Thursday, May 13, 2021

The Genius of P.F. Sloan (Part I)

It has come to my attention that certain people really loathe "Eve of Destruction," a protest song Sloan wrote that was a big hit in 1965 for the otherwise forgettable Barry McGuire.

Truth to tell, I rather detested it at the time as well.

That said, when I heard this cover version in 1984 I completely changed my mind.

And I still think that's one of the coolest things ever.

I should add that The Floor Models, inspired by that version, used to do the song live; Andy, our 12-string guy, used to sing it as "You may leave here for four days in space/But when you come back you can't get a parking place."

at

6 comments:

  1. edward5/13/2021 9:29 AM

    Forgotten about that version,
    But still, there is The Dickies
    https://youtu.be/GLuCA2ZWJh8

    ReplyDelete
  2. ChrisE5/13/2021 12:25 PM

    I actually went out and tracked down a copy on 45 of the Red Rockers' version of this song on this basis of your recommendation in STEREO REVIEW. And you were right - it was, and is, glorious. I still own a couple of copies of the 45.

    P.F. Sloan was a very talented & versatile guy. Ace Records in the U.K. has a really good comp CD of various artists doing many of the songs that he and Steve Barri wrote. Sloan was also a talented singer and performer; he and Barri were the surf duo the Fantastic Baggys, who cut some great sides ("Wax Up Your Board", "Surfin' Craze"). He also had some skill as a guitarist; he played, alongside such Wrecking Crew luminaries as Hal Blaine, Joe Osborne and Larry Knechtel, on a lot of the Mamas & Papas' big hits. I also love Sloan's late-60s solo album on Atco Records, which I think is a little lost treasure from that rich decade.

    ReplyDelete
  3. steve simels5/13/2021 3:00 PM

    I like -- nay, lurve the Dickies -- but their cover of the song suffers from terminal irony. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Alzo5/13/2021 6:53 PM

    Good track, but I'll endorse The Turtles' version for their excellent harmony.

    ReplyDelete
  5. steve simels5/13/2021 7:34 PM

    I don't know that one; I'll go listen, and thanks for the heads up.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Alzo5/14/2021 3:02 PM

    The way I understand, Sloan (nee Schlein) offered the song to the Byrds- who passed. The Turtles were the first to record it but did not release it as a 45, which McGuire did. A single was released years later when the band folded.

    BTW, wouldn't you love to have been in this living room? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfiDvWh0uMU

    ReplyDelete