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Use Your Eyes! -- Vol. 2: The Sir Douglas Quintet
2007-09-13 | by hrrundivbakshi ![[mail]](img/envelope.gif)
Good God -- this teevee performance is pretty much sheer rock and roll perfection. Fellow Townsmen and Townswomen -- use your eyes and help me spot all the things that make it so wonderful. Seriously, the TV industry should've just hung it up after this was broadcast, so they could go out on top.
I look forward to your responses.
HVB
16 comments
Comment from: dbuskirk [Member] 
I can't see the clip (my computer, don't ask...) but the Sir Doug records on Smash are probably the most listened to 60's rock records in my collection right now. Their stuff just never fails to raise the spirits, unpretentious joyrides through all my favorite styles, blues, r'n'b, and country, often with unpredictable psych touches (that reverbed fiddle on MENDICINO's "Texas Me"). NRBQ have a similar versatility but Sir Doug exudes more personality into his mix for my taste. I think they were bagged on for their looseness, they weren't show-offs about musicianship at a time when rock was getting all serious about that stuff yet I think they're good-timey, shambling quality is a plus to me, like Dylan's band on BLONDE ON BLONDE.
I know 60's S.F. Bay Area rock is a favorite kicking boy 'round these parts (has anyone ever heard the Sons of Champlin - LOOSEN UP NATURALLY?) but forgetting the hippy heavyweights I'm much more into early Steve Miller Band, Quicksilver Sly Stone, Sir Doug and the late sixties Beau Brummels. That's a impressive amount of talent for any one urban area to hold, wish I could think of four sixties Philly rock bands I liked as much.
-db
np Sir Douglas Quintet - TOGETHER AFTER FIVE
Hey Steve, how's the unreleased stuff on the big Sir Doug box?
I know 60's S.F. Bay Area rock is a favorite kicking boy 'round these parts (has anyone ever heard the Sons of Champlin - LOOSEN UP NATURALLY?) but forgetting the hippy heavyweights I'm much more into early Steve Miller Band, Quicksilver Sly Stone, Sir Doug and the late sixties Beau Brummels. That's a impressive amount of talent for any one urban area to hold, wish I could think of four sixties Philly rock bands I liked as much.
-db
np Sir Douglas Quintet - TOGETHER AFTER FIVE
Hey Steve, how's the unreleased stuff on the big Sir Doug box?
2007-09-13 @ 23:28
Comment from: BigSteve [Member]
dB, I forgot you were a Sahmhead too. The box he's referring to is the 5-disc Complete Mercury Masters set I splurged on last Xmas. It seemed that I'd heard most of the bonus tracks before, except for the spanish language versions of some of the songs. For me the box was most valuable because, besides replacing some stuff I had lost, it contained Sir Douglas Quintet + 2 = Honkey Blues, an album from this period I had never been able to find. Mendocino is still the best though, one of the best albums of the 60s. If you want burns, let me know.
Thanks for the rocking video, hvb. I'm sure I must have seen that when it was originally broadcast. Augie looks goofy and cool at the same time, and I'm sure the presence of Mexicans must have blown many minds. I needed that after the video alex linked to earlier, which was I believe the band as it appeared on the Border Wave album, most of the original quintet, trying to ride Joe King Carrasco's coattails. There is no justice. When Doug put down the guitar for the second song, the Jagger prancing was a bit much. The band sounded good, but you can't replace the Hullabaloo dancers.
Thanks for the rocking video, hvb. I'm sure I must have seen that when it was originally broadcast. Augie looks goofy and cool at the same time, and I'm sure the presence of Mexicans must have blown many minds. I needed that after the video alex linked to earlier, which was I believe the band as it appeared on the Border Wave album, most of the original quintet, trying to ride Joe King Carrasco's coattails. There is no justice. When Doug put down the guitar for the second song, the Jagger prancing was a bit much. The band sounded good, but you can't replace the Hullabaloo dancers.
2007-09-14 @ 00:14
Comment from: BigSteve [Member]
Speaking of using your eyes ... Look at this clip from the 60s, and notice that Doug has a huge honker of a nose, what I believe is called a Roman nose. Then check the clip from Fridays in the 80s, and notice that the nose is scaled way back. I never noticed that before. It seems out of character, but I guess that's showbiz.
2007-09-14 @ 00:30
Comment from: alexmagic [Member]
Yeah, this is much more the right kind of venue for them. Regarding the performance, points first to Sahm for his camera awareness, like a boxer who can find the ropes when he needs them. He times the big goofy turn to the camera at about the 1:30 mark perfectly.
On timing, the highlight of the whole thing is obviously how they reveal the dancers at the exact right moment (about 1:23). It’s that much better and in keeping with what makes the song great that the dancers aren’t really in time with each other, too. I agree that Meyers knows what he has to do back there to carry his end of things, and,I don’t know, is there a better display of rock maracas form on record?
