Alright. It's that time again. I'm bored, and ready to rock in the garage. So here's another compilation, this time a true-blue classic. I'll be looking at the CD reissue, though you can find the original and reissued vinyl out there if you look hard enough.
Friday at the Hideout
The Hideout was a club in Detroit during it's musical apex, the 1960's, when garage rockers roamed the streets, and Motown Records began to impact the world of music with hit after hit. Of course, being a dance hall, The Hideout became infamous for hosting the most fun and exciting live acts around, focusing on a rock 'n roll atmosphere. During the height of The Hideout's fame, they cut a record compiling some of their current class acts, and that record became the cult classic "Friday at the Hideout". Not only did this album serve as a gateway to the world of Garage Rock for many curious vinyl collectors that found it in thrift shops and antique stores, it also helped to start the musical careers of people such as Bob Seger, Glenn Frey and Suzi Quatro back in the day. So, without further ado, let's get started...
1. The Underdogs - "Friday at the Hideout" - The signature song of The Hideout, as well as the song for which this album is named, it was apparently penned by the owner of the club. With a solid and quick drum beat, this track dares you to get up and dance! It's surely a fun song, but I think the echo effect on the singer's voice is a bit out of place; I wonder if the song would have benefited from it's removal.
2. Doug Brown and the Omens - "Thank Goodness It's Friday" - Right off the bat, the drums hit hard! A steady rocker with signs of the early funk sound. The singer is very talented, but I think he and the keyboardist kind of overdo it with this one.
3. Four of Us - "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" - Nice harmonic 1960's pop rock, the weakest part of this song is it's uneventful nature. It just doesn't stand out when compared to other pop-rock songs of the era, and seems out of place between tracks two and four, though I suppose it serves the purpose of alternating the mood between soft and heavy.
4. The Pleasure Seekers - "What a Way to Die" - One of the wildest songs put out by an all-girl garage band back in the day! Rough, heavy, and punctuated with awesome shouts and screams, this track is about a lady who gets crazy when she drinks, and is sure to please the rocker in you! As a fun bit of trivia, the lead singer of this song is Suzi Quatro, who went on to top the English music charts.
The Pleasure Seekers!
5. The Underdogs - "Don't Pretend" - With the classic go-go drum beat, paired with an electric organ and vocal harmonics, you really can't go wrong. Still, this song sounds a bit bare when compared to some of The Underdog's other tracks. Also, rather than have a fairly clean song punctuated with a fuzzy solo which was pretty much the norm back then, this song opts to do the opposite, being very fuzzy throughout with a clean and un-distorted solo.
6. T.R. and the Yardsmen - "I Tried" - Honestly, this song raises the bar for the others. It isn't perfect, but it just has a way of staying interesting and fresh throughout. With a fun vocal part (backed up with kind of sloppy harmonics during the chorus), a driving drum beat, and a tempo change, they really manage to mix things up. The guitar solo works well with a bit of a Rockabilly sound to it, and it's followed by a nice keyboard solo. This is one of those songs that has that done-in-one-take sound to it, being perfectly imperfect.
7. The Underdogs - "The Man in the Glass" - The Underdogs return again, this time playing a song about the introspection one has when they look into the mirror. It's a little more exciting and engaging than their last track, and has a fun vocal break at the end.
8. The Henchmen - "Livin'" - Based around a short but sweet guitar riff (like so many songs from the era), this track is an effective rocker. The solo is particularly fun, having a drum break and scream just before it, and it's not hard to find yourself dancing or playing an air guitar during it. The singer is good, but I think they were a bit out of their element in a Garage song.
9. Doug Brown and the Omens - "Youth and Experience" - Here come the Omens again, with their early funk-rock sound. Honestly, their singer reminds me of funk/prog vocalists from the 1970's. This song (Which has a tambourine! Hooray!) is about a man who is young, and can do anything he wants, including running for U.S. Senate (I think it's about an actual person. Bob Griffin?). It's a good song, if a bit tacky for it's advertising nature. "Get out and vote for 'em! He's what Michigan needs!" Taking a page out of Tommy James' book, eh?
