Paul Revere & the Raiders
Encyclopedia
Paul Revere & the Raiders is an American
rock
band that saw considerable U.S. mainstream success in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s with hits such as "Kicks
" (1966, ranked number 400 on Rolling Stone
magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time), "Hungry" (1966), "Him Or Me - What's It Gonna Be?" (1967) and the 1971 No. 1 single "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)".
, Idaho
, the Raiders began as an instrumental rock outfit led by organist
Paul Revere (born Paul Revere Dick in Harvard, Nebraska
, on January 7, 1938). In his early 20s, Revere owned several restaurants in Caldwell
, Idaho and first met singer Mark Lindsay
(born March 9, 1942, Eugene, Oregon
) while picking up hamburger buns from the bakery where Lindsay worked (this circumstance was later referred to in the tongue-in-cheek song "Legend of Paul Revere"). Lindsay joined Revere's band in 1958. Originally called The Downbeats, they changed their name to Paul Revere & The Raiders in 1960 on the eve of their first record release for Gardena Records. The band scored their first Pacific Northwest
hit in 1961, with "Like, Long Hair". The song had enough national appeal that it peaked at No. 38 on the Billboard charts on April 17, 1961. When Revere was drafted for military service, he became a conscientious objector
and worked as a cook at a mental institution for a year and a half of deferred service, while Lindsay pumped gas in Wilsonville, Oregon
. Lindsay, on the strength of their Top 40 single, toured the U.S. in summer 1961 with a band that featured Leon Russell
filling in for Revere on piano.
By summer 1962, Revere and Lindsay were working together again in Oregon with a version of The Raiders that featured drummer Mike "Smitty" Smith (not to be confused with The Dave Clark Five
's lead vocalist and keyboardist Mike Smith
), who would spend two long periods with the band. Around this time, KISN DJ Roger Hart, who was producing teen dances, was looking for a band to hire. Hart had a casual conversation with a bank teller who told him about a band called "Paul Revere-something". Hart obtained Revere's phone number and they met for lunch. Hart hired the band for one of his teen dances. Soon afterwards, Hart became the group's personal manager. It was Hart who suggested they record "Louie Louie
", for which Hart paid them about $50, producing the song and placing it on his Sande label, ultimately attracting the attention of Columbia Records
. According to Lindsay, the Northwest Raiders were a "bunch of white-bread kids doing their best to sound black. We got signed to Columbia
(Records) on the strength of sounding like this". Whether the Raiders or The Kingsmen
recorded "Louie Louie
" first is a matter of some controversy. However, both groups recorded it in the same studio in Portland, Oregon
on Northwest 10th Avenue. By then, Raiders included Revere, Lindsay, Smith, guitarist Drake Levin
and bassist Mike "Doc" Holliday, who was replaced in early 1965 by Phil Volk.
classics. Under the guidance of producer Terry Melcher
, the group relocated to Los Angeles and increasingly emulated the sounds of British Invasion
bands such as The Beatles
, The Rolling Stones
, The Dave Clark Five
, and The Animals
, albeit with an American, R&B feel. Their second major national hit, "Just Like Me" (No. 11, 1965) was one of the first rock records to feature a distinctive, double-tracked guitar solo (by guitarist Drake Levin).
The band appeared regularly on national television
, most notably on Dick Clark
's Where the Action Is
, Happening '68, and It's Happening, the latter two of which were co-hosted by Revere and Lindsay. Here they were presented as an American response to the British Invasion. Playing on Revere's name, the group wore American Revolutionary War
soldier uniforms, and performed slapstick comedy and synchronized dance steps while the ponytail
ed Lindsay lip sync
hed to their music. This farcical, cartoonish image obscured the proto-hard rock
sound that their music often took. The Raiders were endorsed by the Vox
Amplifier Company (Revere used their Vox Continental
combo organ, while Volk was seen on television playing their Phantom IV bass (nicknamed "the coffin bass" due to the shape of its body) —with "FANG" in masking tape letters on the backside—and everyone played through Vox Super Beatle amplifiers). Levin left the group in 1966 to join the National Guard, and was replaced by Jim Valley, another Northwest musician the Raiders had met and come to admire during their days playing the Portland and Seattle circuit. Valley was dubbed "Harpo" by the other Raiders due to a vague resemblance to the famous Marx brother (his trademark shtick on Where The Action Is was his horn, which would either bring good luck or bad luck). Their hits from the mid-60s included "Kicks" (Billboard Pop Chart
No. 4), "Hungry" (No. 6), "The Great Airplane Strike (No. 20), "Good Thing" (No. 4), and "Him or Me - What's It Gonna Be?" (No. 5). Of these, "Kicks" became their best-known song, an anti-drug message written by Barry Mann
and Cynthia Weil
that was originally earmarked for The Animals
. (Mann later revealed in interviews that the song was written about their friend, fellow 1960s songwriter Gerry Goffin
, whose on-going drug problems were interfering with his career with then-wife Carole King
.)
In mid-1967, with three gold albums to their credit, The Raiders were Columbia's top-selling rock group; their Greatest Hits was one of two releases selected by Clive Davis
to test a higher list price for albums expected to be particularly popular, along with Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits
.
, including "Ups And Downs," "I Had A Dream," "Too Much Talk," "Don't Take it So Hard," "Cinderella Sunshine," "Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon," and "Let Me." On January 6, 1968, just four months after the cancellation of Where The Action Is, Revere and Lindsay returned to the air as hosts of a new Dick Clark-produced show in which the Raiders made several appearances, Happening '68 (later shortened to Happening). This weekly series was joined from July to September that year by a Clark-produced daily series It's Happening, also hosted by Revere and Lindsay. In August 1968, bassist Coe left the group again and was replaced by former Action heartthrob Keith Allison. According to author Derek Taylor, the Raiders were seen as "irrelevances. . . . Nervous citizens felt reassured that some good safe things never changed".
