Thursday, March 31, 2011

Forgotten Music: The Viceroys at Granny's Pad


Back in the Pre-Beatle age, Northwest bands like The Wailers (I'm talkin' the real Wailers here, not the great Jamaican copycats) and the Ventures fused elements of jazz and R&B to create a new brand of instrumental  rock. The Wailers evolved into a bitchin' garage band in the 60s, and the Ventures evolved into, well . . . the Ventures.

But there were other fine groups playing the field, and one of the best was The Viceroys (and yeah, I'm talkin' the real Viceroys, not those other Jamaican copycats).

At the time, and for many years after, the area's top dj was Pat O'Day of KJR in Seattle. O'Day had a crotchety character on his show called Granny Peters, so when the Viceroys released their first single, they were inspired to name it after Granny. If this was a ploy to get more air time, it worked, and "Granny's Pad" became a huge Northwest hit.

Far as I know, The Viceroys at Granny's Pad was the group's only LP. They continued releasing singles for several years, and the whole shebang is now available on the CD shown at right. Viceroys guitar player and sometime singer Jim Valley (front and center, above) later joined Portland band Don and the Goodtimes, and later still was drafted into the big leagues by ex-Portland band Paul Revere and the Raiders, who had become TV stars on Where the Action Is. Saxophone player Kerry Eggers joined The Wailers when they reformed in the 90s as The Fabulous Wailers.

But you don't need to know all that. All you need to know is that these were some very hep cats. Fire up the tunes below and see for yourself.

GRANNY'S PAD


GET SET


SACK O' WOE


Forgotten Music is a monthly groovefest hosted by Mr. Scott Parker. See more of this month's entries HERE.

6 comments:

  1. I love THE VICEROYS! I wonder if Keith Laumer knew about BOLO Records?

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  2. Great post, love the Bolo label design.

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  3. I remember The Viceroys, I always thought their music has a certain amount of surf music sound to it. Then of course the Wailers did "Surf Beat".

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  4. You know, I've barely listened to the Viceroys closely, and I always appreciate a bit of jazz flavor added to rock music (less enthralled by some of the duller experimentation going the other way).

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  5. Alas, Pat O'Day is now doing commercials for Schick Shadel hospitals, an alcoholics' rehab joint. He was also a client there at one time.

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  6. I heard old Pat touting some other procuct on the radio here in Portland. Good to know he still has his voice, and is keeping busy.

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