Since we’re talking visuals and I don’t feel qualified to pass judgment on their instruments, I’ll praise the obvious care that went into their neckwear choices. White ties to the left and right to flank the group, either dark ties or none at all (it’s hard to tell) for percussion in the middle, and Sahm tastefully reinforces his status up front with what looks like an ascot.
I was hoping there was video of a same-era Remains performance of “Don’t Look Back”, thinking it might be able to challenge this, but I didn’t find any. But footage of the Remains on Ed Sullivan does answer the lingering question of why The Remains didn’t make it big: Barry’s eyebrows.
On timing, the highlight of the whole thing is obviously how they reveal the dancers at the exact right moment (about 1:23). It’s that much better and in keeping with what makes the song great that the dancers aren’t really in time with each other, too. I agree that Meyers knows what he has to do back there to carry his end of things, and,I don’t know, is there a better display of rock maracas form on record?
Since we’re talking visuals and I don’t feel qualified to pass judgment on their instruments, I’ll praise the obvious care that went into their neckwear choices. White ties to the left and right to flank the group, either dark ties or none at all (it’s hard to tell) for percussion in the middle, and Sahm tastefully reinforces his status up front with what looks like an ascot.
I was hoping there was video of a same-era Remains performance of “Don’t Look Back”, thinking it might be able to challenge this, but I didn’t find any. But footage of the Remains on Ed Sullivan does answer the lingering question of why The Remains didn’t make it big: Barry’s eyebrows.
2007-09-14 @ 08:34
Comment from: hrrundivbakshi [Member]
Thanks, Alexmagic, for your keen observations. I, too, was pleased with the symbiotic relationship between Camera "A" and Sahm's bulbous-nosed hamming, the *extremely* excellent maraca-ing and the dancers. But I would add:
- the head-shakin' organeering in the back there
- the fantastic Rock Hair on display
- Sahm's git-box
There's more to love here, but I don't want to steal anybody else's thunder. Come on, people -- use your eyes!
- the head-shakin' organeering in the back there
- the fantastic Rock Hair on display
- Sahm's git-box
There's more to love here, but I don't want to steal anybody else's thunder. Come on, people -- use your eyes!
2007-09-14 @ 08:48
Comment from: dr. john [Member]
What I like is how the band subtly subverts the "look" of the time, the "happy moptom," genuinely menacing (for the time) gestures:
Sahm's hypnotising the crowd with his fingers
The aggressive postures of the band in general, like they're getting ready for a street fight, rather than a sock hop.
When Sahm sings the chorus, he's deliberately not smiling in a carefree way. I agree the guy knows where the camera is; all of his hinting at what's really going on ("She's a mover," indeed!) is carefully timed.
They just barely let the wild possibilities of rock show; in that way, they're even more radical.
Sahm's hypnotising the crowd with his fingers
The aggressive postures of the band in general, like they're getting ready for a street fight, rather than a sock hop.
When Sahm sings the chorus, he's deliberately not smiling in a carefree way. I agree the guy knows where the camera is; all of his hinting at what's really going on ("She's a mover," indeed!) is carefully timed.
They just barely let the wild possibilities of rock show; in that way, they're even more radical.
2007-09-14 @ 08:57
Comment from: BigSteve [Member]
Is it just nostalgia that makes me think this would not be as good if it were in color?
2007-09-14 @ 09:21
Comment from: BigSteve [Member]
Using my ears for a minute ... let's pause to remember what an incredible innovation the Vox-organ-as-accordion thing was. And the maracas, not used as something for the singer to do with his hands (viz. the Monkees), but as an actual musical instrument, reinforcing the Latin tinge, without which the song is just a blues retread. The organ is the obvious hook, but it wouldn't have worked without the whomp of that rhythm guitar.
2007-09-14 @ 09:33
Comment from: hrrundivbakshi [Member]
Dr. John/BigSteve -- you are both right on the money. Why hasn't anybody zeroed in on the fine, semi-coordinated dance step the band throws in after the first chorus? Step, step, shuffle, HOP!
2007-09-14 @ 09:35
Comment from: sammymaudlin [Member]
From a TV production POV, the reveal of the dancers is extra nifty.
The opening shot is on a jib, up and back, but starts so tight that you don't really notice it being up and back all that much. Then the, on the beat, cut to the side camera gives the jib a chance to reset so that when we cut back, on the beat, the reveal of the dancers is all the more dramatic with the way up and back angle of the jib.
And then no use of that same extreme angle until, appropriately, again at the end.
Nifty.