Mark Lindsay took more control of the band during this time. He produced all records beginning with Too Much Talk in 1968, and the psychedelic album Something Happening. Lindsay's vision was represented on songs such as "Let Me" (a 1969 gold single), and the albums Hard 'N' Heavy (with marshmallow) and Alias Pink Puzz. (According to allmusic.com, Pink Puzz was the identity under which the Raiders first tried to get the album played on FM radio, a gambit that failed though the band kept the joke name for the album title.) The success of "Let Me" allowed Paul Revere and the Raiders to tour Europe with the Beach Boys in the spring of 1969 (they also recorded two songs for the long running German music program Beat-Club
at this time). Later that autumn, Happening ended its run.
magazine, with critic Lenny Kaye praising the album's production and remarking that "Mark Lindsay never fails to give the impression that he knows what he's doing. Almost single-handedly, he's brought the Raiders to a stronger position than they've occupied in years". Collage proved to be a commercial failure, however, and Lindsay began to turn toward solo projects. Joe Correro departed after their spring tour ended, to be replaced by his predecessor Mike Smith.
"Freeborn Man", a song written by Lindsay and Allison, has since gone on to be a country rock
standard, covered by Outlaws, Junior Brown
, and Glen Campbell
, among others.
The Raiders's biggest hit of the period, "Indian Reservation", was recorded as a Mark Lindsay
solo session. Some sources erroneously credit the lead vocals to Weller, who had recorded a cover version of The Cowsills's hit "Indian Lake" around the same time, hence the confusion. As a promotional gambit, Revere took the unusual step of riding cross-country a total of four times, plugging the song at every market available. His efforts paid off: "Indian Reservation" peaked at No. 1 for one week in July. Paul Revere: "I called the head of Columbia's promotion and told him I was going on a record promotion trip, which was something artists didn't do anymore." "Indian Reservation" became Columbia's biggest-selling single for almost a decade, clearing over six million units. The success of the single was followed by a Top 20 album (Indian Reservation) and the No. 23 hit "Birds of a Feather". The Raiders also expanded to include drummer Omar Martinez and keyboardist Bob Wooley.
In 1972, The Raiders made one last attempt at a pop album, with Country Wine, but Columbia was sinking money into other acts, such as Blue Öyster Cult
and Aerosmith
, and Country Wine sank in the resulting quagmire. The band continued to release singles for Columbia between 1972 and 1975, including "Country Wine", "Powder Blue Mercedes Queen", "Song Seller", "Love Music" and "All Over You", with only "Country Wine" reaching the Top 40 (peaking at 30 on the Billboard chart). Weller and Smith had departed on New Year's Eve 1972, Weller being replaced by guitarist Doug Heath. As their chart career faded, The Raiders' concert fortunes dwindled, and they found themselves playing lounges and state fairs as an "oldies" act, a situation Revere found pleasing, but not Lindsay. Referring to a 1973 show at Knotts Berry Farm, Lindsay stated, "That (show featured) one of our bad sets. They only let us do thirty minutes and it's hard to construct a good show. (For this set) we didn't do any of the old (songs)."
departing the band after a gig at Knott's Berry Farm
. Lindsay continued his solo career, having previously landed a hit single in late 1969 with Kenny Young
's "Arizona". After two final singles for Warner Bros. records in 1977, Mark turned his attentions to film scoring and commercials. He was also head of A&R (artists & repertoire) for United Artists Records
in the 70s. Keith Allison departed in April 1975, to be replaced by current Raider bassist Ron Foos."
Country music was the choice of former guitarist Freddy Weller
, who had much success on the country charts before, starting with his country version of Joe South
's "Games People Play" in 1969 reaching #2 on the country charts as well as recording albums (his first two solo albums were produced by Mark Lindsay), and Top 10 singles on the country singles charts such as his covers of Chuck Berry
's "Promised Land", The Cowsills
' "Indian Lake", as well as "These Are Not My People" and "Another Night of Love" for Columbia during this time while with the Raiders, as well as after leaving the Raiders (Freddy's stint was 1967-1973).
In a memorable event, Revere married for the second time on the 4th of July, Bicentennial Year 1976 on stage at a Raiders show ." Revere announced his retirement from the music business at the end of 1976, but was back on the road by 1978 with a new cast of Raiders. Along with guitarist Doug Heath, Revere linked in this period with a group called "Louie Fontaine & The Rockets", and went on the road with them as "Paul Revere & The Raiders", featuring Blair Hill ("Louie Fontaine") as lead vocalist. This configuration even appeared as "Paul Revere's Raiders" without Paul, for awhile in 1978.
The quintet of Paul Revere, Mark Lindsay
, Drake Levin
, Phil Volk
and Mike Smith reunited for Dick Clark on national television in 1979 and performed a medley of their biggest hits. The same year "Indian Reservation" was covered by the German group Orlando Riva Sound
.
and New Wave
eras would see a wave of interest in the Raiders' music; "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone
" was covered by The Sex Pistols, Minor Threat
, and Liverpool band The Farm
(although The Monkees
' cover version was better known than the Raiders' original), and later "Just Like Me" would be covered by The Circle Jerks, Joan Jett
and Pat Benatar
. David Bowie covered "Louie, Go Home" and The Who took that song and changed the title and lyrics to "Lubie, Go Home". "Hungry" was also covered by Sammy Hagar
and the new waver David Edwards did a cover of "Kicks." The Flamin' Groovies tackled three Raiders songs ("Him or Me, What's it Gonna Be?", "Sometimes" and "Ups and Downs") and The Morrells did a country-tinged arrangement of "Ups and Downs" as well. The Paisley Underground
, garage rock
revival, and grunge
movements would all acknowledge the Raiders' influence. "Kicks" was also covered by Mickey Dolenz and Peter Tork
of the Monkees
as one of three new recordings included on their 1986 compilation Then & Now... The Best of The Monkees.
