Thursday, June 11, 2026

These Guys Are Gonna Be Bigger Than Rimsky and Korsakov Combined!!!

From their eponymous 1972 debut album, please enjoy (if possible) The Sidewinders and their shall we say interesting instro version of the venerable "Flight of the Bumblebee." Kinda like The Ventures on acid.

The Sidwinders were hugely hyped by their label (RCA) and they had a certain je ne sais quoi in the downtown NYC rock scene of the early '70s. I actually had the album at the time and listened to it often enough that I decided their underground cool did not make up for the crappy production by the young Lenny Kaye. Great album cover photo, however.

In any case, they never took off commercially, and these days if they're remembered at all, it's as the band that launched the careers of power pop deity Andy Paley (credits too numerous to mention) and Billy Squier (before he you should pardon the expression stroked out). 😎

7 comments:

edward said...

Has a certain trash appeal. I can picture them playing their last piece at a dive bar, having a blast annoying the regulars. Just as long as they don't, you know, take it seriously.

Allan Rosenberg said...

Annoying! :-)

Captain Al

Anonymous said...

Interesting. In the same vein check out Dave Edmunds/ Love Sculpture doing Sabre Dance and Farandole in similar manic guitar style.
rs

steve simels said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Alzo said...

I rather like this bit of surf/spy stuff coming down the pipeline, but it made me sad because I don't know whatever happened to my Big Muff.

steve simels said...

I vastly prefer Edmunds "Sabre Dance," which I saw him do live and worked fabulously.

Cleveland Jeff said...

Well they are no Dave Edmunds or Ventures, but kudos for dredging up a rare one.