The opening shot is on a jib, up and back, but starts so tight that you don't really notice it being up and back all that much. Then the, on the beat, cut to the side camera gives the jib a chance to reset so that when we cut back, on the beat, the reveal of the dancers is all the more dramatic with the way up and back angle of the jib.
And then no use of that same extreme angle until, appropriately, again at the end.
Nifty.
2007-09-14 @ 10:00
Comment from: alexmagic [Member]
I completely missed the great dance move each time I watched it. It’s right as the dancers show up, camouflaging the move, but there you go, they literally launch into it with the hop at 1:22. Even better, they don’t repeat it when the chorus comes back, perhaps as a warning to those prone to distraction. Eyes on the prize.
2007-09-14 @ 10:16
Comment from: Mr. Moderator [Member]
This is really good, and I agree that these guys were an underrated band. I bought one collection of their stuff years ago, and since then, it may have been db and BigSteve who turned me onto some other recordings. I've got about 4 CDs' worth of their music now, and it always sounds good.
Doug Sahm's Dick Van Dyke with a Brian Jones haircut Look is good, although I disagree with alexmagic on the value of his camera awareness. I never like that in a televised performer. I gave this otherwise great clip points off for that. It also lost another half point for the overly choreographed hops by the maracca player and bassist, although the maracca guy adds 10 points by his presence alone. Augie Meyers' goofy-yet-cool organ bop is the primary key to this performance's joys.
Hey, Hrrundi, how does this live clip match up with The Who's "Join Together" clip from years back?
Doug Sahm's Dick Van Dyke with a Brian Jones haircut Look is good, although I disagree with alexmagic on the value of his camera awareness. I never like that in a televised performer. I gave this otherwise great clip points off for that. It also lost another half point for the overly choreographed hops by the maracca player and bassist, although the maracca guy adds 10 points by his presence alone. Augie Meyers' goofy-yet-cool organ bop is the primary key to this performance's joys.
Hey, Hrrundi, how does this live clip match up with The Who's "Join Together" clip from years back?
2007-09-14 @ 10:50
Comment from: BigSteve [Member]
I believe they're miming, no?
I never noticed the little hop forward move, maybe because Augie doesn't do it.
How about the little shaky legs/mashed potatoes thing Doug is doing at the very beginning?
I never noticed the little hop forward move, maybe because Augie doesn't do it.
How about the little shaky legs/mashed potatoes thing Doug is doing at the very beginning?
2007-09-14 @ 13:17
Comment from: saturnismine [Member]
the sir dougs sport several cheesey features that hvb thinks hipsters everywhere would loathe (and thus, his love for the sir dougs): we see ugly people with big noses (like mine!), folks from spheres of american society who are among the least likely to have ever cut classes at oberlin while blowing mommy and daddy's trust fund on weed, unpretentious shau mach-ing as opposed to shoe-gazing, musicians dedicated to ostensibly tertiary instruments like maraccas, farfisa action, cheesey dancing girls...
little does hvb -– our resident "i reflexively hate hipster self-pitying, shoe-gazing, avant garbage post-rock loving, sobby, snobby, multiple-piercing wearing, cultural elitism, so give me a seger or a zz any day of the week" everyman hero –- realize; even hipsters would enjoy some of these features, particularly the dancing girls, and the mexican maracca man.
btw, hvb, you know i'm just shinin' ya on and i love ya, as always.
thanks for sharing the sir doug stuff. i LOVE them (though not fond of their later incarnation).
speaking of hipsters, here's a present for you: i know you'll laugh as hard as i did about this!
"http://www.youtube.com/v/kAO4EVMlpwM"
also, we need your expertise on jim honeyman scott's guitar choices in those pretenders appearances on fridays! help!!!
little does hvb -– our resident "i reflexively hate hipster self-pitying, shoe-gazing, avant garbage post-rock loving, sobby, snobby, multiple-piercing wearing, cultural elitism, so give me a seger or a zz any day of the week" everyman hero –- realize; even hipsters would enjoy some of these features, particularly the dancing girls, and the mexican maracca man.
btw, hvb, you know i'm just shinin' ya on and i love ya, as always.
thanks for sharing the sir doug stuff. i LOVE them (though not fond of their later incarnation).
speaking of hipsters, here's a present for you: i know you'll laugh as hard as i did about this!
"http://www.youtube.com/v/kAO4EVMlpwM"
also, we need your expertise on jim honeyman scott's guitar choices in those pretenders appearances on fridays! help!!!
2007-09-14 @ 13:19
Comment from: Mr. Moderator [Member]
That's a great clip, Saturnismine. Not only do we need HVB's expertise on that Fridays guitar but an in-depth look at Hamer guitars. The body wasn't too bad looking (reminded me of a Les Paul Jr, I think it's called), but for starters, the company name was bad. It should have been Hammer.
2007-09-14 @ 14:02
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