(WWW.BEATROCKET.COM, 2020)
GUEST REVIEW BY GENTLEMAN JOHN BATTLES
Before Jon Spencer, before Jeffrey Evans, even before Hound Dog Taylor had an album out, The Groupies were trashing out the for real Punk Blues. This is a real rarity, a live soundboard recording of an original 60s Garage band. The album opens with both sides of the seminal 45 released by the band on Atco. ''Primitive" lives up to it's name, it's "smokestack lightning" doused in Clearasil. No wonder The Cramps made little alterations when they covered it 40 years ago. Unfortunately, there exists a slightly longer version of the song, but it doesn't appear here. The flipside "Hog (I'm a Hog for You Baby)" is a stompin' Stonesy take on The Coasters' classic. It's as wigged out as Screaming Lord Sutch's version. From there, we go to the live show, compered by Kim Fowley. Singer Cooker, delivers some of the most gut wrenchingly snotty, adenoidal vocals, comparable to Jimy Sohns of The Shadows of Knight, but, more demented. The whole band is full of bile, piss and vinegar, as they put their own stamp on the works of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Bo Diddley.Their Blues chops are commendable, without losing a hint of raunch. They even get funky at times, like Tony Joe White on steroids. The guitar sound owes a lot to the great Hubert Sumlin, but still reeks of teen spirit. Even the obligatory "Gloria" takes on new life, here. The Groupies were hatched in New York and moved R&B like Them or The Pretty things, this set is made just for you. Plus, it was pressed on translucent green vinyl. "Primitive, that's how I live.” The Groupies walked it like they talked it.
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