Revere continued with a relatively stable lineup through the 80's and 90's, featuring longtime members Omar Martinez (drums and vocals since 1972), Doug Heath (guitarist for the Raiders since 1973), and Ron Foos (Allison's replacement in 1975). Occasional new record releases included the self-produced "Special Edition" in 1983, with Michael Bradley
on vocals, and "Paul Revere Rides Again", released in 1983 through Radio Shack stores. They also recorded a home video for MCA Universal in 1996 titled "The Last Madman of Rock 'N' Roll". Revere's son Jamie joined the band on guitar for several years in the 90's (featured on "Generic Rock & Roll" (1992) and "Generic Rock 2" (1996). In 2001, the Raiders released "Ride to the Wall", featuring several new songs, along with their versions of 60's hits, with proceeds going to help veterans of the Vietnam War. They performed at Rolling Thunder's Memorial Day event in Washington D.C. in 2001 for POW-MIA's of the Vietnam era. A steady touring schedule kept Paul and his "new Raiders" in the public eye. Keith Allison, who played in the Raiders from 1968 to 1975, has since gone into acting, and appeared in the film Gods and Generals
.
On September 19, 1997, the group's classic 1966 Midnight Ride
lineup (singer Mark Lindsay, guitarist Drake Levin, bassist Phil "Fang" Volk and drummer Mike "Smitty" Smith) reunited in full costume (though without Revere himself) for a 30th anniversary performance in Portland.
In 2000 Sundazed Records released a two CD package entitled Mojo Workout that focused on the R&B and soul sounds from early in the Raiders' Columbia career.
On October 13, 2007 Paul Revere & the Raiders were officially inducted, along with their Manager Roger Hart, into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame
. In attendance were Mark Lindsay, Phil "Fang" Volk, and Roger Hart to accept their awards.
In 2010 Paul Revere & the Raiders were inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
After leaving the Raiders in 1967, Jim Valley continued to perform and hone his songwriting skills in a variety of acts. In the early 1980s he was encouraged by educational professionals to use his musical talent to help inspire school kids. He is now an acclaimed and award-winning children's music artist and educator, traveling the world as an emissary of the "Rainbow Planet". Now living back in his native Pacific Northwest, Valley also continues to write and record his own albums.
Joe Correro Jr., the Raiders' drummer from 1967–1971, currently performs as part of the Los Angeles-based Richard Sherman Trio jazz combo.
Bassist Mike "Doc" Holiday and guitarist/bassist Charlie Coe made a special guest appearance with Mark Lindsay at a show in Boise, Idaho in 1996. They both still reside in Idaho.
Carlo "Carl" Driggs, Paul Revere & The Raiders' longest-serving lead singer (a 20-year-plus span), was formerly lead vocalist for Kracker
, a band that toured Europe as an opening act for (and had their albums distributed outside America by) The Rolling Stones
. He followed this with his tenure in the Latin/disco group Foxy
, who scored a number one hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart (#9 on Billboard Hot 100
) with "Get Off
", whch was co-written by Driggs.
Righteous Brothers Bill Medley
's son, Darrin Medley, also sang and performed with Paul Revere & the Raiders.
After ending his second stint with The Raiders in 1972, drummer Mike "Smitty" Smith moved to Kona, Hawaii and continued performing for several groups in that region. Smith died of natural causes on March 6, 2001, three weeks before his 59th birthday.
Guitarist Drake Levin became an accomplished blues guitarist, playing in and forming numerous groups in the San Francisco Bay Area. On July 4, 2009, Levin died at his home in San Francisco
after a long battle with cancer
. He was 62.
Paul Revere & The Raiders are currently (2011) on tour.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band that saw considerable U.S. mainstream success in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s with hits such as "Kicks
Kicks (song)
"Kicks" is a song by American rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders. Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil wrote the song for The Animals, but the band's lead singer Eric Burdon turned it down....
" (1966, ranked number 400 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time), "Hungry" (1966), "Him Or Me - What's It Gonna Be?" (1967) and the 1971 No. 1 single "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)".
Early years
Initially based in BoiseBoise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, the Raiders began as an instrumental rock outfit led by organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
Paul Revere (born Paul Revere Dick in Harvard, Nebraska
Harvard, Nebraska
Harvard is a city in Clay County, Nebraska, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 998. It is part of the Hastings, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Harvard is located at ....
, on January 7, 1938). In his early 20s, Revere owned several restaurants in Caldwell
Caldwell, Idaho
Caldwell is a city in and the county seat of Canyon County, Idaho, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population to be 43,281, as of July 2009.Caldwell is the home of the College of Idaho. It is considered part of the Boise metropolitan area....
, Idaho and first met singer Mark Lindsay
Mark Lindsay
Mark Lindsay is an American musician, best known as the singer for the group Paul Revere & the Raiders.-Biography:Lindsay was born in Eugene, Oregon and was the second of eight children...
(born March 9, 1942, Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
) while picking up hamburger buns from the bakery where Lindsay worked (this circumstance was later referred to in the tongue-in-cheek song "Legend of Paul Revere"). Lindsay joined Revere's band in 1958. Originally called The Downbeats, they changed their name to Paul Revere & The Raiders in 1960 on the eve of their first record release for Gardena Records. The band scored their first Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
hit in 1961, with "Like, Long Hair". The song had enough national appeal that it peaked at No. 38 on the Billboard charts on April 17, 1961. When Revere was drafted for military service, he became a conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
and worked as a cook at a mental institution for a year and a half of deferred service, while Lindsay pumped gas in Wilsonville, Oregon
Wilsonville, Oregon
Wilsonville is a city primarily in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. A portion of the northern section of the city is in Washington County. Originally founded as Boones Landing due to the Boones Ferry which crossed the Willamette River at the location, the community became Wilsonville in...
. Lindsay, on the strength of their Top 40 single, toured the U.S. in summer 1961 with a band that featured Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
filling in for Revere on piano.
