Dig Deep: The Flamin’ Groovies – Flamingo – Kama Sutra (1970)

Flamin’ Groovies – Headin’ For The Texas Border
Flamin’ Groovies – She’s Falling Apart
Flamin’ Groovies – Jailbait

I found a slightly warped, but otherwise clean, copy of this record at that store in Barcelona I mentioned in a prior post, Wah-Wah. Along with the Stooges’ “Funhouse” & the MC5’s “Back in the USA” (which strangely enough I also have a slightly warped copy of) this record completes what I consider the trinity of American Rock ’n’ Roll records from 1970.

The Flamin’ Groovies were originally from the Bay Area, but instead of favoring the acid-rock psychedelic of the period, they went for a lean, mean and hard rock ’n’ roll sound reminiscent of the late 50s but with an extra bite. They never achieved much above cult status, but they sure put together some fine albums, and none was finer than this one (though my single favorite Groovies track, and a Top 10 all-timer is “Teenage Head,” which was released just after this album).

In a similar fashion to The MC5’s second LP, this record strips the Groovies down to their rawest elements. Aside from the occasional stereo panning from left to right, this is just bare bones hard-edged rock virtually from start to finish, though often with a little tongue ’n’ cheek humor (“Comin’ After Me” and “Second Cousin” come to mind in that regard) courtesy of wild man on the mic, Roy Loney. The clear highlights are a dead on response to the Rolling Stones’ “Stray Cat Blues” called “Jailbait,” the funkiest track on the record, an unexpectedly sincere ballad “She’s Falling Apart,” and the opening groover “Gonna Rock Tonight.”

But the king of kings on this record, and the second best song the Groovies ever cut (after the aforementioned “Teenage Head”), would have to be “Headin’ for the Texas Border.” 5 minutes of pure head nodding, body moving proto-punk designed for lawlessness (Don’t believe me? You try to adhere to speed limits while listening to this on the open road, I just dare you…).

Incidentally, Roy & Cyril got themselves together, along with the A-bones backing them up, at the Ponderosa Stomp in New Orleans back in April of 2009. Even though they’re both a shade over 60 years old, they still rock and Loney still shakes it wild…

Cheers,

Michael