The Mojo Men | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Also known as | Sly and the Mojo Men, The Mojo, Mojo |
Origin | San Francisco, California, United States |
Genres | |
Years active | 1965–1969 |
Labels | Autumn, Warner Bros/Reprise, GRT Records |
Past members | Jim Alaimo Paul Curcio Don Metchick Bob Carhart Dennis DeCarr (Dennis Potokar) Jan Errico Sly Stone |
The Mojo Men was an American rock band based in San Francisco. Formed in 1965, the group underwent several name and personnel changes until their 1969 breakup. Their highest-charting Billboard Hot 100 single was a cover of Buffalo Springfield's "Sit Down, I Think I Love You", which peaked at number 36 in 1967.
Singer/bassist Jim Alaimo (né James Charles Alamio; 1938–1992), guitarist Paul Curcio, drummer Dennis DeCarr (Potokar), and keyboardist Don Metchick were bandmates in Florida who moved to San Francisco in 1964 to form a new band. [1] There they met Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone, then a record producer at Autumn Records for acts such as The Beau Brummels and The Vejtables. Stewart and the band recorded a few songs under the name Sly and the Mojo Men but Stewart, unsatisfied with the results, chose not to release them. [2] [3] He continued working with the band as a songwriter and producer on "Dance with Me" (1965), the Mojo Men's first song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and "She's My Baby" (1966). [4]
DeCarr (Potokar) left the group in 1966 and was replaced by drummer/vocalist Jan Errico, formerly of the Vejtables. [5] The Mojo Men then moved from Autumn to Reprise Records, where the band's earlier British Invasion-influenced garage rock style evolved into pop/folk rock. [6] In 1967, the band released a Baroque cover version of Buffalo Springfield's "Sit Down, I Think I Love You". Written by Stephen Stills and arranged by Van Dyke Parks, the song became the Mojo Men's first and only top 40 single. [4] [5] Metchick left the band in 1968, and the remaining trio shortened their name to The Mojo, and then just Mojo, before they released their lone studio album, Mojo Magic, on GRT Records. [7] The group disbanded in 1969. [4] [5]
"Sit Down, I Think I Love You" was included on the seminal 1972 Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968 garage rock compilation album. [8] Sundazed Records released three Mojo Men compilation albums between 1995 and 2003, and in 2008 Big Beat Records released the compilation Not Too Old to Start Cryin': The Lost 1966 Masters. The band's single "She's My Baby" was sampled on Kanye West's "Hell of a Life", a song from his 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy . [9]
Curcio founded the Music America Studios in Rochester, New York, and produced Kill 'Em All, Metallica's debut studio album (1983). He died on September 10, 2018, at age 74. [10]
Year | Album details |
---|---|
1968 | Mojo Magic
|
Year | Album details |
---|---|
1995 | Whys Ain't Supposed To Be
|
1995 | Sit Down... It's The Mojo Men
|
2003 | There Goes My Mind
|
2008 | Not Too Old to Start Cryin': The Lost 1966 Masters
|
Year | Song | Peak chart positions | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. Billboard [11] | U.S. Cashbox | CAN [12] | ||||||||||||||||||
1965 | "Off the Hook" | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||
"Dance with Me" | 61 | 98 [13] | 23 | |||||||||||||||||
1966 | "She's My Baby" | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||
1967 | "Sit Down, I Think I Love You" | 36 | 39 [14] | 26 | ||||||||||||||||
"Me About You" | 83 | 93 [15] | 70 | |||||||||||||||||
1968 | "What Ever Happened To Happy" | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||
"New York City" | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
"Should I Cry" | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
"Don't Be Cruel" | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
1969 | "I Can't Let Go" | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||
"Candle to Burn" | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
"Everyday Love" | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
The Shadows of Knight were an American rock band from Chicago, Illinois, that played a version of British blues influenced by their native city. When they began recording in 1965, the band's self-description was "the Stones, Animals and the Yardbirds took the Chicago blues and gave it an English interpretation. We've taken the English version of the Blues and re-added a Chicago touch," to which rock critic Richie Unterberger commented: "The Shadows of Knight's self-description was fairly accurate."
"Mr. Tambourine Man" is a song written by Bob Dylan, released as the first track of the acoustic side of his March 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home. The song's popularity led to Dylan recording it live many times, and it has been included in multiple compilation albums. It has been translated into other languages and has been used or referenced in television shows, films, and books.
The Beau Brummels was an American rock band. Formed in San Francisco in 1964, the band's original lineup included Sal Valentino, Ron Elliott, Ron Meagher, Declan Mulligan, and John Petersen (drums). They were discovered by local disc jockeys who were looking to sign acts to their new label, Autumn Records, where Sylvester Stewart—later known as Sly Stone—produced the group's early recording sessions. Initially, the band's musical style blended beat music and folk music and typically drew comparisons to the Beatles, while their later work incorporated other music genres such as psychedelic rock and country rock.
"A Groovy Kind of Love" is a song written by Toni Wine and Carole Bayer Sager based on a melody by the classical composer Muzio Clementi.
"Good" is a song by American alternative rock band Better Than Ezra. It was released in February 1995 as the first single from their major-label debut album, Deluxe. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, No. 3 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Vejtables were an American rock band from Millbrae, California, United States. They recorded for the Autumn label and found limited success with such songs as "I Still Love You" and a cover version of Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing on My Mind".
