New England battle of the bands continues on this bitchin' Friday!
This is one of those killer songs I almost forgot about. Until today when I pulled out an old vinyl comp that had been sitting in my bins for about 25 years untouched. I Wanna Be Your Love is the first song on New England Teen Scene Vol 2.
This is one of those killer songs I almost forgot about. Until today when I pulled out an old vinyl comp that had been sitting in my bins for about 25 years untouched. I Wanna Be Your Love is the first song on New England Teen Scene Vol 2.
Little is known about this band, but a bit of digging around on the internet has turned up a few hints. One sight claims the boys are from Smyrna Mills, Maine. This is beyond a small town nestled near the Eastern border of Maine with Canada. How these lads found enough people to form a band is beyond me. But, hey, stranger things have happened.
More digging shows that The Cobras were a trio. Gary Leavitt was on vocals and guitar. His brother Jay Leavitt on drums. I don't know who was playing that bitchin' bass. The Cobras lone record was released in 1966 (weren't they all?) on Big Beat Records (the label's only release) and produced by a cat named Bobby Herne. He is the same guy that recorded the legendary Shaggs record, Philosophy of the World, in Revere, Massachusetts. Us Flipsters are betting The Cobras made the same trip from the north woods of New England down to Revere to record their disc. We're also betting that dad drove the station wagon.
I Wanne Be Your Love is a wild stomp of a song with a quasi-Bo Diddley beat on crack and wild screaming and demonic Jagger influenced vocals. The bass work is top notch and pounding. I particularly dig the run after the first verse and at the end of the guitar solo. The guitar solo is quite impressive (again...Smyrna Mills?!?!?!?!). Banging drums and some depraved lyrics like "your eyes are colder than ice cream" make this an A+ gem. A Mount Garagemore, if you will.
I Wanna Be Your Love was written by Levitt-Levitt (note that their names are misspelled). One source shows Gary Leavitt as passing away in 1975. Jay Leavitt is apparently still kickin' around Maine. Contact us Jay, let us know about this recording and clear up some info on this cool record!
Would love to have been a fly on the wall watching these guys record this track.
ReplyDeleteMatt @ Nitro-Retro
jay lives a half mile down the road his son leigh leavitt plays drums to you can you tube him he played in the 2008 guitar center play off plus he is on google
Deletehttp://www.myspace.com/euclid1970
ReplyDeletehmmm, interesting.
ReplyDeleteHow is this song not from Australia? Would fit right into the Ugly Things comp.
ReplyDeleteexcellent point. It does sound very Aussie. A bit of that frantic and ragged approach they did so well.
DeleteMore of a "leg bone connected to the thigh bone" beat. Just sayin'.
ReplyDeletebeat or melody?
DeleteBoth, if you consider how it is sung. It's close to a Bo Diddley as you noted, but I think there is a distinction.
DeleteAgree. Very "leg bone..."
ReplyDeleteI was married to Gary Leavitt and sang backup on this 45,as I was the female singer for the Cobras when we recorded this in 1967. I recall sleeping on mailbags while the guys laid the instrumental track. Later we changed our name to the King Cobras and then again to Lavenhook. We played at many colleges and niteclubs in New England for 3 years.
ReplyDeleteRuthann - That is great info. Do you have any photos from those days you want to share? We could definitely update the page with some photos. I've never seen one of the band.
DeleteThey had a sister, Holly, who performed with them. I knew them in Smyrna Mills Maine. I recall a performance of The Cobras at Ricker Classical Institute's Putnam Gymnasium around 1965.
DeleteJust published above. David Currier, originally from Smyrna, now Pahoa, Hawaii
DeleteMy dad was friends with Gary back in those days and knew Jay, Ruthann, Bobby Herne, etc. I grew up with pictures of The Cobras, King Cobras and Lavenhook in our family photo albums. I also grew up listening to my dad's copy of Euclid Heavy Equipment and heard all the stories, great music.
DeleteHey Ruthann, You may not remember me but I am Greg Dame from York. I played in atlantis with Bob Herne who played with Gary. I had a lot of great times with Gary and Jay. Was so sorry to hear about Gary
ReplyDeleteThe Flip Side Instant Heartache is also a killer. Dale from Maine
ReplyDeleteYes Greg Dame I remember you. "There she is"!! Wonderful voice and a nice guy!How I'd love to have photos of King Cobra and Lavenhook if anyone has them as I have none. Thanx,Ruthann Leavitt Grant
ReplyDeleteHi Ruthann, my name is Sandy Alexander and I played with the King Cobras
ReplyDeletethe summer of '68. I have some photos from our gig around Labor Day at
a place on York Beach. They are not great photos but they are in color and
you are in most of them. If I could figure out where to send them I would
be happy to make copies for you.
Hi Sandy! Nice to hear from you! Would love copies of those pics. If you could scan them and email them to me @ bouzee1942@outlook.com I would really appreciate it. Don't want to post my home add. on here. I just now saw your post on here. How are you? Love to hear from you!! Ruthann Leavitt Grant
ReplyDeleteHello! My name is Mackenzie! I'm 16 years old and live in Bangor, Maine. I am a huge music/vinyl fanatic and was really intrigued when I stumbled upon this band. Over the last couple months I've been searching for one of their 45s "I Wanna be Your Lover/Instant Headache" but I have been unsuccessful. I was wondering if any of you know of a place I can purchase one and add to my collection. Their music is absolutley incredible and their story/history is just as fascinating! Thanks!
DeleteMackenzie - welcome to the rare garage 45 collector world. That 45 sells for upwards of $500 and is very rare. The best place to find one is probably is used record stores and goodwill locations in Maine, but you would have to be very lucky to find one. The good news is you are nicely located for that and you will find other good stuff in the process. You may see it on eBay but you will be paying $$$. You should get familiar with Popsike where you can get familiar with the ugly truth about these rare singles - they ain't cheap!
DeleteThat's what I've been told. It's unfortunate but maybe I'll get lucky. We have a used vinyl shop right down the road from where I live and I can usually find some really interesting albums there. I'll keep looking. It's too bad there aren't more, they were such talented artists.
ReplyDeleteHey all, my name is selena Lee Leavitt and my father was gary lee leavitt. Lead singer of the cobras. I am so lucky because I have a few 45 records left with their name on them. Probably scratched, but that's okay, I have them. Better yet I have all of my father's notes and am so pleased that I have his next album on vinyl, Euclid. My uncle Jay was still the drummer and if you thought you loved the cobras? This takes it to another level...my dad gary died when I was 9 months old. My mother never really got over it but she was strong...she raised me on her own but we never forgot my dad's legacy. I am actually a female drummer and the legacy lives on in me...and his little sister Holly who is an amazing pianists
ReplyDeleteand my uncle Jay who was the drummer of both bands...and also leigh leavitt...that's my cousin. Jay's son. No wonder he is a drummer. Goggle it. Leigh leavitt. Anyway....if anyone wants to know anything more about my dad, message me
This was NOT the only release by Big Beat Records as stated in the story. Big Beat was owned by David Sugarman, a.k.a. Don Garman, originally from Malden, Massachusetts. He eventually relocated the label to Philadelphia. In 1968, Big Beat released singles by Steve Colt & The 45s, one of which was called "Dynamite". Colt (nee LeColst) was from Lynn, Massachusetts.
ReplyDelete