By summer 1962, Revere and Lindsay were working together again in Oregon with a version of The Raiders that featured drummer Mike "Smitty" Smith (not to be confused with The Dave Clark Five
The Dave Clark Five
The Dave Clark Five were an English pop rock group. Their single "Glad All Over" knocked The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" off the top of the UK singles charts in January 1964: it eventually peaked at No.6 in the United States in April 1964.They were the second group of the British Invasion,...
's lead vocalist and keyboardist Mike Smith
Mike Smith (Dave Clark Five)
Michael George Smith ,was an English singer, songwriter, and music producer.In the 1960s, Smith was the lead vocalist and keyboard player for The Dave Clark Five...
), who would spend two long periods with the band. Around this time, KISN DJ Roger Hart, who was producing teen dances, was looking for a band to hire. Hart had a casual conversation with a bank teller who told him about a band called "Paul Revere-something". Hart obtained Revere's phone number and they met for lunch. Hart hired the band for one of his teen dances. Soon afterwards, Hart became the group's personal manager. It was Hart who suggested they record "Louie Louie
Louie Louie
"Louie Louie" is an American rock 'n' roll song written by Richard Berry in 1955. It has become a standard in pop and rock, with hundreds of versions recorded by different artists...
", for which Hart paid them about $50, producing the song and placing it on his Sande label, ultimately attracting the attention of Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. According to Lindsay, the Northwest Raiders were a "bunch of white-bread kids doing their best to sound black. We got signed to Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
(Records) on the strength of sounding like this". Whether the Raiders or The Kingsmen
The Kingsmen
The Kingsmen is a 1960s garage rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States. They are best known for their 1963 recording of Richard Berry's "Louie Louie", which held the #2 spot on the Billboard charts for six weeks...
recorded "Louie Louie
Louie Louie
"Louie Louie" is an American rock 'n' roll song written by Richard Berry in 1955. It has become a standard in pop and rock, with hundreds of versions recorded by different artists...
" first is a matter of some controversy. However, both groups recorded it in the same studio in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
on Northwest 10th Avenue. By then, Raiders included Revere, Lindsay, Smith, guitarist Drake Levin
Drake Levin
Drake Maxwell Levinshefski was an American musician who performed under the stage name Drake Levin. He was best known as the guitarist for Paul Revere & the Raiders....
and bassist Mike "Doc" Holliday, who was replaced in early 1965 by Phil Volk.
Hits in the "Action" era
In 1965, The Raiders began recording a string of garage rockGarage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
classics. Under the guidance of producer Terry Melcher
Terry Melcher
Terrence P. Melcher was an American musician and record producer, who was instrumental in shaping the sound of American West Coast rock music. His greatest contribution to the culture of the time was producing The Byrds' innovative hits "Mr Tambourine Man" and "Turn! Turn! Turn!" and his...
, the group relocated to Los Angeles and increasingly emulated the sounds of British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
bands such as The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, The Dave Clark Five
The Dave Clark Five
The Dave Clark Five were an English pop rock group. Their single "Glad All Over" knocked The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" off the top of the UK singles charts in January 1964: it eventually peaked at No.6 in the United States in April 1964.They were the second group of the British Invasion,...
, and The Animals
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
, albeit with an American, R&B feel. Their second major national hit, "Just Like Me" (No. 11, 1965) was one of the first rock records to feature a distinctive, double-tracked guitar solo (by guitarist Drake Levin).
The band appeared regularly on national television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, most notably on Dick Clark
Dick Clark (entertainer)
Richard Wagstaff "Dick" Clark is an American businessman; game-show host; and radio and television personality. He served as chairman and chief executive officer of Dick Clark Productions, which he has sold part of in recent years...
's Where the Action Is
Where the Action Is
Where the Action Is or ' was a music-based television variety show in the United States from 1965–67. It was carried by the ABC network and aired each weekday afternoon...
, Happening '68, and It's Happening, the latter two of which were co-hosted by Revere and Lindsay. Here they were presented as an American response to the British Invasion. Playing on Revere's name, the group wore American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
soldier uniforms, and performed slapstick comedy and synchronized dance steps while the ponytail
Ponytail
A ponytail is a hairstyle in which most or all of the hair on the head is pulled away from the face, gathered and secured at the back of the head with a hair tie, clip or similar device, and allowed to hang freely from that point. It gets its name from its resemblance to the undocked tail of a...
ed Lindsay lip sync
Lip sync
Lip sync, lip-sync, lip-synch is a technical term for matching lip movements with sung or spoken vocals...
hed to their music. This farcical, cartoonish image obscured the proto-hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
sound that their music often took. The Raiders were endorsed by the Vox
Vox (musical equipment)
Vox is a musical equipment manufacturer which is most famous for making the Vox AC30 guitar amplifier, the Vox Continental electric organ, and a series of innovative but commercially unsuccessful electric guitars and bass guitars...
Amplifier Company (Revere used their Vox Continental
Vox Continental
The Vox Continental is a transistor-based combo organ that was introduced in 1962. Known for its thin, bright, breathy sound, the "Connie," as it was affectionately known, was designed to be used by touring musicians...
combo organ, while Volk was seen on television playing their Phantom IV bass (nicknamed "the coffin bass" due to the shape of its body) —with "FANG" in masking tape letters on the backside—and everyone played through Vox Super Beatle amplifiers). Levin left the group in 1966 to join the National Guard, and was replaced by Jim Valley, another Northwest musician the Raiders had met and come to admire during their days playing the Portland and Seattle circuit. Valley was dubbed "Harpo" by the other Raiders due to a vague resemblance to the famous Marx brother (his trademark shtick on Where The Action Is was his horn, which would either bring good luck or bad luck). Their hits from the mid-60s included "Kicks" (Billboard Pop Chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
No. 4), "Hungry" (No. 6), "The Great Airplane Strike (No. 20), "Good Thing" (No. 4), and "Him or Me - What's It Gonna Be?" (No. 5). Of these, "Kicks" became their best-known song, an anti-drug message written by Barry Mann
Barry Mann
Barry Mann is an American songwriter, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil.-Career:...
and Cynthia Weil
Cynthia Weil
Cynthia Weil is a prominent American songwriter. She is famous for having written many songs together with her husband Barry Mann....
that was originally earmarked for The Animals
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
. (Mann later revealed in interviews that the song was written about their friend, fellow 1960s songwriter Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin is an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 with former songwriting partner and first wife, Carole King. he has co-written six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers.-Career:Goffin enlisted with the Marine Corps Reserve after graduating from...
