their power pop Beatle-y phase, they were two guitars, bass and drums, and a singer. Nice solid five piece. Again, well selected covers. Visually, in the medium-to-scrawny size, a little flashier on stage. Musically, some decent slide quitar, a reliance on Dan Armstrongs which could go either way. Still, there's something missing. They never really seemed to bang on all cylinders, and just where the fuck are the drugs? You can't scare parents with music alone. Fuck I give up. The Groovies were close enough, for tonight, for me to slide on out of here.
Who else? NRBQ? Good songs, good covers, but one guitar. Terry Adams, one always in the spotlight, played keys. Shit, why go down the checklist. Thinking of them as an American version of the Stones is almost laughable. No danger apparent in NRBQ. Seems we're going to have to loosen the guidelines. Okay, Flamin' Groovies? Ooh, we're getting closer. Back around 1968-1970 before their power pop Beatle-y phase, they were two guitars, bass and drums, and a singer. Nice solid five piece. Again, well selected covers. Visually, in the medium-to-scrawny size, a little flashier on stage. Musically, some decent slide quitar, a reliance on Dan Armstrongs which could go either way. Still, there's something missing. They never really seemed to bang on all cylinders, and just where the fuck are the drugs? You can't scare parents with music alone. Fuck I give up. The Groovies were close enough, for tonight, for me to slide on out of here.
~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~
Listen:Flamin' Groovies - Teenage Head mp3 at Chris Wireman (?) 1971
Flamin' Groovies - Headin' to the Texas Border mp3 at Melting Pop 1970
Flamin' Groovies - Golden Clouds mp3 at The Rising Storm 1968
Flamin' Groovies - Take Me Back mp3 at Flying Snail 1978
Video:
Flamin' Groovies - Slow Death (live) at YouTube ca 1972
3 comments:
This is exactly the type of thing that you and I could spend hours discussing when we were hanging out. Miss you, friend. xo
Miss you too Julie! Miss those conversations too!
Thanks for those Flamin' Groovies tracks. Although I love "Shake Some Action," I've never dipped very deeply into their catalog. I'm going to have to remedy that.
NRBQ and CCR are two of my favorite American bands, but I agree that neither is quite the American Stones. CCR just didn't last long enough, and NRBQ never had the big hits they deserved. I'd put Little Feat and the Allman Brothers in the mix as well, but ultimately I agree with you: there's no real American equivalent. Just like there's no British Elvis, Dylan or James Brown.
Marc
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