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Oriphiel · 12-07-2014, 08:59 AM

The year is 1964, and Sacramento is burning under the shimmering summer sun. Two young sisters, Nancy and Sally Ross, join the ecstatic audience of a live show. The Beach Boys come on stage, and of course the crowd cheers them on. Dancing to the music, people laugh and sing along, spilling beers and bumping into complete strangers. Everyone in the audience is affected by the music; some are inclined to have a good time, others enjoy the sound in introspective silence, while others still bear with a style of music they don't particularly enjoy simply to be with their friends. But a few of them will be inspired to make music of their own, to be the band on stage in front of hundreds of eager listeners.

Nancy Ross left the show with an inclination to become a musician, particularly of the Rock 'n Roll variety. Already a guitar player influenced by Folk artists, she devoted her time to Rock albums, eventually developing a fondness for the roughest acts she could find. Of course, The Rolling Stones and The Doors were a large influence on her developing sound (as they were for almost every Garage Rock band at the time). Sally Ross was also inspired to be a musician, but had little prior experience playing an instrument. After dabbling as a drummer and an electric organ player, she settled in as a bassist. Nancy would come up with simple bass lines and show Sally how to play them, until she eventually became proficient enough to write her own lines.

The Hairem! Right to left (because why not?): Sally Ross, Nancy Ross, Ginny Revis, Kathy Rice

They formed a band called "The Toads", later to be known as "The Hairem", and experienced many line-up changes, though both Nancy and Sally remained in the band until the end. Right from the start, The Hairem had obstacles to overcome. First of all, the Sacramento scene was ruled by big-shot promoters and bands with club experience and radio hits under their belts. Independent start-ups like The Hairem had a difficult time cracking into the scene. Secondly, they were an all-female band, and their male counterparts didn't take them seriously. Promoters and venue-owners didn't give them the time of day, and talent scouts for record labels considered them too risky to invest in.

However, The Hairem took the gigs they could find, and eventually built up a solid reputation with both audiences and musical peers alike. Their "specialty" was playing in clubs catered to army/navy personnel on leave, being able to get a rise out of the mostly male audience with their suggestive lyrics and wild attitude. Unfortunately, most of the "promoters" who approached them ended up being frauds trying to take advantage of them (and at least in one specific scenario, actually accosting Nancy). However, they eventually got the attention of a legit promoter from Cadet Records, who took them to a studio to cut a 45. After hearing their collection of songs, the executives told them to come back with a song that was less risky, and more commercial. Nancy penned the sappy number "Boy Little Boy", which was enough to seal the deal, and the band stuck their signature wild track "Outta Reach" on the B side.

The Hairem! Counter clockwise: Nancy Ross, Piper Minas, Sally Ross, Karen Kochie, Kathy Pennison

At this point, they had changed their name to "She", and were tearing up the local music scene, being one of the go-to bands for dance hall parties. Their single was recorded in 1969, and released in early 1970. Just as expected, "Boy Little Boy" did fairly well on the local radio stations, while "Outta Reach" was mostly loved by the underground scene. In 1971, after about seven years of playing music, the members of She were now no longer high-schoolers/college students with loads of free time and a burning ambition for fame and extra cash. They disbanded, and went on to pursue their own individual goals.

She were not well known outside of Sacramento in their time. I believe they were only able to cut one 45, which was a modest hit at best. After disbanding, they faded into the obscurity of years, being forgotten by most of the world of music. However, their 45 became a sought after classic among Garage Rock lovers, and their repetoire of songs was preserved in the home-made demo tapes they had created. Making the usual boot leg rounds, their music continued to intrigue first-time listeners who had no idea who this mystery band "She" was.

Their sole 45!

Eventually, their work was collected and issued as an LP titled "Outta Reach" in 2009 by Causeway Records. Later, the fabulous Big Beat/Ace Records took the next step and painstakingly crafted "She Wants a Piece of You" a CD of their surviving song recordings. Working with Nancy Ross (who probably lent them the master tapes), the CD's liner notes are probably the most extensive biography anyone has ever given the band (and is supplemented by Nancy's quotes, memories, opinions, and large collection of vintage photographs of the band).

Well, without further ado...