, whose on-going drug problems were interfering with his career with then-wife Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
.)
In mid-1967, with three gold albums to their credit, The Raiders were Columbia's top-selling rock group; their Greatest Hits was one of two releases selected by Clive Davis
Clive Davis
Clive Davis is an American record producer and music industry executive. He has won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. From 1967 to 1973 he was the President of Columbia Records. He was the founder and president of Arista Records from 1975...
to test a higher list price for albums expected to be particularly popular, along with Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits
Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits
Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits is the eighth album released by Bob Dylan on Columbia Records, original catalogue number KCS 9643. It contains every Top 40 single Dylan enjoyed through 1967. It peaked at #10 on the pop album chart in the United States, and went to #3 on the album chart in the United...
.
Major lineup change
At the height of the band's popularity, the power trio of Valley, Volk and Smith left, disenchanted that the group was prevented from evolving into a more egalitarian creative team, miffed at being replaced by studio musicians on recordings, and unhappy with a continued teen-oriented direction while a more serious rock 'n' roll style was emerging. The first to leave was Valley, who embarked on a solo career. Drake Levin rejoined the band on guitar to finish the spring 1967 tour. Levin, Volk, and Smith flew to New York together and the Raiders were set to perform on "The Ed Sullivan Show". However, Revere was upset about the trio leaving the group and blamed Levin for influencing Volk and Smith's pending departure. Levin showed up at the Ed Sullivan Theatre to perform with Volk and Smith for the very last time, but Revere refused to allow Levin to play. Unbeknownst to the group, Revere had hired a new guitar player, Freddy Weller, to perform that night. Levin graciously stepped aside and even showed Weller the chords to the songs. Levin was forced to watch the performance from the wings as the Raiders made their one and only appearance on Sullivan's show, on April 30, 1967. It was the only time that the lineup of Revere, Lindsay, Smith, Volk and Weller performed together. The following month, Volk and Smith left, subsequently rejoining Levin to form a band called Brotherhood. Charlie Coe, who had played guitar for The Raiders in 1963, rejoined the group on bass and Joe Correro, Jr. became the new drummer.The "Happening" era
Changing tastes in the late 1960s rendered the group unfashionable, but they still continued to have modest hits through the rest of the decadeDecade
A decade is a period of 10 years. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek dekas which means ten. This etymology is sometime confused with the Latin decas and dies , which is not correct....
, including "Ups And Downs," "I Had A Dream," "Too Much Talk," "Don't Take it So Hard," "Cinderella Sunshine," "Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon," and "Let Me." On January 6, 1968, just four months after the cancellation of Where The Action Is, Revere and Lindsay returned to the air as hosts of a new Dick Clark-produced show in which the Raiders made several appearances, Happening '68 (later shortened to Happening). This weekly series was joined from July to September that year by a Clark-produced daily series It's Happening, also hosted by Revere and Lindsay. In August 1968, bassist Coe left the group again and was replaced by former Action heartthrob Keith Allison. According to author Derek Taylor, the Raiders were seen as "irrelevances. . . . Nervous citizens felt reassured that some good safe things never changed".
Mark Lindsay took more control of the band during this time. He produced all records beginning with Too Much Talk in 1968, and the psychedelic album Something Happening. Lindsay's vision was represented on songs such as "Let Me" (a 1969 gold single), and the albums Hard 'N' Heavy (with marshmallow) and Alias Pink Puzz. (According to allmusic.com, Pink Puzz was the identity under which the Raiders first tried to get the album played on FM radio, a gambit that failed though the band kept the joke name for the album title.) The success of "Let Me" allowed Paul Revere and the Raiders to tour Europe with the Beach Boys in the spring of 1969 (they also recorded two songs for the long running German music program Beat-Club
Beat-Club
Beat-Club was a German music program that ran from September 1965 to December 1972. It was broadcast from Bremen, Germany on Erstes Deutsches Fernsehen, the national public TV channel of the ARD, and produced by one of its members, Radio Bremen, later co-produced by WDR following the 38th episode...
at this time). Later that autumn, Happening ended its run.
The Raiders: early 1970s
In an effort to change the bands' sound and image, the name was officially shortened to The Raiders, while the 1970 album Collage was an attempt to move in another musical direction. It drew a glowing review from Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine, with critic Lenny Kaye praising the album's production and remarking that "Mark Lindsay never fails to give the impression that he knows what he's doing. Almost single-handedly, he's brought the Raiders to a stronger position than they've occupied in years". Collage proved to be a commercial failure, however, and Lindsay began to turn toward solo projects. Joe Correro departed after their spring tour ended, to be replaced by his predecessor Mike Smith.
"Freeborn Man", a song written by Lindsay and Allison, has since gone on to be a country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
standard, covered by Outlaws, Junior Brown
Junior Brown
Jamieson "Junior" Brown is an American country guitarist and singer. He has released nine studio albums in his career, and has charted twice on the Billboard country singles charts. Brown's signature instrument is the "guit-steel" double neck guitar, a hybrid of electric guitar and lap steel...
, and Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell
Glen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
, among others.
