what Frank is listening to #84 – NEAL FORD & THE FANATICS – Self Titled – (Hickory) – 1967
I paid way more than $1 for this but I had heard a couple of tracks and I had to have it.
Neal Ford & The Fanatics were a garage band from Houston, Texas who had been in various band incarnations going back to 1963.
From their fansite:
NEAL FORD & THE FANATICS were a 1960's rock band from Houston, Texas. They released one LP on the Hickory label, along with a number of singles on Hickory and other labels. Their songs were strong and the band was tight, playing regularly at skating rinks, shopping malls and night clubs like The Catacombs and The Living Eye.
The band were a product of their time. Like many other bands they started out playing garage rock or frat rock in the early to mid 60s. "Garage", as I have said somewhere before (in the Hullabaloos – what Frank is listening to #52) was an American response to the British invasion. It is fair to assume that many garage bands were inspired by the rockier side of the British invasion – The Stones, The Kinks and The Who though the truth is, also, that many of these bands had been "frat rock" bands anyway and just incorporated elements of the new British R&B/rock to their sounds, and then – partly because of poor equipment but more so because they wanted to beat the British invasion bands at their own game – they developed a sound that was infinitely more raw and rockier (much like a lot of Australian bands in the 60s).
Likewise, of the literally hundreds (if not thousands) of garage bands that sprung up in the 60s most did not spring up in the cultural capitals but in the regions like the Midwest, the south, and the South West. Maybe the relative isolation from "what was happening" made them explore their own influences or hone what they were doing whilst bands from the big smoke were bouncing ideas of each other more quickly and "keeping up with the times". At the time this was a career limiting move but with time such single mindedness has become one of the most endearing things about garage rock.
The other thing which is rarely referred to when discussing garage bands is that they were "working bands" which menas they played all the time. They were the rock brothers of all the equally hard working blue eyed soul singers from the cities and sometimes the styles even crossed over (for example, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels).
Neal Ford & the Fanatics were certainly a working band and by 1967 the golden era of garage was practically over. When the time came for Neal Ford & The Fanatics to record an album, like any number of working bands facing a practical reality, they hedged their bets. This album certainly is not all "garage". There are garage tunes, ballads, slight psychedelica, British beat, and even a cabaret number. Half this stuff is jarring in 1967 but I am sure there were many working bands who played wedding, parties, bar mitzvahs etc who had to cover all the bases to keep their paying audience happy.
However, despite that, behind every track on this LP you can hear something left of centre – a garage band in hiding. And that is what I love about this album. It's a snapshot of its time and is fun on that level. Otherwise, the playing is tight and really cant be faulted though the recording is obviously low(er) budget.
Tracks
- Gonna Be My Girl – a magnificent song – straddling a number of genres, British beat , garage and with great keyboards.
- Nothing Left to Do – a strange "head" type ballad – part New York art and part California cheese.
- Bitter Bells – British Beat with distinct California movie soundtrack keyboards. Excellent.
- That Girl of Mine – keyboard driven poppy mid-tempo ballad.
- Get Together with Me – a crazy lightweight ballad in the style of The Lovin Spoonful. "Kooky" lyrics and harmonies and a slight carnival atmosphere.
- Get in the Rhythm – a MOR radio friendly ballad – with horns and big vocals.
- One Times One Ain't Two – a nice mid-tempo garage number – surprisingly written by Mickey Newbury who would later assemble "An American Trilogy" which became an Elvis signature tune in the 1970s. The only song not written by the band.
- Contrary Mary – a nonsense tune – one for the kids?
- (I've Got A) Brand New Girl – A great mid-tempo garage tune. With all the right lyrics and right amount of sneer.
- Wait for Me – this would be just another late 60s ballad except the keyboards which sound positively casio (before casio) which put it into the just plain "weird" category.
- I Have Thoughts of You – a trippy ballad. Their version of what they thought was happening in New York, perhaps?
And …
A keeper.
Sounds
Gonna Be My Girl
attached
I have thoughts of You
Not on this album
pure garage:
I Cant Believe ( which is actually the Rod Argent song "Woman" as done by the greatly underrated "The Zombies")
Website
a great fansite with many song clips, pics ertc – check it out
Background
Garage in wikipedia
Trivia
I think I paid $30US for it when our dollar was good. Still its out here if you want it:
(originally posted:06/09/2009)