She Wants a Piece of You

1. "Outta Reach" - Even though it was an ignored B side in it's time, this is the song that kept the legacy of She alive over the years. Large and wild, it continually shocks any listeners who have preconceptions that women didn't participate in the world of Rock until The Runaways/Joan Jett came along (who went on to become a great musician in her own right, but I hear this false sentiment far too often). This track is dripping with Psychadelic fun, as the electric organ and crazy vocals hit hard and don't let up until the end!

2. "Like a Snake" - One of their earlier Hairem-days songs. Kind of jarring with it's sloppy yet strong beat, the vocals are kept pretty simple on this track. It's not my favorite of their songs, but has a kind of Psychadelic charm to it.

3. "Piece of You" - The track for which the CD is named! A little faster than the last track, this one is a fun rocker with kind of depressing lyrics (it's about how no matter how hard a woman tries to succeed in life, most men will only ever see her as a sex-novelty). Tune-wise, it sounds like something the early Rolling Stones could have penned. A great and raw Garage Rock song, the only part that I would change is the shouting at the end, which sounds a bit strained and could have had more power behind it.

4. "Roll On" - Kicking off with a bouncy yet heavy beat, this one is a vocal driven song that kind of reminds me of Janis Joplin's style. The thing about this track that impresses me the most, is simply how it changes as it goes on. The band knows what you're expecting to hear, and changes the bridge's/chorus' tune and pacing to catch you off guard. Vocal wise, everyone is in top form here, nailing the Rock 'n Roll lead as well as the harmonies in the background. Love the organ that comes in at the end!

Top Left: The picture used to make the CD cover! Bottom Right: During their time as "She". Counter clockwise starting on the bottom right: Karen Luther, Sally Ross (recognize the bass guitar under her leg? Same model as Paul McCartney's!), Nancy Ross, Gayle Lee, Janis Volkoff

5. "Bad Girl" - Joann Claudianos, a ballad-style vocalist who was with the group for awhile, sang this one. It's slow and full of teen drama, being about the rough and tumble life of a girl on the streets. I personally prefer Nancy as the vocalist, as she seems to add a very iconic craziness to her songs, however Joann certainly isn't bad (and to her credit, she nails the rough sound in certain parts of the song).

6. "Hey You" - Another odd and jarring song, this one mixes a solid bass guitar line with clean vocals, and a herky-jerky chorus. It definitely follows the Psychadelic tradition of finding unconventional beats and lines to work with. Gotta love the vocals at the end, where Nancy talks to the audience.

7. "Don't Leave me Baby" - A groovy electric organ fronted song with Psychadelic/Folk Rock influenced vocals! This one sounds like something Jefferson Airplane could have made in their time (albeit a bit more uptempo and wild at times). I like how they change the chorus the second time it comes around, with a cool vocal line. Definitely one of my favorite tracks of theirs!

8. "Braids of Hair" - A little more mellow than their rockin' numbers, this one was apparently their cool-down song during live performances. It captures the Hippy/Psychadelic culture of the late 1960's into the early 1970's.pretty well!

She! Right to Left: Janis Volkoff, Sally Ross, Gayle Lee, Karen Luther, Nancy Ross

9. "Don't Go Home Tonight" - A great and catchy song, it reminds me of Folk Rock bands like The Byrds for some reason. Anyway, the vocals/harmonies are great, and work to lead the song forward. A real product of it's time, especially in the lyrics (like when Nancy lets the audience know she's a "liberation girl"), this one is another great, fun track.

10. "Not For Me" - A song in the vein of their previous track, "Hey You", this one is another jarring and unconventional slow number. This isn't their strongest song, but there's a weird kind of allure to it's sloppy simplicity. This one is of the counter-culture type, with Nancy singing about how the "in-crowds not for me". I like the line "I don't wanna grow my hair long, just to cut it short", as it's a fun dig at the times (when hippy culture demanded long hair, while the hip go go culture demanded short hair).

11. "When I Was a Little Girl" - A slow down with Joann returning as lead vocalist (although Nancy comes in later in the song), this one is similar to the earlier track "Bad Girl". As I said before, I think the Rock/Folk/Psychadelic mash-up of Nancy's vocals are better suited to the sound of the group than Joann's Ballad-style. Still, the contrasting sound probably added depth to their live performances.

