San Francisco’s Flamin’ Groovies – the Grand Daddies of all cult rock’n’roll bands, the Godfathers of garage, the Princes of power pop and the creators of the awe-inspiring “Shake Some Action” – have just announced a new album. It’s their first in 24 years, and their first to feature the esteemed frontline/songwriting team of Cyril Jordan and Chris Wilson in 38 years!
The album is called Fantastic Plastic and it will be released on the band’s own Sonic Kicks label September 22. It features 8 previously unreleased new originals and the two originals - “Crazy Macy” and “Let Me Rock” - that were released on 7” last year (“Let Me Rock” was first recorded as a demo in ’71), as well as covers of NRBQ’s “I Want You Bad” and the Beau Brummels’ “Don’t Talk To Strangers”. You can hear the stellar (and Stonesy!) opening track “What The Hell’s Going On?” below.
The Groovies of course first reformed at the behest of our own Hoodoo Gurus, who offered them a spot on their second Dig It Up festival in 2013. Apart from a couple of warm-up shows in Japan, the gigs in Australia were the first of the reformed band – which at the time featured Jordan, Wilson, original bass player George Alexander (who apart from Jordan, was the only person to have been in every line-up of the band, which originally formed in 1966) and new drummer Victor Penalosa. That line-up went on to tour the US and Europe multiple times. A lot of folks thought the band was a bit undercooked when they played down here, but as more recent footage shows, they’re got their act together and were really nailing it later on.
Check out this rocking 2015 live version of “Let Me Rock”, the first song that Jordan and Wilson ever wrote together back in ’71, the long-awaited studio version of which will appear on the new album.
Fantastic Plastic, which features a fantastic cover painting by Cyril Jordan that pays tribute to Mad Magazine artist Jack Davis, features primarily that line-up, although sadly band mainstay George Alexander has since been axed, as has new kid Victor, and a number of tracks were recorded after their departure. George’s sacking, in particular, has upset long-time fans and cast a bit of a shadow over what should be a time of unabashed celebration.
To prime yourself for new Groovies music, we suggest you check out our tailor made Spotify playlist FLAMIN GROOVIES - JORDAN/WILSON, which features all the original songs that the band’s songwriting team wrote during their tenure with Sire Records in the second half of the ‘70s. Their three Sire albums, Shake Some Action, Now and Jumpin’ In The Night, were criticised by some for featuring too many covers; on our playlist you can hear all the band’s originals without distraction. It’s a revelation to hear just how many great songs these guys wrote. (In addition to the Sire tracks it also includes the original Dave Edmunds produced version of “Slow Death” that the Wilson line-up made, as well as two pre-Sire tunes “Let Me Rock” and “Dog Meat”, and one post-Sire “So Much In Love”.
The classic 1976 album – their first for Sire.
Hear the new track here.
-DL