The Raiders's biggest hit of the period, "Indian Reservation", was recorded as a Mark Lindsay
Mark Lindsay
Mark Lindsay is an American musician, best known as the singer for the group Paul Revere & the Raiders.-Biography:Lindsay was born in Eugene, Oregon and was the second of eight children...
solo session. Some sources erroneously credit the lead vocals to Weller, who had recorded a cover version of The Cowsills's hit "Indian Lake" around the same time, hence the confusion. As a promotional gambit, Revere took the unusual step of riding cross-country a total of four times, plugging the song at every market available. His efforts paid off: "Indian Reservation" peaked at No. 1 for one week in July. Paul Revere: "I called the head of Columbia's promotion and told him I was going on a record promotion trip, which was something artists didn't do anymore." "Indian Reservation" became Columbia's biggest-selling single for almost a decade, clearing over six million units. The success of the single was followed by a Top 20 album (Indian Reservation) and the No. 23 hit "Birds of a Feather". The Raiders also expanded to include drummer Omar Martinez and keyboardist Bob Wooley.
In 1972, The Raiders made one last attempt at a pop album, with Country Wine, but Columbia was sinking money into other acts, such as Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
and Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, and Country Wine sank in the resulting quagmire. The band continued to release singles for Columbia between 1972 and 1975, including "Country Wine", "Powder Blue Mercedes Queen", "Song Seller", "Love Music" and "All Over You", with only "Country Wine" reaching the Top 40 (peaking at 30 on the Billboard chart). Weller and Smith had departed on New Year's Eve 1972, Weller being replaced by guitarist Doug Heath. As their chart career faded, The Raiders' concert fortunes dwindled, and they found themselves playing lounges and state fairs as an "oldies" act, a situation Revere found pleasing, but not Lindsay. Referring to a 1973 show at Knotts Berry Farm, Lindsay stated, "That (show featured) one of our bad sets. They only let us do thirty minutes and it's hard to construct a good show. (For this set) we didn't do any of the old (songs)."
The later 1970s
Lineup changes ensued in 1975, with Mark LindsayMark Lindsay
Mark Lindsay is an American musician, best known as the singer for the group Paul Revere & the Raiders.-Biography:Lindsay was born in Eugene, Oregon and was the second of eight children...
departing the band after a gig at Knott's Berry Farm
Knott's Berry Farm
Knott's Berry Farm is a theme park in Buena Park, California, now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, and a line of jams, jellies, preserves, and other specialty food, now part of The J. M. Smucker Company based in Placentia, California....
. Lindsay continued his solo career, having previously landed a hit single in late 1969 with Kenny Young
Kenny Young
Kenny Young is an American songwriter who has been an active writer, artist, and producer from 1963 to the present. His most famous song was "Under the Boardwalk," co-written with Arthur Resnick and recorded by The Drifters in 1964 and by The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, and many other artists;...
's "Arizona". After two final singles for Warner Bros. records in 1977, Mark turned his attentions to film scoring and commercials. He was also head of A&R (artists & repertoire) for United Artists Records
United Artists Records
United Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
in the 70s. Keith Allison departed in April 1975, to be replaced by current Raider bassist Ron Foos."
Country music was the choice of former guitarist Freddy Weller
Freddy Weller
Freddy Weller is a United States country music singer-songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia. His recording career started in 1969, while he was playing guitar in the band Paul Revere & The Raiders....
, who had much success on the country charts before, starting with his country version of Joe South
Joe South
Joe South is a multi-talented American singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Career:...
's "Games People Play" in 1969 reaching #2 on the country charts as well as recording albums (his first two solo albums were produced by Mark Lindsay), and Top 10 singles on the country singles charts such as his covers of Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
's "Promised Land", The Cowsills
The Cowsills
The Cowsills are an American singing group from Newport, Rhode Island. They specialized in harmonies and the ability to sing and play music at an early age. The band was formed in the spring of 1965 by brothers Bill, Bob, and Barry, then shortly thereafter added John...
' "Indian Lake", as well as "These Are Not My People" and "Another Night of Love" for Columbia during this time while with the Raiders, as well as after leaving the Raiders (Freddy's stint was 1967-1973).
In a memorable event, Revere married for the second time on the 4th of July, Bicentennial Year 1976 on stage at a Raiders show ." Revere announced his retirement from the music business at the end of 1976, but was back on the road by 1978 with a new cast of Raiders. Along with guitarist Doug Heath, Revere linked in this period with a group called "Louie Fontaine & The Rockets", and went on the road with them as "Paul Revere & The Raiders", featuring Blair Hill ("Louie Fontaine") as lead vocalist. This configuration even appeared as "Paul Revere's Raiders" without Paul, for awhile in 1978.
The quintet of Paul Revere, Mark Lindsay
Mark Lindsay
Mark Lindsay is an American musician, best known as the singer for the group Paul Revere & the Raiders.-Biography:Lindsay was born in Eugene, Oregon and was the second of eight children...
, Drake Levin
Drake Levin
Drake Maxwell Levinshefski was an American musician who performed under the stage name Drake Levin. He was best known as the guitarist for Paul Revere & the Raiders....
, Phil Volk
Phil Volk
Phil "Fang" Volk is an American musician, singer, song writer, band leader, record producer, and arranger...
and Mike Smith reunited for Dick Clark on national television in 1979 and performed a medley of their biggest hits. The same year "Indian Reservation" was covered by the German group Orlando Riva Sound
Orlando Riva Sound
Orlando Riva Sound was a German eurodisco group founded in 1977 by Anthony Monn and Rainer Pietsch.Their first success was in 1977 with the song "Moon Boots", a mostly instrumental piece. Soon after the group's founding, they added Sophia Reaney as a singer/dancer...
.
The 1980s to 2009
The punk rockPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
eras would see a wave of interest in the Raiders' music; "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone
(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone
" Steppin' Stone" is a rock song by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. It was first recorded by Paul Revere & the Raiders and appeared on their 1966 album Midnight Ride....