Right to Left: Karen Luther, Janis Volkoff, Nancy Ross, Sally Ross, Gayle Lee

12. "Come on Along" - A sloppy shuffle, it sounds innocent enough (kind of like a show-tune, or a Folk song), but it has fun lyrics about partying hard! The guitar break is alright, but a detailed solo would have served the song more adequately.

13. "Bus Stop" - An early and rough version of what would become "Outta Reach". Of course, they haven't quite nailed what would become the definitive sound of the song, but this track is a cool bonus for fans of the band. Honestly, with the harmonies and steady drum beat, it sounds kind of like a Surf-Rock song that get a dose of sloppy heaviness injected into it. Surf-Blues?

14. "Lonely Boy of Laughter" - An up close and intimate slow song, it has more of a smooth Jazz sound to it than the earlier tracks when it begins, and it eventually becomes a kind of Folk-influenced vocals backed tune. A decent cut, it could have benefited from more steady vocals.

15. "Feel Like Giving Up" - An echo-y vocals and drums led track fronted by Joann's Balladic voice. It's fairly good, if a bit distant, but I think it would have sounded much better sped and roughed up a bit.

The LP issued by Causeway Records in 2009. God, that cover picture is hilarious...

16. "You Came To Me" - A home-made demo, this is surprisingly one of their strongest tracks, with full and beautiful vocals/harmonies. It still has that low-budget and almost lonely feeling of a Garage tune, but comes together very well as a "clean" song. If you ever need a slow-down/relaxation song, I highly recommend this tune!

17. "Outta Reach" - Another early demo version of "Outta Reach", this time led vocally by Joann. It's not as impacting as the finished song, but I actually really like the harmony during the chorus, as well as the ending (which vocally kind of sounds like the ending to a Heavy Metal tune). Still, Nancy was definitely the better choice as vocalist for this one.

18. "Satan's Angel" - A great slow demo in the vein of their earlier track "You Came to Me". Great clean vocals and a cool Jazz-like feeling give this track a nice and classy atmosphere. This one is another great, stand-out track.

19. "Boy Little Boy" - By far my least favorite song of theirs, this is the one that Nancy penned so that the execs would let them cut a 45. It's very cheesy and simple, completely lacking the soul and energy of their earlier tracks, as well as the class of their slow demos. But it apparently got them radio exposure, and was their most well known song back then.

She/Hairem are one of the quintessential all-girl garage bands, and it's not hard to see why. Despite having a very unrefined and unmarketable sound, they cut a path for themselves, leaving a number of wild songs in their wake. Their greatest talent, in my opinion, was their musical versatility. Every song on this album sounds influenced from a different band/genre, and Nancy had a fantastic ear for tunes and lyrics (not to mention that she penned every track on this CD, although four were co-written by other members of the band). They were an enigma, in that they proved they could make marketable pop songs ("You Came to Me", "Don't Go Home Tonight", "Satan's Angel"), but chose to make the most jarring and anti-pop songs they could ("Outta Reach", "Like a Snake", "Hey You", "Not For Me"). Whether examining this CD from a standpoint of the musical history of it's background and time period, or simply judging it from the merit of the songs contained within, I highly recommend this one for all fans of Garage Rock! As is the case with virtually every Garage Rock song/album, this one has been uploaded to Youtube if you care to sample it.

Here, I'd like to thank Big Beat/Ace Records for their fantastic publishing of this CD. She/Hairem is a very obscure band with little to no information available about them, and without the extensive liner notes contained in "She Wants a Piece of You", I'd have been shooting in the dark.

Lastly, I have some news of sorts. It seems Karen Luther (Organ player featured in two of the pictures above) contacted Bad Cat Records last year (http://badcatrecords.com/BadCat/SHE.htm) in response to them asking for anyone to come forward with information about the band. She mentioned that Sally Ross (Now Sally Ross-Moore) is on Facebook (and sure enough, she is), but also that other members like Nancy Ross are harder to find. So in the unlikely scenario that someone from She/Hairem is reading this, or that you know someone from the band, now would be the perfect time to find each other and have a reunion of sorts!

Alright! It's time to part ways again, my non-existent audience, though I'll return to you shortly. And when I do, I'll have another great album with me!

