Northern California Spotlight: The Chocolate Watchband - Are You Gonna Be There/No Way Out

Back to San Jose, California for more of our Nor Cal region of the epic Battle of the Garage Bands.

The Chocolate Watchband recorded for producer Ed Cobb between '66 and '68 down in LA. The recordings don't always feature all of the band as Cobb had a penchant for bringing in studio musicians. He even went so far as to record instrumentals with not a single member of the band in it (think Expo 2000) and even vocal songs with a different singer (think Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go!).

Are You Gonna Be There was written for the band by Cobb's friend and LA songwriter, D. Bennett (who occasionally sang lead on these records as well) and was the third, and last, single under their name (they had done a 4th under the pseudonym of The Hogs). It was released on Tower Records in October of 1967.

The Flip-Side of Are You Gonna Be There is the excellent quasi-instrumental, No Way Out. That song gets an Ed Cobb credit for composer. That said, credible claims by the band suggest they were really the composers of the song. Producers aren't always so honest, you know. The pairing of the two strong songs, the quality of the production and the quality of singer David Aguilar's voice make this one of the most desired singles out there.

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!

Southern California Spotlight: The Standells - Why Pick On Me/Mr. Nobody

More So Cal Battle of the Bands has us in Los Angeles with the legendary party band turned, snarly garage band, The Standells.

We've talked about The Standells before. We've talked about producer and songwriter Ed Cobb before. We've lauded the brilliance of engineer Richie Podolor before. We've even done a whole series on the great Tower Records label. So we'll just spin the two songs.

Why Pick On Me gives us another great Ed Cobb composition of defiance. The flip-side, Mr. Nobody, was written by organ player, Larry Tamblyn. The single was the band's 9th release. But really the band was a different band after they got with Ed Cobb on Tower Records. So let's say this was their 3rd release on Tower. The single was released in October of 1966.

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!

R.I.P. Dick Dodd of the Standells - Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White and Why Did You Hurt Me?

Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White

Why Did You Hurt Me?

We were a little slow learning that the voice of The Standells, Dick Dodd, died earlier this week. Tardiness aside, we need to show him some love. Here are The Standells performing the Ed Cobb penned and produced tune, Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White with a Flip-Side of Why Did You Hurt Me?, which is co-written by Dodd. The second single with Dodd was released on Tower Records in August of 1966. The Standells, once a lightweight twist, frat-band, took on a new life when Dick Dodd left the surf band, The Bel-Aires, and took over the drum kit and vocal duties of The Standells. Under Ed Cobb's tutelage and behind Dodd's sneer, The Standells became the epitome of the new attitude of LA garage bands. Dick's voice can be heard over the PA system at Fenway Park 82 times a year as The Red Sox play Dirty Water at every game. RIP Dick Dodd. 

Hanna-Barbera Records Spotlight: The Hogs (The Chocolate Watchband) - Loose Lip, Sync Ship

Back after a weekend off with the Hanna-Barbera Records Spotlight. So far we've featured The Five Americans, The Unrelated Segments, The New Breed and we even had Mouse and the Traps masquerading as a faux band called Positively 13 O'Clock. Today we have the Chocolate Watchband masquerading as faux band, The Hogs.

In December of 1966 someone had the bright idea of having The Chocolate Watchband record a version of Blues Theme, which was released just a month before by Davie Allan and The Arrows on Tower Records. Why I can not say. The Chocolate Watchband were apparently in studio with producer Ed Cobb recording their debut single for Tower Records subsidiary, Uptown Records. That 10-star single, Sweet Young Thing/Baby Blue wouldn't be released until a month after this release, however.

The Hogs' version of Blues Theme is quite inferior to the Arrows' original recording. It's the Flip-Side that we feature here today. The song is composed by The Chocolate Watchband's David Aguiar and Mark Loomis and goes by the obtuse name, Loose Lip, Sync Ship. The song is a bit odd and certainly has a "made up on the spot feel". It starts off as a decent enough riff and then at 1:38 David Aguilar starts an abstract rambling monologue that would make Frank Zappa proud:

Oh baby, I loved you
Please come back to me
I miss you
You're the best
Baby without you by my side
My whole complexion is a mess. 

Freaks are for kids
Not for silly rabbits

Then starts the weird stuff. Ok, at least more weird than what we already had...which was weird. The song breaks down into abstract jazz riffs, coughing, caterwauls and laughing before Aguilar turns to the gospel for inspiration.

Friends, I would like all of you to turn to Chapter 37
And we will all sing hymns
Row, row your boat
Gently down the stream. 

It's not for everyone, that's for sure. But HBR released it!

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side! 

Tower Records Spotlight: The Standells - Barracuda

The Standells were without question, Tower Records' biggest hit makers. The Los Angeles quartet gave Tower the label's first genuine hit when Dirty Water went to #11 on the national charts shortly after it was released in the final hours of 1965.

The Standells had been kicking around LA for a number of years and had released six singles on three different labels before they were paired with producer Ed Cobb and Tower Records. Drummer Dick Dodd -- who had been in the surf band, The Bel-Aires -- was promoted to lead vocal duties and the band changed under Cobb's tutelage from a lightweight frat band to a snarling garage band spilling over with Rolling Stones attitude.

Our featured song today was not one of the many fine singles from the band. Instead, Barracuda, written by Ed Cobb, appeared on the band's final album, Try It!, from 1967. Filled with bravado and dripping with sexual tension, Barracuda was quintessential Ed Cobb tapping into the attitude of the times. The same attitude that got the title track from the LP banned, much to the band's delight. Dick Dodd performs the number with the requisite anti-charm. Dig baby, dig!

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!

Song of the Week: The Standells - "Medication"

Listen - The Standells perform Medication

We're building off our last post. The same label, the same producer, the same year and probably the same studio (and maybe even musicians) as our Chocolate Watchband post just below.

Most people know The Standells for their out of the garage hit, Dirty Water. That song, written by producer Ed Cobb, has led most people to believe the band is from Boston. Cobb was, but not the Standells. The members of The Standells all hail from LA and even had a long history in the film scene in LA. One of them was even a Mousekateer. Like the San Jose based Chocolate Watchband, The Standells were a real band and had been kicking around the LA scene in one form or another since the late 50's.

When Mouskateer escapee, Dick Dodd, left the surf combo, The Bel-Aires (known for their regional hit, Mr. Moto), the band began to take a more modern shape. Dodd took over singing duties and the band, like all others around them, became hugely influenced by the British Invasion. The band released a few forgettable singles on Liberty Records and VeeJay Records. They even performed a number on the TV show, The Munsters. Here is where Ed Cobb enters the picture. Cobb was looking for a group to market on his Tower Records label and The Standells fit the suit. They immediately hit it big with Cobb's homage to his hometown of Boston, Dirty Water. An inconsistent album of the same name followed. The first song off of that album is our SoTW.

The song is Medication, and, to tie it back into our last post, The Chocolate Watchband also did a version of the song. It's a beautifully produced, well restrained song that keeps our fingers snapping every time.