Flamin' Groovies
Album: Supersnazz
Label: Floating World
Tracks: 13
Website: http://www.floatingworldrecords.co.uk

At a time in rock n roll history (1966-69) when the likes of The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe & The Fish, Moby Grape et al were flailing unwashed hair in all directions, smoking all sorts of illegal substances and proclaiming peace on earth (except to those in uniform) via seemingly never-ending musical ramblings, up pop San Francisco garage beat combo the Flamin' Groovies with "Supersnazz". At odds with their immediate contemporaries, sporting short(ish) hair and even shorter songs, this was their first official release on a major label (Epic), and probably not surprisingly given the musical times, it's commercial failure put an immediate end to their major label recording career.

Of course fashion-conscious major label syndrome meant that Epic failed to see the early buds in "Supersnazz" that would blossom later (just 2 years in fact!) in the form of the seminal garage classic "Teenage Head" album, and another 4 years after that with the 'Mona Lisa' of powerpop "Shake Some Action".

The Flamin' Groovies were always both behind and ahead of the times, always seemingly stuck somewhere in the middle of never being quite fashionable enough and just too hip to be cool. In reality they did (and still do occasionally!) what all great bands do - they ploughed a lone furrow and you either liked what they did or you didn't.

All the signs were there for major label endorsement - just take a listen to opener "Love Have Mercy", written by the enigmatic Roy Loney, with it's Standells-like raw beat and insistent blues riff. Today it sounds vital, full of energy and in hindsight it's clear to see that this was a pre-cursor to what was to follow and what in essence became the blueprint for the Groovies recording career. "Laurie Did It" (which is also included as a bonus track but bizarrely not noted on the sleeve) does likewise, but this time showcasing the bands obsession with British Invasion pop, which again was an essential part of the bands character but at odds with what was happening at the time.

The album itself is padded out with a few covers, which was often de-rigeur with young bands not quite having enough of their own songs to fill an entire album, and blues or pop standards were often the go-to solution. In this instance "The Girl Can't Help It", "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" and "Somethin' Else / Pistol Packin' Mama" are duly trotted out, and as it says on the tin, it's a fun romp through a dazzling variety of styles. You can literally hear the band having fun and laughing their way through the recording process, tongues wedged firmly in cheek especially on "Somethin' Else"!

Official album closer "Around The Corner" neatly encapsulates the Flamin' Groovies conundrum in one easy lesson. Cyril Jordan and Roy Loney out Beach-Boy the Beach Boys! Effortless surf stomp rhythm nestles easily alongside four part harmonies and a pure pop tune that would ride high in any chart in the world - 3 years earlier!

"Supersnazz" is, even now, refreshingly lacking in any pretension. It presents a wonderful snap-shot of a band who were at an embryonic stage in their career, where they were writing and play-ing what felt right to them at the time, and where nothing else really mattered. Ultimately the lack of sales meant that Epic would not recoup their substantial outlay, and consequently meant that they had to move to record company pastures new - which in the long term would prove to the fans benefit, if not the bands finances.

Ken Brown
www.squarerootspromotions.co.uk