12-07-2014, 08:59 AM	#18 (permalink)
Oriphiel Ask me how! Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: The States Posts: 5,355	The year is 1964, and Sacramento is burning under the shimmering summer sun. Two young sisters, Nancy and Sally Ross, join the ecstatic audience of a live show. The Beach Boys come on stage, and of course the crowd cheers them on. Dancing to the music, people laugh and sing along, spilling beers and bumping into complete strangers. Everyone in the audience is affected by the music; some are inclined to have a good time, others enjoy the sound in introspective silence, while others still bear with a style of music they don't particularly enjoy simply to be with their friends. But a few of them will be inspired to make music of their own, to be the band on stage in front of hundreds of eager listeners. Nancy Ross left the show with an inclination to become a musician, particularly of the Rock 'n Roll variety. Already a guitar player influenced by Folk artists, she devoted her time to Rock albums, eventually developing a fondness for the roughest acts she could find. Of course, The Rolling Stones and The Doors were a large influence on her developing sound (as they were for almost every Garage Rock band at the time). Sally Ross was also inspired to be a musician, but had little prior experience playing an instrument. After dabbling as a drummer and an electric organ player, she settled in as a bassist. Nancy would come up with simple bass lines and show Sally how to play them, until she eventually became proficient enough to write her own lines. The Hairem! Right to left (because why not?): Sally Ross, Nancy Ross, Ginny Revis, Kathy Rice They formed a band called "The Toads", later to be known as "The Hairem", and experienced many line-up changes, though both Nancy and Sally remained in the band until the end. Right from the start, The Hairem had obstacles to overcome. First of all, the Sacramento scene was ruled by big-shot promoters and bands with club experience and radio hits under their belts. Independent start-ups like The Hairem had a difficult time cracking into the scene. Secondly, they were an all-female band, and their male counterparts didn't take them seriously. Promoters and venue-owners didn't give them the time of day, and talent scouts for record labels considered them too risky to invest in. However, The Hairem took the gigs they could find, and eventually built up a solid reputation with both audiences and musical peers alike. Their "specialty" was playing in clubs catered to army/navy personnel on leave, being able to get a rise out of the mostly male audience with their suggestive lyrics and wild attitude. Unfortunately, most of the "promoters" who approached them ended up being frauds trying to take advantage of them (and at least in one specific scenario, actually accosting Nancy). However, they eventually got the attention of a legit promoter from Cadet Records, who took them to a studio to cut a 45. After hearing their collection of songs, the executives told them to come back with a song that was less risky, and more commercial. Nancy penned the sappy number "Boy Little Boy", which was enough to seal the deal, and the band stuck their signature wild track "Outta Reach" on the B side. The Hairem! Counter clockwise: Nancy Ross, Piper Minas, Sally Ross, Karen Kochie, Kathy Pennison At this point, they had changed their name to "She", and were tearing up the local music scene, being one of the go-to bands for dance hall parties. Their single was recorded in 1969, and released in early 1970. Just as expected, "Boy Little Boy" did fairly well on the local radio stations, while "Outta Reach" was mostly loved by the underground scene. In 1971, after about seven years of playing music, the members of She were now no longer high-schoolers/college students with loads of free time and a burning ambition for fame and extra cash. They disbanded, and went on to pursue their own individual goals. She were not well known outside of Sacramento in their time. I believe they were only able to cut one 45, which was a modest hit at best. After disbanding, they faded into the obscurity of years, being forgotten by most of the world of music. However, their 45 became a sought after classic among Garage Rock lovers, and their repetoire of songs was preserved in the home-made demo tapes they had created. Making the usual boot leg rounds, their music continued to intrigue first-time listeners who had no idea who this mystery band "She" was. Their sole 45! Eventually, their work was collected and issued as an LP titled "Outta Reach" in 2009 by Causeway Records. Later, the fabulous Big Beat/Ace Records took the next step and painstakingly crafted "She Wants a Piece of You" a CD of their surviving song recordings. Working with Nancy Ross (who probably lent them the master tapes), the CD's liner notes are