Неизвестные 60-е. Часть 25. Группа The Standells

Formed in Los Angeles in 1962, by Larry Tamblyn and Tony Valentino, they started life as a twist type discotheque group as Larry Tamblyn and The Standells, but soon became an archetypal punk band. Ed Cobb wrote much of their classic material and ensured that their lyrics articulated the resentments of America's youth against their parents and society. They are perhaps best known for the classic punk rock single Dirty Water, their first single for Tower, which Cobb had written about the Charles river in Boston.

Larry Tamblyn recalls:- "Although Ed Cobb did write much of the material, a few of the more memorable songs were written by members of the band such as Mr. Nobody (Larry Tamblyn), Riot On Sunset Strip (Tony Valentino / John Fleck) and Why Did You Hurt Me (Tony Valentino). The Standells had written and recorded material similar to Dirty Water before Ed Cobb (eg Help Yourself from the Live At PJ's album and Big Boss Man from the VJ recording). When Ed Cobb presented Dirty Water to us, it was not much more than an R&B song. He asked us to record it with the agreement we could arrange it. Tony V. came up with the famous guitar riff. Dick D. created the chant in the beginning "I'm going to tell you a story..." so it was more like a combined effort. Later, Mr. Cobb took over more and more control, until we no longer sounded like The Standells. Eventually, we were not even allowed to play on our own songs. He was trying to take us in a direction of a White Soul sound (evident in the departure of our sound on Can't Help But Love You). It was for this reason, we decided to part company with Cobb."

Prior to their association with Cobb, the band had recorded a 45 on Linda in 1964 as Larry Tamblyn and The Standells, three singles and an album for Liberty and a 45 for MGM who also included two tracks from their first album on the Soundtrack to Get Yourself A College Girl (MGM SE 4273) in 1965.

After two 45s for Vee Jay, produced by Sonny Bono (The Boy Next Door and Don't Say Goodbye) the band met Cobb. He was sufficiently impressed with them to have them signed to Tower and Dirty Water, released in November 1965, became a smash hit. The Dirty Water album was also strong, providing another hit single, Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White, which was issued in June 1966. It was full of strong tracks like Medication, There Is A Storm Comin' and some good covers such as Hey Joe and 19th Nervous Breakdown.

The Standells never equalled this commercial success again. The Why Pick On Me album sold quite well and included a track Have You Ever Spent The Night In Jail? which was apparently written from Cobb's experience whilst in Texas.

The Hot Ones! is best avoided, consisting as it does of cover versions of other artists' classic hits like Sunny Aftemoon, Wild Thing and Eleanor Rigby. It flopped badly when it was released in November 1966, and according to the band was recorded only because of Cobb's and Greengrass Production's insistence that they do so.

Later, in 1967, they attracted more attention when Try It was banned because it was alleged to have disgusting lyrics. This was a real injustice because a cover version of the song by Ohio Express in 1968 wasn't. Yet, despite this, the release of their next single Don't Tell Me What To Do with their name spelt backwards as a publicity-seeking gimmick and the inclusion of two tracks, Riot On Sunset Strip and Get Away From Her, on the soundtrack to Riot On Sunset Strip, they never quite achieved their early promise.

Larry:- "Try It we loved and considered closer to the true Standells sound. Can't Help Love You was our next release, which saw Cobb trying to move the sound more towards white soul. Don't Tell Me What To Do, Riot On Sunset Strip and Get Away From Here (from the movie Riot On Sunset Strip) were all recorded and released earlier."

Keen to write and perform their own material, but frustrated by Cobb's increasing manipulation of the band, their association with him ended in 1968 and they split up later that year.

In their latter days it's been reported that they co-opted old friend Joey Stec of Millennium, first as a co-writer, later as a full member, but Larry disagrees:- "I don't recall Joey Stec. As far as I know, he was not a member of The Standells."

Prior to replacing Gary 'Walker' Leeds in The Standells, Dodd was "resting" from being an original Mouseketeer/Blues Magoo. He later recorded an unsuccessful solo album, The First Evolution Of Dick Dodd (Tower ST 5142) in April 1968 and later played for Joshua.

After Dick Dodd's departure, Lowell George (from The Factory) was recruited, but the band split soon afterwards, reforming again later without Lowell. Dewey Martin also substituted for Dick Dodd for four months.

Larry Tamblyn, who was the brother of Russ Tamblyn, also made three singles for Faro prior to forming The Standells and released a 45 Summer Clothes Pts 1 & 2 (Sunburst) after their demise in 1968. Larry:- "Summer Clothes (Side One, vocal by Larry Tamblyn; Side 2 Instumental) was actually performed by The Standells and produced by Ed Cobb. But like Don't Tell Me What To Do, it was so different from the group's sound, that it was credited as 'Larry'."

Of the other members, Gary Leeds left the band prior to the recording of the Live At PJ's album and had a brief spell with The Walker Brothers before forming Gary Walker and The Rain. Dave Burke was previously bassist with The Tropics, from Tampa and went on to join Indian Puddin' and Pipe.