The SoulBenders "7&7 Is" (1968)

[desertbootguy]

This is just GREAT !!!!

[Chrysalides2]

Why no mention of Arthur Lee who wrote the song? And in July, 1966 it made the Billboard Pop Singles chart on July 30, 1966, peaking at number 33 during a ten-week chart run.

[ArisDisc]

@Chrysalides2 Arthur Lee 'is' mentioned in the opening credits.

[TubeNumber1USA]

Hey Joe was alright - but this is a MONSTER!

[huskyjerk]

One of the best produced and assembled videos I've seen ! Nice!

[formula602]

Remember when this first came out....they played it on AM radio,and it just about blew your single,mono speaker out!

Outstanding!

[TheMancida]

Aris! I hope that you know! this take...... is a Masterpiece ! Go Soulbenders Go! \m/

[TheMancida]

Thanks for sharing this masterpiece. Great Video! Cheers from Italy

[rcentinella]

Historic in every ways. Loved the video and its music of course! Thanks for sharing!

[1964jazzbass]

better than love

[rrobertafran]

Aries Hampers the keyboardest turned to be a DJ for a radio station in Grand Rapids Michigan last i heard

[penrhyndeundraeth]

Incredibly explosive number. It's my first view of The Soulbenders but they certainly mastered this classic.

[LastTree]

That was so cool.

[retrospecta2010]

Wow, great video!! More please

[econoroller]

Great version, XLNT video work...really cool to see :)

[eboba04]

Excellent song!! U rock!! This is just great!! Elbio, from Mendoza Argentina

[eboba04]

Aris, excellent song!! U rock!! I`m a sixties music fan and this is just great!!

Elbio, from Mendoza, Argentina.

[ArisDisc]

@eboba04 Thank you Elbio! Sorry it took me so long to see your message!

[cookmoore]

Go Michigan garage!

[MrTomrush]

I am so very sorry to hear of you loss Aris! They passed away far far too young!

[yaksammytovsky]

Hey Aris, great video! Thanks for posting this and sharing. If I recall correctly I saw the Soulbenders at a Junior Achievement Trade Fair at the old Welsh Auditorium while in high school back in either the late 60s or early 70s. I thought you guys were amazing back then and this video confirms that lo these many years later! Have you ever thought about doing a reunion tour/concert?

[ArisDisc]

Thank you for your kind comment. That was us at the JA Trade fair. I don't remember playing the gig, but I have documentation we were there.

I had started plans about 10 years ago for a big reunion show for both bands and got about 20% of the way, before I realized that I can't sing any of these songs anymore since my voice changed doing radio, so I cancelled it.

3 years ago, I decided to go ahead with it, but in the next few months, two of our members passed away. It will never happen now.

[ladyfuzz1966]

wow !!! this is how i would like to make videos

[ArisDisc]

You can do it. I had no experience making these vids of my band, and used UleadVid Studio to make all four vids. This one was really time-consuming (took me about 3 weeks), but I learned as I went along. I'm no genius, but everyone can learn something regardless of age.

Thanks!

[ladyfuzz1966]

well i haven't been making vids for very long and im still not aware of the programmes and tools etc on how to make them. ive used windows movie maker so far but it's not that great.

this is a briiliant video to go with a brilliant song, it's one of my fabvorites from songs we taught the fuzztones

[jrsn2cars]

It's Friday night in the summer of '68 and I'm cruising down Lee Street with my Craig Powerplay cranked up listening to the Soulbenders "7&7 Is" blasting out of my Pioneer speakers. I pull into the Lee High School parking lot where my friends are gathered but I won't shut the car off until I hear the ending of that song! Thanks Aris for posting part of the soundtrack of my youth!

John

[ArisDisc]

and to you for sharing such a kind memory. Thanks John!

[demeneye]

wouldn't mind knowing what happened betweened then 1968 and now 2009, man i love the end of this song. On second thoughts the whole song is awesome

[demeneye]

great stuff aris, really liked it. rockin

[gjacks898]

amazing.

