MITCH RYDER AND THE DETROIT WHEELS/TAKE A RIDE SL 10178 (-66) UK MONO

Detroit club act discovered by producer Bob Crewe 1965 and signed to his DynoVoice Records. Before the original combo started to dissolve 1968 they released three original albums and had three top ten '45:s on Billboard. Vocalist Mitch Ryder also issued a number of singles and a solo LP during the same period, in some cases backed by the band, but this was their mutual credit debute album. Three of the songs written by (or for) the band, the rest covers. It's top garage all the way - a bunch of hungry young guys moving their club live act directly to the studio. The best cuts are uptempo with rattling guitars, screamy vocals and nervous backing. There's also a couple of calmer numbers, but all performed with the same do-or-die feeling. No doubt one of the starting points for the dirty, messy high-power rock'n'roll that would be seen as typical for Detroit and played by bands like Stooges, MC5 and Frijid Pink three years later. Favorite tracks - "Shake A Tail Feather", "Jenny Take A Ride" and "Baby Jane (Mo-Mo- Jane)". Premiere US on New Voice Records (2000/2000-S). Re-issued by Sundazed on CD 1993 (SC 6007) and vinyl 2003 (LP 5086). UK first had label as shown here, thick vinyl and laminated flip/back cover. (ÖGÄ*)