I can remember the first time I heard the Chesterfield Kings, and of course, it was at Scorgies. It was February 1980, and I was there to see New Math as well as Cappy & the Frenchmen, also on the bill. As my designated driver, Del Rivers, and I walked down the stairs, we heard the strains of the Yardbirds “Evil Hearted You”-who the heck would be doing this song?!?. Most new music bands threw in a token ’50’s or ’60’s rocker for fun, but not like this! The ‘Kings were still a four piece at this point; Ori wasn’t with them. The cranked out one 1960’s garage rock tune after another, and I just couldn’t believe anyone would do all these obscure songs in 1980. Girls were screaming, people were standing on chairs and the night was a total blast.
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While I wasn’t a Scorgies regular till 1982, I will say that the Kings were one of my favorite bands, esp. the line-up with Greg, Andy, Ori, Rick and Doug. They were a dynamic force! I wonder how many Microphone stands Greg has trashed during his career!
I’m so under qualified to write about the Kings, anyone care to wax poetic on the lads?
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I remember the first time I saw them. It was in the Archive’s back room when they had a stage. Greg, who everyone knew as a nerdy record guy at the House, was a revelation. He transformed himself into a rock n roll bad boy completely. The transformation was amazing. He even managed to fall off the stage.
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The Kings were a brilliant part of that early scene. And they’re one of the few (only?) bands to remain intact all these yrs later.
One of my fave memories about them back then was they had their girlfriends all show up dressed in 60s mini dresses. They would scream like teenagers in the Ed Sullivan audience at exactly the right moments in the songs. Dont know if they rwere rehearsed or just channeling those events into modern times. Didnt matter, it was great!
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I have to say The Chesterfield Kings were a MAJOR! influence on me!
Cousin Al said his friend Cracker from the H.O.G. had a 60’s band and we should check it out.
I was into the New Wave-punk thing but this 60’s garage stuff was it for me! I would visit Greg at the H.O.G. on my lunch break to see what new 60’s garage comps had come in or to chat about the scene.
It was great to collect the obscure 45’s and try to find cool clothes ( A BIG thanks to Tracy from Madam X) and Beatle boots ( I still have 5 pairs from then!) The Vox amps and the Rickenbacker guitars!
(Bob from the Insiders stole his parents station wagon which I drove in 2nd gear all the way to Toronto! The main objective was to get custom made boots. While we are sitting in Fantastic on Young St. where the kings got their boots and we see 3 members of Personal Effects!!!
I remember it was Bob, Peggi and Paul!).
The screaming girls that ds mentioned were Carol, Mary Ellen, Eileen, Linda, Jackie-O and a few of the HOG girls. A Kings show was the best place to see mini-skirts!
Anyway it was the Kings that got us into the scene and I still play 60’s garage today because of seeing them at Scorgies! -
I went to high skool with Mick and we worthless punk kids always were impressed by his psychedelic haircut and the WITR Boss Beat show. Although it was the Disorder Show to which I was addicted, I caught a lot of the Kings shows, and the one’s at Scorgies were especially memorable for the incredible sound of 99th Floor heard live. Seeing it on MTV and the dudes at the H.O.G. cemented the notion in my 15-year-old cranial bone that these were demigods worthy of great respect.
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