By Monk
Let’s play a game, shall we? I’ll play you a song, a big hit song, a song that everyone recognizes, and all you have to do is name the band who recorded it… I used to play it (the game that is) down my local discotheque quite often: I’d spin a big ‘banger that everyone dances and sings along to, but ask them about the band who recorded it and… umm, blanker faces than a Government cheque… ‘The Final Countdown’? “Wasn’t that Boyzone?” ‘Don’t Stop Believin’? “Westlife, maybe… no, it was Steps!”. Now, before you think I’m picking on ignorant spides (which I actually am!), us rockers are often just as guilty when it comes to what the kids at Radio One describe as “One Hit Wonders”…. Play a big rock hit from a certain era, and most of us struggle to engage the old brain cells. ‘Hush’? “That was that bloke who went on to be in what you call ’em?” ‘Born To Be Wild’? “O I know that one… it was those biker dudes… can’t mind their name…”
Well, just for the record, their name was Steppenwolf – and in 1968 they were absolutely huge. No, make that HUGE. They were selling out stadia all over the USofA, appearing on prime time talk shows – and all because one of their songs, THAT song (oh, and another lesser known, but much better one) was used in a certain generation-defining movie. Yes, THAT movie: you know the one, the one with the biker dudes in it… Then, as is the wont with most such tales of rock ‘n’ roll ingloriousness, it all went sort of pear shaped, didn’t it Alfie?
As its title suggests, this compilation covers the period in which the LA band, still under the guidance of charismatic frontman John Kay, and with their original line-up (a rare feat in itself) were very much in the descendency, trying, ultimately unsuccessfully, to rekindle past glories after a short hiatus only, as is the wont with many such comeback stories, for their career once again to hit the metaphorical skids, Nevertheless, in those few short years, they did manage to produce three albums, which proved that they still possessed some of that older musical magic and spark.
This collection draws together those three albums, plus the inevitable bonus tracks (albeit only two on this occasion, both appended to the end of the ‘Hour Of The Wolf’ opus, completing a re-issue of the band’s entire back catalogue by those archaeologically-minded folks at Esoteric Records. And it is very much a set aimed at the completist, especially as most of these tracks have been out of general circulation since they were initially released five decades ago.
Very much of its era, with that southern blues meets progressive rock meets psychedelic space opera tinged feel which defined the US rock scene at that time, this collection contains some real gems, such as the suitably punchy ‘Gang War Blues’, which heralded a defiant opening statement from the renascent wolves, through the countrified gospel stomp of ‘Jeraboah’ to the rambunctious title track of what proved to be their last ever studio outing, ‘Skullduggery’, all of which remind us of the uncompromising approach which bands of this era adopted: if they liked it, then they liked and recorded it, to hell with the commercial consquences; after all, the record companies continued to chuck money at bands as if it was going out of fashion, not realizing that the artists were doing just that.
It is unfortunate that this collection will have a very small target market, but it is one which will be appreciative of this reminder of the contribution of one of the most under-rated bands of their generation to the musical canon as we know it today. I very much enjoyed revisiting the hours of the wolf, and I hope others will too.
- ‘The Epic Years 1974 – 1979’ is released on Friday (27 January). You can get your copy HERE.
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