probably the most extensive biography anyone has ever given the band (and is supplemented by Nancy's quotes, memories, opinions, and large collection of vintage photographs of the band). Well, without further ado... She Wants a Piece of You 1. "Outta Reach" - Even though it was an ignored B side in it's time, this is the song that kept the legacy of She alive over the years. Large and wild, it continually shocks any listeners who have preconceptions that women didn't participate in the world of Rock until The Runaways/Joan Jett came along (who went on to become a great musician in her own right, but I hear this false sentiment far too often). This track is dripping with Psychadelic fun, as the electric organ and crazy vocals hit hard and don't let up until the end! 2. "Like a Snake" - One of their earlier Hairem-days songs. Kind of jarring with it's sloppy yet strong beat, the vocals are kept pretty simple on this track. It's not my favorite of their songs, but has a kind of Psychadelic charm to it. 3. "Piece of You" - The track for which the CD is named! A little faster than the last track, this one is a fun rocker with kind of depressing lyrics (it's about how no matter how hard a woman tries to succeed in life, most men will only ever see her as a sex-novelty). Tune-wise, it sounds like something the early Rolling Stones could have penned. A great and raw Garage Rock song, the only part that I would change is the shouting at the end, which sounds a bit strained and could have had more power behind it. 4. "Roll On" - Kicking off with a bouncy yet heavy beat, this one is a vocal driven song that kind of reminds me of Janis Joplin's style. The thing about this track that impresses me the most, is simply how it changes as it goes on. The band knows what you're expecting to hear, and changes the bridge's/chorus' tune and pacing to catch you off guard. Vocal wise, everyone is in top form here, nailing the Rock 'n Roll lead as well as the harmonies in the background. Love the organ that comes in at the end! Top Left: The picture used to make the CD cover! Bottom Right: During their time as "She". Counter clockwise starting on the bottom right: Karen Luther, Sally Ross (recognize the bass guitar under her leg? Same model as Paul McCartney's!), Nancy Ross, Gayle Lee, Janis Volkoff 5. "Bad Girl" - Joann Claudianos, a ballad-style vocalist who was with the group for awhile, sang this one. It's slow and full of teen drama, being about the rough and tumble life of a girl on the streets. I personally prefer Nancy as the vocalist, as she seems to add a very iconic craziness to her songs, however Joann certainly isn't bad (and to her credit, she nails the rough sound in certain parts of the song). 6. "Hey You" - Another odd and jarring song, this one mixes a solid bass guitar line with clean vocals, and a herky-jerky chorus. It definitely follows the Psychadelic tradition of finding unconventional beats and lines to work with. Gotta love the vocals at the end, where Nancy talks to the audience. 7. "Don't Leave me Baby" - A groovy electric organ fronted song with Psychadelic/Folk Rock influenced vocals! This one sounds like something Jefferson Airplane could have made in their time (albeit a bit more uptempo and wild at times). I like how they change the chorus the second time it comes around, with a cool vocal line. Definitely one of my favorite tracks of theirs! 8. "Braids of Hair" - A little more mellow than their rockin' numbers, this one was apparently their cool-down song during live performances. It captures the Hippy/Psychadelic culture of the late 1960's into the early 1970's.pretty well! She! Right to Left: Janis Volkoff, Sally Ross, Gayle Lee, Karen Luther, Nancy Ross 9. "Don't Go Home Tonight" - A great and catchy song, it reminds me of Folk Rock bands like The Byrds for some reason. Anyway, the vocals/harmonies are great, and work to lead the song forward. A real product of it's time, especially in the lyrics (like when Nancy lets the audience know she's a "liberation girl"), this one is another great, fun track. 10. "Not For Me" - A song in the vein of their previous track, "Hey You", this one is another jarring and unconventional slow number. This isn't their strongest song, but there's a weird kind of allure to it's sloppy simplicity. This one is of the counter-culture type, with Nancy singing about how the "in-crowds not for me". I like the line "I don't wanna grow my hair long, just to cut it short", as it's a fun dig at the times (when hippy culture demanded long hair, while the hip go go culture demanded short hair). 