Kicks bass line - Tribute to Fang - Paul Revere & the Raiders

Just a fun little tribute to my favorite bass player Phil "Fang" Volk. The tunes and showmanship of Paul Revere and the Raiders around 64-67 was pure fun. Lots of guys passed through the ranks, but that core group of Phil Volk, Drake Levin, Smitty Smith, Mark Lindsay and Paul Revere were like lightning in a bottle, man. Don't slag the costumes and dance steps. That's like slagging Hank Marvin and the Shadows. Some unfortunate folks just don't get it. The costumes were cool! Drake and Phil's dance steps were cool! (& Jim was no slouch either.) I dug it all and still listen to Phil's bass lines and Drake's guitar work to this day. It just makes me feel good. Long live the Raiders!!!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Paul
• Revere
• Raiders
• Phil
• Fang
• Volk
• Mark
• Lindsay
• Kicks
• bass
• guitar

[Stuckinthe6Ts]

I don't suppose we'll ever know whose playing ended up on the final mix on any Raiders' track. Often, members of the "Wrecking Crew" were brought in after the fact to sweeten a track, so it's possible Phil played on tracks, but never knew if someone "cleaned up" after him. Smitty once raved about Hal Blaine in a Hit Parader interview in the mid-60's, so surely they knew of the "Wrecking Crew's" reputation. It's a well-known fact that Mark Lindsay and Terry Melcher did most of the backing vocals.

[Stuckinthe6Ts]

@Stuckinthe6Ts Not that I think the Fangster needed any cleaning up after, but who knows what evil laid in the mind of Terry Melcher. A well-placed source in the Raiders' camp (who shall remain nameless) once told me there was so much dysfunction within and surrounding the group, a LOT of feelings were bruised during that time period. Can't say I blame Phil, Drake and Smitty for moving on. Don't know what Phil would say to that, but I guess those wounds have healed.

[jazzbo89]

@Stuckinthe6Ts Someone brought in to "sweeten" your track in 1965 while you tour is no biggie to me. However, fully replacing the track with someone else is! I'm no bass player so I can't say but I have played guitar for 45 years & recorded a lot. If I recorded a part and then the record comes out with someone else playing MY part, I'd know it pretty quickly. I think a lot of musicians would agree. The WC definitely showed back up on late 67's Revolution. No P.Revere from Revolution on, either.

[jazzbo89]

@Stuckinthe6Ts The amazing thing to me is that the controversy still exists and people still care, yet the band never gets played on oldies radio. Smitty and the band would definitely be aware of the Wrecking Crew because WC was used on Sometimes, from the Here They Come album. Lindsay told the story how it occurred & everyone knows. Yet, he's never mentioned WC being used on Kicks, Hungry, Steppin Out, Just Like Me, or any of the hits from that 65-67 timeframe. Plus, he lived with Melcher so..

[Stuckinthe6Ts]

@jazzbo89 And truly, none of this is meant to stir up controversy, or take away from "The Brotherhood". Yes, I know Lindsay and Melcher were "roomies" at the time, but stories have changed to fit the players' moods and circumstances. The back and forth that went on in the music press at that time was ugly - but no one owns up to it now. Which is fine. Let it rest. Smitty, Drake and Phil belong in the H of F, and if I ever outbid someone on eBay for "The Brotherhood" CD's, I'll be a happy man!

[jazzbo89]

@Stuckinthe6Ts I've got that Brotherhood compilation CD. Joyride seemed too "chemically inspired" for my taste but those first two albums were great. If the power trio had stayed and their looser, heavier style was allowed to influence Lindsay just a little to the left, history might shine differently on the Raiders today, given the direction rock had moved and the image shift. But hey, who really knew at the time? Nothing lasts forever and the band has a TON of success to be proud of.

[rocksinger45]

@SonicWheelRecords Fang you and your group were the best, thanks for putting a smile on my face daily on "Where the action is", yours group are a true oversight by the people at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Rock & Roll is suppose to be fun and you and yours were Fun with a capital F.... Best to You and your family.... I too am sentimental about music of that era.

Regards

RS45

[jazzbo89]

@gladerunner Hmmm. I do sort of a combination of the Jerry Cole/Ry Cooder/Keith Allison guitar parts to Him or Me, but haven't ever done the bass part. I'll try to work it up and post this winter. thanks for watching!

[44440414]

@SonicWheelRecords

This video really is a great tribute; it shows how your bass playing does so much more than simply mark a beat for the guitar to play over - truly a second lead instrument. And, this video shows what a great thing YouTube can be - there is no where else I could have seen this, not to mention being able to watch all those wonderful PR&tR clips. Still one of my favorite bands of all time; terrific, timeless songs

[MBZMDFAN]

great job! very enjoyable.

thanks for posting.

[tubefluid]

Good job on the riffs.

[Stuckinthe6Ts]

@KatseGatcha I wonder the same thing. No doubt there is a clique-ish "hip" element that serves on the Hall of Fame committee. I began to have my suspicions the year that Buffalo Springfield was inducted. Nothing against Buffalo Springfield, I bought their albums. But as a group, I don't feel they measured up to the previous inductees. In my opinion, they were inducted because of the "hipness" quotient of individual members, not for group accomplishments.

[KatseGatcha]

@Stuckinthe6Ts Rolling Stone Magazine has given them good reviews and has listed them in several "best of" categories. So what are they waiting for?

[KatseGatcha]

@Stuckinthe6Ts Rolling Stone Magazine has given them good reviews and has listed them in several "best of" categories. So what are they waiting for?

[nutbagbrew102]

thanks dude for posting and playing - keep the music alive

[billkex]

NIce, very nice! The Bass playing really sounds GREAT!

[gsmmax1]

This band was way ahead of their time. I've read that Jimi Hendrix was inspired by Drake.

[Stuckinthe6Ts]

@jazzbo89 Lindsay came from the Mike Love "Don't fuck with the formula" school. Too bad. Let's just hope that Jann Wenner and company see the light before the inductions are posthumous. It's bad enough Smitty and Drake will miss the party. Then again, they may have the best seats in the house.