" was covered by The Sex Pistols, Minor Threat
Minor Threat
Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1980 and disbanded in 1983. The band was relatively short-lived, but had a strong influence on the hardcore punk music scene, both stylistically and in establishing a "do it yourself" ethic for music distribution and...
, and Liverpool band The Farm
The Farm (band)
The Farm were a British band from Liverpool, popular through the early 1990s. Their album Spartacus reached the top position on the UK Albums Chart when it was released in March, 1991.-History:They formed in early 1983....
(although The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
' cover version was better known than the Raiders' original), and later "Just Like Me" would be covered by The Circle Jerks, Joan Jett
Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
and Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar is an American singer and four-time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success particularly in the United States...
. David Bowie covered "Louie, Go Home" and The Who took that song and changed the title and lyrics to "Lubie, Go Home". "Hungry" was also covered by Sammy Hagar
Sammy Hagar
Sam Roy "Sammy" Hagar , also known as The Red Rocker, is an American rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Also sings Country Music....
and the new waver David Edwards did a cover of "Kicks." The Flamin' Groovies tackled three Raiders songs ("Him or Me, What's it Gonna Be?", "Sometimes" and "Ups and Downs") and The Morrells did a country-tinged arrangement of "Ups and Downs" as well. The Paisley Underground
Paisley Underground
Paisley Underground is an early genre of alternative rock, based primarily in Los Angeles, California, which was at its most popular in the mid-1980s.- History :...
, garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
revival, and grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
movements would all acknowledge the Raiders' influence. "Kicks" was also covered by Mickey Dolenz and Peter Tork
Peter Tork
Peter Tork is an American musician and actor, best known as a member of The Monkees.-Early life:Tork was born Peter Halsten Thorkelson in Washington, D.C.. Although he was born in 1942, many news articles report him as born in 1944 in New York City as this was the date and place given on early...
of the Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
as one of three new recordings included on their 1986 compilation Then & Now... The Best of The Monkees.
Revere continued with a relatively stable lineup through the 80's and 90's, featuring longtime members Omar Martinez (drums and vocals since 1972), Doug Heath (guitarist for the Raiders since 1973), and Ron Foos (Allison's replacement in 1975). Occasional new record releases included the self-produced "Special Edition" in 1983, with Michael Bradley
Michael Bradley (singer)
- Life :Michael Bradley was formerly the lead singer for the American rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders. He is also known among anime fans as a composer and singer for Robotech.- Biography :...
on vocals, and "Paul Revere Rides Again", released in 1983 through Radio Shack stores. They also recorded a home video for MCA Universal in 1996 titled "The Last Madman of Rock 'N' Roll". Revere's son Jamie joined the band on guitar for several years in the 90's (featured on "Generic Rock & Roll" (1992) and "Generic Rock 2" (1996). In 2001, the Raiders released "Ride to the Wall", featuring several new songs, along with their versions of 60's hits, with proceeds going to help veterans of the Vietnam War. They performed at Rolling Thunder's Memorial Day event in Washington D.C. in 2001 for POW-MIA's of the Vietnam era. A steady touring schedule kept Paul and his "new Raiders" in the public eye. Keith Allison, who played in the Raiders from 1968 to 1975, has since gone into acting, and appeared in the film Gods and Generals
Gods and Generals (film)
Gods and Generals is a 2003 American film based on the novel Gods and Generals by Jeffrey Shaara. It depicts events that take place prior to those shown in the 1993 film Gettysburg, which was based on The Killer Angels, a novel by Shaara's father, Michael...
.
On September 19, 1997, the group's classic 1966 Midnight Ride
Midnight Ride (album)
Midnight Ride is the fifth studio album by American pop rock group Paul Revere & the Raiders. Produced by Terry Melcher and released in May 1966, the album featured the U.S. top five single "Kicks."...
lineup (singer Mark Lindsay, guitarist Drake Levin, bassist Phil "Fang" Volk and drummer Mike "Smitty" Smith) reunited in full costume (though without Revere himself) for a 30th anniversary performance in Portland.
In 2000 Sundazed Records released a two CD package entitled Mojo Workout that focused on the R&B and soul sounds from early in the Raiders' Columbia career.
On October 13, 2007 Paul Revere & the Raiders were officially inducted, along with their Manager Roger Hart, into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame
Oregon Music Hall of Fame
The Oregon Music Hall of Fame is an award honoring musicians from the U.S. state of Oregon. The first induction ceremony took place on October 13, 2007.-History:...
. In attendance were Mark Lindsay, Phil "Fang" Volk, and Roger Hart to accept their awards.
In 2010 Paul Revere & the Raiders were inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Where are the former Raiders now?
Original bassist Phil "Fang" Volk currently tours with his own band, "Fang and the Gang". Since 1967, he's been married to "Where The Action Is" regular Tina Mason.After leaving the Raiders in 1967, Jim Valley continued to perform and hone his songwriting skills in a variety of acts. In the early 1980s he was encouraged by educational professionals to use his musical talent to help inspire school kids. He is now an acclaimed and award-winning children's music artist and educator, traveling the world as an emissary of the "Rainbow Planet". Now living back in his native Pacific Northwest, Valley also continues to write and record his own albums.
Joe Correro Jr., the Raiders' drummer from 1967–1971, currently performs as part of the Los Angeles-based Richard Sherman Trio jazz combo.
Bassist Mike "Doc" Holiday and guitarist/bassist Charlie Coe made a special guest appearance with Mark Lindsay at a show in Boise, Idaho in 1996. They both still reside in Idaho.
Carlo "Carl" Driggs, Paul Revere & The Raiders' longest-serving lead singer (a 20-year-plus span), was formerly lead vocalist for Kracker
Kracker
Kracker were an American rock band active in the 1970s.-Biography:The band was originally formed in South Florida in 1970, but moved to Chicago in April 1971, where they were introduced to producer Jimmy Miller. With Miller, they recorded their first album, La Familia, which was released on ABC...