[ArisDisc]

Hi Back: Yes, I was a band member. I'm the guy singing (or yelling on this track) and playing keyboards. (The guy who the bass player swings the guitar at, the one with the cigarette etc etc.) I was only 18 at the time.

The banter at the beginning is me also...and the engineer in the booth...it's in the studio just before the final take that we kept for the pressing of our 45 which is also the audio for this video.

You comments are mighty kind. They warm my heart. Thanks so much!

-Aris

[brownlog86]

Hey Aris... are you actually a band member?? That would blow my mind! Can you explain the first few seconds of dialogue? What inspired that bit? GREAT SONG

[brownlog86]

my brother and I rip this song LOUDLY at work all the time. Love this song! Never gets old. Some garage rock sounds kind of generic or repetitive but this song stood out from the first time I heard it. Awesome *****

[Aslur]

Alice Cooper's cover (1981) of this classic was taken from The Soulbenders, not Love's original one. Soulbenders and Alice Cooper used to share stage in Detroit and Michigan's area at the late 60s.

[ArisDisc]

You've got a good memory. In a recent on-air interview I did with Alice about 4 years ago, he recalled my band at one particular show. He said "the opening acts are always important to me. I love up and coming musicians. I really do pay attention to that." The first time we opened for them, (around 1969-1970) he made a special trip to our dressing room after the show to rave about our set. He's a class-act kinda guy.

[CDHIgnorance]

You guys rocked.

[BillyVaughnMusic]

Very, very good. Outstanding.

[BillyVaughnMusic]

Any extra copies of these for sale? Great stuff. I was Nam 67 to 69. Missed out.

[ArisDisc]

I have a handful of copies that I will be selling sometime in the near future. Watch Ebay / Seller ID is: arisdisc

[econoroller]

very cool.......the explosion at the end was better than Love's

too.....HA HA HA HA

thanx for sharing this gem :)

[ArisDisc]

Thanks for the compliment on the explosion. I always thought Love's "boom" was wimpy. The studio where we did this was in a large old movie theater (that's why the reverb is so choice.) During this session, we threaded up some old newsreels from the 40's (depicting World War II) and put em up on the big screen. When we got to a great explosion, we stole it!

[econoroller]

Robert Plant said it best......"we are a big family of beggars and theives" get it where ya gotta get it and go daddy go!

[OhsNosIsBeenHit]

This is a great song, so far I've liked every version I've heard of it.

[vintagezigg]

Nice cover .They were such talented kids.They must have had a lot of good times. Thanks for taking me back to another place.

[vintagezigg]

Fantastic cover ! These guys were good. Nice video.Thanks for sharing your treasures. Z

[pernicketty]

Anybody who makes faces has to stay back after school.

[ArisDisc]

Nope, they didn't keep me after school...they kicked me out! 3 times! (Because of the length of my hair in this video.) That's why I hated High School so much, and wanted to be a Rock Star instead.

[pernicketty]

Ha ha! I was always getting punished for having my hair too long and was forced to get it cut. I hated high school too. I didn't get kicked out though and didn't become a rock star either. Nice version by the way!

[Carlito1988]

Nice take on one of my favorite songs from Arthur Lee & Love...

[sz80]

great! thanks for post!

[mellymanfamily]

i first heard this on the relics compilation back in the early 80's. great version.

[thomasmantellwilliam]

Smokin' version of this great Love song, it Rocks

[stinkboat]

I really believe this rivals the Love original.

I've heard about five different cover versions of this tune and none come close to this peice of psych madness...I actually prefer the singers voice to Arthur's and when he goes wow!!!the whole thing lifts off. Love win however with the groovy lounge outro, but it's a photo finish. Fucking magic song, two magic versions...God we're lucky to be alive if only to listen to music as full of piss and vinegar as this...peace

[beatbands1966]

Great song Great version. Great montage Good times.

[jlsmith197]

superb

[joemgeek]

this is the best 'new' video for a garage track I've ever seen. Great work!

[hippiegypsy62442]

Pretty groovy stuff...gotta love garage rock! thanks for posting