11. "When I Was a Little Girl" - A slow down with Joann returning as lead vocalist (although Nancy comes in later in the song), this one is similar to the earlier track "Bad Girl". As I said before, I think the Rock/Folk/Psychadelic mash-up of Nancy's vocals are better suited to the sound of the group than Joann's Ballad-style. Still, the contrasting sound probably added depth to their live performances. Right to Left: Karen Luther, Janis Volkoff, Nancy Ross, Sally Ross, Gayle Lee 12. "Come on Along" - A sloppy shuffle, it sounds innocent enough (kind of like a show-tune, or a Folk song), but it has fun lyrics about partying hard! The guitar break is alright, but a detailed solo would have served the song more adequately. 13. "Bus Stop" - An early and rough version of what would become "Outta Reach". Of course, they haven't quite nailed what would become the definitive sound of the song, but this track is a cool bonus for fans of the band. Honestly, with the harmonies and steady drum beat, it sounds kind of like a Surf-Rock song that get a dose of sloppy heaviness injected into it. Surf-Blues? 14. "Lonely Boy of Laughter" - An up close and intimate slow song, it has more of a smooth Jazz sound to it than the earlier tracks when it begins, and it eventually becomes a kind of Folk-influenced vocals backed tune. A decent cut, it could have benefited from more steady vocals. 15. "Feel Like Giving Up" - An echo-y vocals and drums led track fronted by Joann's Balladic voice. It's fairly good, if a bit distant, but I think it would have sounded much better sped and roughed up a bit. The LP issued by Causeway Records in 2009. God, that cover picture is hilarious... 16. "You Came To Me" - A home-made demo, this is surprisingly one of their strongest tracks, with full and beautiful vocals/harmonies. It still has that low-budget and almost lonely feeling of a Garage tune, but comes together very well as a "clean" song. If you ever need a slow-down/relaxation song, I highly recommend this tune! 17. "Outta Reach" - Another early demo version of "Outta Reach", this time led vocally by Joann. It's not as impacting as the finished song, but I actually really like the harmony during the chorus, as well as the ending (which vocally kind of sounds like the ending to a Heavy Metal tune). Still, Nancy was definitely the better choice as vocalist for this one. 18. "Satan's Angel" - A great slow demo in the vein of their earlier track "You Came to Me". Great clean vocals and a cool Jazz-like feeling give this track a nice and classy atmosphere. This one is another great, stand-out track. 19. "Boy Little Boy" - By far my least favorite song of theirs, this is the one that Nancy penned so that the execs would let them cut a 45. It's very cheesy and simple, completely lacking the soul and energy of their earlier tracks, as well as the class of their slow demos. But it apparently got them radio exposure, and was their most well known song back then. She/Hairem are one of the quintessential all-girl garage bands, and it's not hard to see why. Despite having a very unrefined and unmarketable sound, they cut a path for themselves, leaving a number of wild songs in their wake. Their greatest talent, in my opinion, was their musical versatility. Every song on this album sounds influenced from a different band/genre, and Nancy had a fantastic ear for tunes and lyrics (not to mention that she penned every track on this CD, although four were co-written by other members of the band). They were an enigma, in that they proved they could make marketable pop songs ("You Came to Me", "Don't Go Home Tonight", "Satan's Angel"), but chose to make the most jarring and anti-pop songs they could ("Outta Reach", "Like a Snake", "Hey You", "Not For Me"). Whether examining this CD from a standpoint of the musical history of it's background and time period, or simply judging it from the merit of the songs contained within, I highly recommend this one for all fans of Garage Rock! As is the case with virtually every Garage Rock song/album, this one has been uploaded to Youtube if you care to sample it. Here, I'd like to thank Big Beat/Ace Records for their fantastic publishing of this CD. She/Hairem is a very obscure band with little to no information available about them, and without the extensive liner notes contained in "She Wants a Piece of You", I'd have been shooting in the dark. Lastly, I have some news of sorts. It seems Karen Luther (Organ player featured in two of the pictures above) contacted Bad Cat Records last year (http://badcatrecords.com/BadCat/SHE.htm) in response to them asking for anyone to come forward with information about the band. She mentioned that Sally Ross (Now Sally Ross-Moore) is on Facebook (and sure enough, she is), but also that other members like Nancy Ross are harder to find. So in the unlikely scenario that someone from She/Hairem is reading this, or that you know someone from the band, now would be the perfect time to find each other and have a reunion of sorts! Alright! It's time to part ways again, my non-existent audience, though I'll return to you shortly. And when I do, I'll have another great album with me! Last edited by Oriphiel; 12-12-2014 at 02:31 PM.