GOOD THING - Tribute to Drake Levin - Paul Revere & the Raiders

PLEASE READ THIS. Drake "The Kid" Levin was THE legendary Raiders guitarist during their glory years, joining the band when he was just 16 years old. Drake passed on July 4, 2009 after a long battle with cancer. For this tribute, I chose a song that is less obvious than the usual Drake-featured songs, but still shows his chops and sense of style. Midnight Ride is my favorite Raiders LP, but I chose "Good Thing" from Spirit of 67 for a couple of reasons. First, most people do not know that Drake played a lot of the guitar parts on Spirit of 67. His name and picture don't appear on the album cover with the band. (Rotten shame, too.) Second reason is Drake's funky lead guitar part on Good Thing, which is a great component of the song but rested more in the shadows in the earlier mixes. Good Thing was always viewed more as a vocal showcase with great harmonies and a phenomenal lead vocal by Mark Lindsay. Half sung, half preached, Lindsay's lead vocal track provided but half of the thick funky groove. The other part is Drake's lead guitar part, threading its way through the song until climaxing in a frenzied solo that sort of melts into a descending chord progression during the outro. Drake must have had fun with it since he plays every verse a little differently. I try to play it like the album version. What I find odd is that no one ever does the opening guitar parts like the record, not even the Raiders themselves. Dunno why that is, but it sounds totally different when the guitars stairstep down, mirroring the bass line note for note. Listen to a couple of live versions and you'll hear what I mean.

This tribute isnt about my guitar skills, or lack thereof. It's meant to honor a cool guy who had to graciously step out of the limelight to go visit his "Uncle Sam" just as his band was establishing itself as the hottest American group around. Can you imagine? Compound that kind of disappointment with a stroke and recurring cancer in his later years. But I heard Drake took it all in stride and remained upbeat. To me, that kind of human spirit is as much Drake's legacy as the music he left us. I never got to meet him but I sent him a letter a few months before he passed and promised to honor him with a tribute video. So here it is, Drake.

Mark Lindsay said that he felt Drake never got the recognition he was due. (I agree.) Lindsay advised people to go back and listen and you'd hear that unique combination of talent and intellect that always knew what and what not to play. At Drake's memorial service, Paul Revere said when they would go into the recording studio, Drake always seemed to know how to do just the right lick, and the right guitar solo, and the right chord. He always came through.

My humble little video is meant to pay homage to Drake Levin's musical contribution, his legacy, and his courage. To diehard fans, he was and always will be the "Kid".and boy, could that Kid play guitar!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Drake
• Levin
• Paul
• Revere
• and
• the
• Raiders
• Good
• Thing
• Spirit
• of
• 67
• vintage
• Mark
• Lindsay
• Phil
• Fang
• Volk
• Mike
• Smitty
• Smith
• Garage
• Rock
• 60s
• 1960s
• 1959
• Fender
• Stratocaster

[rockfan363]

Thank you for clearing up his awesome lead work. Been wanting to learn it. What is helping making that yummy crunchy sound with your pick?

[jazzbo89]

@rockfan363 I think I've just got the pick angled and slightly scratching the strings as I attack. The pick is a Dunlop Ultex which is suppose to be pretty similar to a tortoise shell pick. I was trying to get a similar sound to the minihumbuckers Drake used on the recording. Other than pick angle and attack, it was just the guitar straight into the clean channel of a Bad Cat amp. Thanks for watching!

[hkyoutoob]

@jazzbo89 Fantastic job on your guitar work. How did you figure that out? Did Drake give you a lesson before he passed, or, did you figure it out by ear? It's a relatively complex part, which seems almost impossible to replicate as exactly as you have done. Do you know all the Radiers "hit" tunes, too? If so, do videos of them please. Once again, my congratulations in carrying on with a legend.

[jazzbo89]

@hkyoutoob Thanks for the compliment. I really appreciate it. I just picked it up by ear. Listened to it over and over in the car on the drive to and from work. .The lead part outtro was harder to decipher because of all of the tape saturation. For that, I isolated the channel with the lead part and listened to it through different filters on my recording software, picking it up in pieces. I do know some other Raiders tunes and will try to get some videos made. Fun stuff! Thx again.

[SonicWheelRecords]

Beautiful job - and many sweet memories here for me, as well... Tends to choke me up a bit, especially after reading your exquisite, and well-worded tribute to my dear friend and fellow Raider. Thank you for honoring Drake "the kid" Levin so kindly.

– Phil "Fang" Volk

[jazzbo89]

@SonicWheelRecords Hi Phil.. Thanks for taking time to view it. It was a labor of love, believe me. Hard to believe it's been almost two years. Gone but not forgotten. BTW, you cut an awesome record with that Dylan cover. Congratulations.

[harvey1954]

Why is there a headless Redcoat playing a tribute to our Continental Rockers?

[mikemd25]

Thanks Jazzbo89. I got the spirit of 67 album back in 67 believe it or not and my friend's older brother could lip sync this song perfectly. Everybody was groovin to this song. Hat's off to you for bringing to the forefront Drake Levin's incredibly vital role in the generating the power of this song, because make no mistake it is a powerful song and the guitar parts along with Mark Lindsay's vocals are the foundation of that awesome sound in tandem with the great vocal harmonies. Way to go Kid !

[GiveItARestSeymour]

The Raiders (and Drake) were underrated, and they belong in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame... NOW!!! The RNRHOF needs to pull their head out of their nether places and vote them IN

[GiveItARestSeymour]

@SonicWheelRecords

Fantastic

[MrJoealesi]

Really nice job here. Ok.. The Raiders weren't as "cool" as the Yardbirds, The Who, Jimi etc., but dang if I didn't have all their albums as well. I still do!!!

[ringoramjet]

great job i wish i had the tenth of your talent

[modfly1]

Thank you for this video. It helped me appreciate even more the guitar rifts and lead portion of this song. Brillant...PR & the Raiders Rule!

[mlkemper]

playing that double neck MOSRITE OF CALIFORNIA sunburst guitar ..great visual effect ..they always knew how to work a crowd ..Freddie Weller lives here in Brentwood Tenn area ..nice guy ..not many people knew it was Drake ..a lot of people gave Harpo the credit ..even though he was good too ..

[peterzang]

This is groovy, man. Drake would be honored!

[B17b25guy]

Superb! A wonderful tribute to a man, and a group that kick started many young men, to one day play in a band. Myself included. Paul Revere and the Raiders

should receive the accolades that have eluded them. They rank with the best bands of the sixties. Where did you get that coat!

[brittonstreet]

THIS is the mix that should have been on the 45. GREAT guitar.