Why Paul Revere and the Raiders Really Mattered
Posted on November 1, 2014 by bob in Features
Paul Revere and the Raiders
by Willie Moseley
Many historians have pronounced the Sixties to have been one of the most turbulent decades in American history. Many Baby Boomers who came of age in that era would probably agree with such as assessment, as the nation underwent profound changes. Many Sixties teens closely observed—or participated in—numerous sociological changes, as fueled by the original Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam, the Space Race, and other historical trends and events.
The Raiders with Dick Clark.
But for all of the growing pains that accompanied such times, one sure way to alleviate such angst in the middle of the decade was to check out “Where The Action Is”, a Dick Clark-produced, weekday afternoon television show that debuted in 1965. The theme song was proffered by Freddy Cannon, and in addition to cover versions of hit songs being warbled by Steve Alaimo, Tina Mason, and others, the “house band” for the show also did its own (usually manic and/or goofy) versions of contemporary hits.
“We were the Marx Brothers of rock and roll,” Drake Levin, guitarist for the “classic” lineup of Paul Revere & the Raiders, recalled shortly before his death in 2009.
In addition to Levin, the lineup of the good-time rock aggregation that greeted viewers every weekday afternoon consisted of Paul Revere (keyboards), Phil “Fang” Volk (bass), Mike “Smitty” Smith (drums), and ponytailed singer/heartthrob Mark Lindsey.
Big BAM Show, Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery, circa 1960s. The Raiders march across the stage carrying a ladder, as surfer duo Jan and Dean perform. The Raiders were well known for playing pranks on other musicians.
Many Central Alabama Boomers will, of course, also recall the Raiders from more than one legendary “Big Bam Show”, which were caravan-type concerts staged at the State Coliseum in northeast Montgomery. Other favorites in such times included Lou Christie and dozens of other singers and bands. And Levin’s Marx Brothers analogy is on the money, as the Raiders’ claim to fame, as purveyed on a regular basis on “Where The Action Is”, was a plethora of slapstick routines, replete with comic antics and choreography.
While such presentations were played for laughs, the band members also made it obvious that they could support themselves with solid musical chops. The Raiders often performed in Revolutionary War outfits, and their schtick usually featured coordinated dance steps by Drake and Fang, and an occasional drum freakout by Smitty.
Visual mayhem aside, Paul Revere & the Raiders validated their musical worth by racking up sixteen Top 40 singles and seven gold albums. Raiders hits such as the four-chord stomp “Just Like Me”, “Hungry”, “Steppin’ Out”, and “Kicks” (an early anti-drug song, according to Volk) still hold up decades after they charted. What’s more, Volk emphasized that the Raiders and one other American combo were the frontline participants in the musical battle against the original British Invasion bands.
“There were only two American rock and roll bands that were making it big during the mid-Sixties British Invasion—the Beach Boys and Paul Revere & the Raiders,” Fang recalled. “That’s when the Raiders racked up most of their hit records, nearly as many as the Beach Boys, from 1965 to ’67.”
Turn about, fair play. During the same Big BAM Show, fellow performers Jan and Dean carry the same ladder across the stage behind the Raiders.
The classic lineup of the Raiders eventually splintered, but the former members carried on in various musical projects over the years. Lindsey still tours on occasion, and Volk, who has been married to former “Where The Action Is” chanteuse Tina Mason for over forty years, lives in Las Vegas and still records and performs.
While the personnel of Paul Revere & the Raiders underwent further changes, its founder soldiered on (pun intended), and several subsequent band members stayed with Revere for decades. The most recent aggregation proffered tightly-crafted music, often presented in a wacko manner, and could be found on the oldies/classic rock circuit. PR & TR had also begun making regular appearances in…why is this not surprising…Branson, Missouri.
Revere died on Oct. 4 at the age of 76. Plans had been in the works for a tour later this fall.
Smitty had succumbed to cancer in 2001, and Levin, who had settled into a blues career in San Francisco, battled a malignancy for almost two decades before crossing the way on July 4, 2009.
Contemplating the band’s role in the history of popular music shortly before he passed away, Levin seemed to have spoken for the entire classic lineup of the unique American band that was at the forefront of popular music in the mid-Sixties.
“Paul Revere and the Raiders blazed a trail on TV that allowed other rock bands to succeed,” Levin reflected. “If it hadn’t have been for the Raiders showing the power of television, many bands wouldn’t have gotten national exposure, and there wouldn’t have been shows like “Midnight Special”. Because of that exposure, many bands became icons. The Raiders showed the way, and hold the record for television appearances in the ‘60s, with over 750 airings.”
Most Sixties teens who faithfully watched “Where The Action Is” almost 50 years ago would probably agree with Levin’s pronouncement.