Doug Brown and the Omens
10. The Underdogs - "Get Down on your Knees" - By far the most exciting track by The Underdogs, this song was apparently co-written by Bob Seger, who played/produced/wrote a whole mess of music for The Hideout. It does everything a good rocker should, including making you want to get up and dance! The intro, featuring a guitar riff alongside the keyboard, reminds me of early Heavy Bands like Deep Purple. Anyway, this track is about a man who wants the woman who dumped him to apologize before he'll come back, and has
no other connotations whatsoever.
11. The Pleasure Seekers - "Never Thought You'd Leave Me" - Kind of a surf-pop song about the heartbreak of a bad breakup. Though fun and solid, it lacks the energy of The Pleasure Seeker's previous offering. Still, this one is more smooth, and should appeal to lovers of 1960's pop-rock.
12. Four of Us - "You're Gonna Be Mine" - Any song that starts with the "Wipeout" drum roll is alright in my book! This one sounds like what would happen if Brian Wilson got drunk and recorded a sappy song about a man who pursues the woman who rejected him. I'll let you take that as you will.
13. The Underdogs - "Little Girl" - Right off the bat, this one hits you with a haunted house-esque organ number. Obviously going for the slower/haunting feel, this one sounds like something out of a cheesy drive-in flick about surfin'. The singer is backed up during the chorus by a Beach Boy-esque high octave vocalist, and it works fairly well.
14. Torquays - "Shake a Tail Feather" - With a tambourine, an electric organ, rolling drums and guitar work, as well as a scream here and there, you've got all the tools of the trade here. The guitar break leads into a short harmony, ala "Twist and Shout". Although it doesn't stand out too much, I actually really like this one!
15. Henchmen - "Please Tell Me" - Similar to track 13, this is another slow track that goes for a haunting impact rather than a high speed energy. Probably worked well as a nice cool down song, to give the audience a chance to slow-dance with their partners.
16. Mushrooms - "Burned" - Another track that Seger had a hand in (he wrote it), it certainly has a definitive sound to it. Personally, I think it sounds a bit like an early Rolling Stones or Beatles number. It has that beat music mixed with rock 'n roll feeling to it. Anyway, this number is a nice change of pace, being fast yet light.
17. The Underdogs - "Surprise Surprise" - Their last song on the album, The Underdogs sound positively like the Shadows of Knight on this one, not to mention that the singer has a definite Mick Jagger influence to his voice. This one is very simple instrument-wise, being driven along almost solely by the vocals and drums.
The Underdogs
18. Four of Us - "Baby Blue" - My least favorite track of the album. While it isn't horrible, it simply just doesn't work right. The vocals and harmonies are too echo-y and don't mix well, and the basic tune doesn't stand out as particularly interesting. After saying that this may come off as an insult, but this sounds like it was originally a Rolling Stones number. It has that feeling to it. Anyway, this number just sounds like an uninspired cover, even if it is an original.
19 - Four of Us - "Batman" - Obviously a tribute to the Adam West era of Batman, this is a groovy instrumental in the surf rock tradition of twangy guitars and no vocals (reminds me of The Ventures). It's short but sweet, although there isn't anything very remarkable about it.
20 - Doug Brown and the Omens - "Norwest Lounge Radio Spot" - Another funky advertisement song by The Omens, this one sounds a bit like an early Motown number. I have nothing good or bad to say about this one! It simply is what it is!
21 - The Fugitives - "Friday at the Hideout" - And you're played out with the same song the album introduced itself with, this time by the first band to play The Hideout, The Fugitives. This number is a fun and raw live track (complete with the voices of the audience). It isn't musically extraordinary, but is amazing in that you can close your eyes and imagine being at The Hideout! This is a case of a song being wonderful simply for the ambiance and the feeling it provides.
A homemade album created by The Fugitives and Dave Leone, the owner of The Hideout
Alright! So, what did you think? Not only is this a fun compilation for Garage Rock fans, it's also of historic significance, being a snapshot of the wild 1960's Detroit scene. This is a classic album, and you're certain to like at least one track off of it. However, the main weakness of the album is the lack of variety. With almost every band having multiple tracks (especially The Underdogs having six), and a lack of exposure for underground bands of other genres, it isn't quite as exciting as it could have been. Still, give this one a spin if you ever get the chance!