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The Groupies

THE GROUPIES
 
 
The Groupies  were an American garage rock and psychedelic band from New York City who were active in the 1960s and are known for an innovative approach to primal blues-based rock exemplified in such songs as “Primitive”.  They were a popular fixture in the New York club scene and recorded for Atco Records, later venturing to Los Angeles.  Due to their uncompromising stance, the Groupies failed to attract a wider audience outside of their local enclaves.  In recent years, they have come to the attention of garage rock and psychedelic enthusiasts, and their work has been included on various compilations such as the 1998 Nuggets 4-CD box set.  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 
Also included on Ear-Piercing Punk is a wacky version of “Jailhouse Rock” by Dean Carter, who also performs the scorching “Rebel Woman”.  The album opens with a great version of “I’m a Hog for You Baby” by the Groupies; that might be the coolest Leiber/Stoller (i.e., Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller) song of them all – “Jailhouse Rock” (a big hit song for Elvis Presley, not to mention a movie, Jailhouse Rock) is another of their many, many classics.
 
(April 2011)
  
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Pebbles, Volume 10 is also how I came to find out about the Human Expression, one of several garage-rock and psychedelic-rock bands that I wrote about in Wikipedia in the pre-UARB days.  The album also includes a song by the Ides of March that came out before their hit song, “Vehicle”; as well as an early song by the Five Americans of “Western Union” fame.  “Primitive” by the Groupies, one of the best songs on this album was later featured on one of the Born Bad CD’s. 

 

(July 2013)