1.28.2008

The Trashmen: The Great Lost Trashmen Album! (recorded 64-66)


Band Info (Am.)
A Minneapolis rock & roll band, they evolved from Jim Thaxter & the Travelers, recording one single under that name ("Sally Jo"/"Cyclone"). The group comprises Tony Andreason (lead guitar), Dan Winslow (guitar/ vocals), Bob Reed (bass), and Steve Wahrer (drums/vocals). Unfairly depicted as a novelty act, the Trashmen were in actuality a top-notch rock & roll combo, enormously popular on the teen-club circuit, playing primarily surf music to a landlocked Minnesota audience. Drummer Steve Wahrer combined two songs by the Rivingtons ("The Bird's the Word" and "Pa Pa Ooh Mow Mow"), added freakish vocal effects and a pounding rhythm to the mix, and, by early 1964, the group was in the Top Ten nationwide with "Surfin' Bird." Though the group continued to release great follow-up singles and an excellent album, their moment in the sun had come and gone; they disbanded by late 1967/early 1968. They re-formed in the mid-'80s and continued to play locally until Wahrer's death. The Trashmen are revered by '60s collectors as one of the great American teen-band combos of all time, their lone hit exemplifying wild, unabashed rock & roll at its most demented, bare-bones-basic, lone-E-chord finest.

ALBUM REVIEW (am.)

Recorded in March 1964 and January/July 1966, The Great Lost Trashmen Album! was the supposed second release from those Minneapolis hodads who gave the world "Surfin' Bird." The material finds the Trashmen heading toward Beatles territory on the 1966 sessions, especially on "Talk About Love" (featuring Farfisa organ) and Buddy Holly's tune "Heartbeat." There's also plenty of amazing surf instrumentals and vocal tracks comparable to "Kuk," with cool gremmie/hot-dogging/kowabunga lyrics. "Think It Over" would have made an excellent inclusion in one of those AIP beach party movies of the early '60s. Needless to say, if you have any interest in surf music beyond the Beach Boys, buy this Sundazed disc immediately!

TRASHMEN ... ALSO ONE OF MY FAVOURITE,yeahh... AMAZING !

LINK: BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL !

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

thanks for this gem

John Trashe

http://trashsistors.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Thanks a lot.
Greetings from Athens Greece!

Sundazed said...

Please remove this an all other Sundazed titles from your blog. These are still in print with us and active in our catalog. Thank you!