..., and the music on their stereo, as is often the case, was an eclectic (and largely unfamiliar, at least to me) mix of old blues, reggae, r&b and garage punk. I was immediately struck by three songs in particular, but alas none of the wait staff could access the computer playlist and tell me what the songs were.
Well, praise Jeebus for the intertubes, because a little online detective work led me to two of the three immediately.
Here's the first one, which absolutely slays me, and I suspect anybody with even the slightest fondness for Nuggets era snarl will dig it the most as well.
Ladies and gentlemen, from 1965, please enjoy San Diego California punkers The Lyrics and the absolutely hilarious Stones/blues rip-off that is "So What!!"
Sheesh -- everything about that one is priceless, especially the line about the bomb shelter, and the band really really cooks; why they never scored a national hit (a la, say, the Count Five and "Psychotic Reaction") is a mystery that may perhaps never be solved.
Meanwhile, you can find a very interesting interview with the band's Dan Garcia over here.
And if you're in Brooklyn -- specifically Cobble Hill (or, as I refer to it. Cobble Hill: Where All Your Shit's in Walking Distance©) -- anytime soon, be sure to stop in at Brucie, which can be found at 234 Court Street.
I particularly recommend the spaghetti and meatballs, which is the best old fashioned old folks restaurant spaghetti and meatballs I've had in years.
Song number two goes up tomorrow, BTW.
4 comments:
I'm a little surprised I have never heard this record before -- as I was on this coast and Era Records had a lot of success getting airplay with everyone from Ketty Lester to Donnie Brooks to the newly departed Jewel Akens. It's a great song.
And thanks almost as much for the restaurant rec.
Brucie! Yum. Although I have to say I wouldn't describe the spaghetti and meatballs the way you did --- I think it's the tiny hint of lemon and that incredible cheese that make it stand out.
But yes, Cobble. Hill ROCKS in more ways than one. :-)
this tune slayed me the first time I heard it on a Greg Shaw Pebbles compilation. Sounded just like the present day punk rock I was getting acquainted with at the time.
"why they never scored a national hit is a mystery that may perhaps never be solved."
I would wager a guess that their payola efforts were somehow lacking. Great song though.
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