, a band that toured Europe as an opening act for (and had their albums distributed outside America by) The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
. He followed this with his tenure in the Latin/disco group Foxy
Foxy (band)
Foxy is a Latin Dance/disco group formed in 1976 in Miami, Florida.The group consisted of vocalist-guitarist Ish "Angel" Ledesma , percussionist Richard "Richie" Puente, keyboardist Charlie Murciano, bass guitarist Arnold Paseiro and drummer Joe Galdo...
, who scored a number one hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart (#9 on Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
) with "Get Off
Get Off
"Get Off" was a hit song by Miami based Latin/disco band Foxy in 1978. Released from their LP of the same name, the song became a crossover hit. It spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart during the fall of that year and also peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot...
", whch was co-written by Driggs.
Righteous Brothers Bill Medley
Bill Medley
William Thomas Medley is an American singer and songwriter, best known as one half of The Righteous Brothers....
's son, Darrin Medley, also sang and performed with Paul Revere & the Raiders.
After ending his second stint with The Raiders in 1972, drummer Mike "Smitty" Smith moved to Kona, Hawaii and continued performing for several groups in that region. Smith died of natural causes on March 6, 2001, three weeks before his 59th birthday.
Guitarist Drake Levin became an accomplished blues guitarist, playing in and forming numerous groups in the San Francisco Bay Area. On July 4, 2009, Levin died at his home in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
after a long battle with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. He was 62.
Current members
- The current lead singer for the group is Darren Dowler.
- Guitarist for over 37 years is Doug Heath from Seattle.
- Bassist Ron Foos has been with the band 36 plus years.
- Danny Krause has performed as the Raiders' keyboard player for 31 years.
- Drummer Tommy Scheckel is the newest member of the band. Formerly with The Buckinghams for 27 years.
Former members
- Mark Lindsay (vocals/saxophone/songwriter/producer) 1958-1975
- Robert White (guitar) 1958-1961
- Richard White (guitar) 1958-1961
- William Hibbard (bass guitar) 1958-1961
- Dick McGarvin (drums) 1958
- Red Hughes (vocals) 1958
- David Bell (drums) 1958-1959
- Jerry Labrum (drums) 1959-1961
- Andrea Loper (vocals) 1960
- Mike "Smitty" Smith (drums) 1962-1967; 1971-1972
- Ross Allemang (bass guitar) 1962-1963
- Steve West (lead guitar) 1962
- Dick Walker (lead guitar) 1962-1963
- Charlie Coe (lead guitar) 1963; (bass guitar) 1967-1968
- Drake "Kid" Levin (lead guitar) 1963-1966; 1967
- Mike "Doc" Holliday (bass guitar) 1963-1965
- Phil "Fang" Volk (bass guitar) 1965-1967
- Jim "Harpo" Valley (lead guitar) 1966-1967
- Freddy Weller (lead guitar) 1967-1973
- Joe Correro, Jr. (drums) 1967-1971
- Keith Allison (bass guitar/songwriter) 1968-1975
- Omar Martinez (drums/vocals) 1971-2007
- Robert Wooley (keyboards) 1972-1977
- Blair Hill (vocals) 1978-1980
- Michael Bradley (vocals) 1980-1983
- Carlo Driggs (vocals) 1983-2004
- Jamie Revere (guitars) 1990-1997
Paul Revere & The Raiders are currently (2011) on tour.
Discography
- 1961: Like, Long Hair
- 1963: Paul Revere & the Raiders
- 1965: Here They Come!
- 1966: Just Like Us!Just Like Us!Just Like Us! is the fourth studio album by American pop rock group Paul Revere & the Raiders. Produced by Terry Melcher and released on January 3, 1966 by Columbia Records, it featured the U.S. hit single "Just Like Me"...
- 1966: Midnight RideMidnight Ride (album)Midnight Ride is the fifth studio album by American pop rock group Paul Revere & the Raiders. Produced by Terry Melcher and released in May 1966, the album featured the U.S. top five single "Kicks."...
- 1966: The Spirit of '67
- 1967: Revolution!Revolution!Revolution! is the seventh studio album by American pop rock group Paul Revere & the Raiders. Produced by Terry Melcher and released in 1967, it reached number 25 on the U.S. albums chart and yielded two top 40 singles...
- 1967: A Christmas Present...And Past
- 1967: Greatest Hits
- 1968: Goin' to MemphisGoin' to MemphisGoin' to Memphis is the eighth studio album by American pop rock group Paul Revere & the Raiders. Produced by Terry Melcher and Chips Moman, it was released in 1968 and reached number 61 on the U.S...
- 1968: Something Happening
- 1969: Hard 'N' Heavy (with Marshmallow)
- 1969: Alias Pink Puzz
- 1970: Collage
- 1971: Indian Reservation
- 1972: Country Wine
- 1972: All-Time Greatest Hits
- 1982: Special Edition
- 1983: The Great Raider Reunion
- 1983: Paul Revere Rides Again
- 1985: Generic Rock & Roll
- 1992: Generic Rock & Roll (aka Live NOT)
- 1996: Generic Rock 2 (aka Live NOT)
- 2000: Time Flies When You're Having Fun
- 2001: Ride to the Wall
- 2005: Ride to the Wall 2
- 2010: The Complete Columbia Singles
External links
- Official website of Paul Revere & The Raiders
- Paul Revere & The Raiders at FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Paul Revere & The Raiders at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Ride To The Wall Paul Revere's Foundation assisting Vets
- Ride To The Wall MySpace at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Paul Revere & the Raiders Discography at Musicmatch
- Mark Lindsay's home page
- Barber & Associates' write-up on Lindsay and how he came to join Paul Revere and the Raiders
- Paul Revere and the Raiders: The Way They Were
- Michael Bradley's home page
- Phil Volk's website
- Jim Valley's website
- Jim Valley's Rainbow Planet