"Get Off of My Cloud" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards for a single to follow the successful "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". Recorded in Hollywood, California, in early September 1965, the song was released in September in the United States and October in the United Kingdom. It topped the charts in the US, UK, Canada, and Germany and reached number two in several other countries.
"Refugee" is a song recorded by American rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, was released in January 1980 as the second single from their album Damn the Torpedoes, and peaking at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The song is in compound AABA form.
"Tell Me (You're Coming Back)" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, featured on their 1964 self-titled album (subtitled and often called England's Newest Hit Makers in the US). It became the first A-side single written by Jagger/Richards to be released, although not in the United Kingdom. The single reached number 24 in the United States (becoming their first top 40 hit there) and the top 40 in several other countries.
"You Tell Me Why" is a song by American rock group The Beau Brummels, from the band's second album, The Beau Brummels, Volume 2. The song was written by guitarist Ron Elliott and produced by Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone. "You Tell Me Why" was released as the album's lead single, and peaked at number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1965. The band revisited the song and included it on their 1975 eponymous album. The original version later appeared on the band's 1987 compilation album The Best of The Beau Brummels 1964–1968.
The Beau Brummels were an American rock band that formed in 1964 and originally consisted of singer Sal Valentino, lead guitarist Ron Elliott, bassist Ron Meagher, rhythm guitarist Declan Mulligan and drummer John Petersen. Local radio disc jockeys Tom Donahue and Bobby Mitchell discovered the band at a club near San Francisco. They signed the Beau Brummels to their fledgling Autumn Records label, and their house producer, Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone, recorded the band's early sessions.
"Good Time Music" is a song originally recorded by American pop rock band the Lovin' Spoonful in 1965. Written by John Sebastian, it appeared on the 1966 Elektra Records compilation What's Shakin'. The song has been described as "a sort of manifesto of the group's optimism in its jaunty rhythms and celebration of the return of good time music to the radio."
"Hold On" is a song written and first recorded by the Canadian singer and songwriter Ian Thomas, on his 1981 album The Runner. His version reached No. 28 on the Canadian pop singles chart.
Paul Revere & the Raiders are an American rock band from Boise, Idaho. Formed in 1958, the band released their first hit single three years later, "Like, Long Hair", which reached number 38 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Following a few minor charting singles, including a version of "Louie Louie", the band worked with producer Terry Melcher in updating their sound, combining fast-paced, guitar-and-vocal-dominated rock and roll with an intimidating R&B flavor. The result was a string of commercially successful singles, beginning with 1965's "Steppin' Out" and continuing with "Just Like Me", which reached number 11 on the Hot 100, as well as "Kicks", "Hungry", and "Good Thing", all of which peaked inside the top 10. In addition, the band's three 1966 studio albums—Just Like Us!, Midnight Ride, and The Spirit of '67—were each certified gold in the United States.
"Pushin' Too Hard", originally titled "You're Pushing Too Hard", is a song by American rock group The Seeds, written by vocalist Sky Saxon and produced by Saxon with Marcus Tybalt. It was released as a single in 1965, re-issued the following year, and peaked at number 36 on the Hot 100 in February 1967 and number 44 in Canada in March.
"I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore" is a song written by Pam Sawyer and Laurie Burton in 1965. Originally envisioned to be recorded by a British Invasion artist, the song was extremely well liked by American rock group the Young Rascals, and they subsequently recorded the song and released it as their debut single in November 1965 through Atlantic Records. Though only a marginal hit, reaching number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100, it largely established the band on the American music scene. It has since been included on several albums by the band, including their eponymous debut album, and several compilation albums, including Time Peace: The Rascals' Greatest Hits, on which it was the opening track.
"Because" is a song recorded by English rock band The Dave Clark Five from their third studio album American Tour (1964). Although the writing is credited to Dave Clark and singer Mike Smith, the song was written by Ron Ryan, who also wrote other early hits for the Dave Clark Five. Clark reneged on a deal to pay royalties to Ryan for the songs provided. https://www.facebook.com/groups/317455421648163 is Ron Ryan's FaceBook page, where you can read this in more detail. The song was produced by Adrian Clark, the song was originally the B-side to "Can't You See That She's Mine" in the UK.
"My Little Red Book" (occasionally subtitled "(All I Do Is Talk About You)") is a song composed by American songwriter Burt Bacharach with lyrics by Bacharach's songwriting partner Hal David. The duo were enlisted by Charles K. Feldman to compose the music to Woody Allen's film What's New Pussycat? following a chance meeting between Feldman and Bacharach's fiancé Angie Dickinson in London. "My Little Red Book" was composed in the time of roughly three weeks together with several other songs intended for the movie. Musically, the song was initially composed in the key of C major, largely based on a re-iterating piano riff performed. David's lyrics tells the tale of a distraught lover, who after getting dumped by his girlfriend browses through his "little red book" and taking out several girls to dance in a vain effort to get over her.
"Sit Down, I Think I Love You" is a 1966 song composed by American singer-songwriter Stephen Stills and originally recorded by American-Canadian rock band Buffalo Springfield. A cover version by The Mojo Men was released as a single in 1967 and reached the U.S. Top 40. Also that year, Australian band The Executives charted in their home country with their version of the song.
Jan Errico is a drummer and singer who was a member of two San Francisco rock groups in the 1960s, The Vejtables and The Mojo Men.