Paul Revere and The Raiders “Here They Come!” “Midnight Ride”

by Beverly Paterson in Album Reviews

At the height of their career, Paul Revere & The Raiders were a serious threat to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and all those other shaggy-haired British combos troubling the charts at the time. Born in the Pacific Northwest, the band not only harvested a heap of hit singles, but they were also regulars on Dick Clark’s “Where The Action Is!” television show, which naturally provided them with a double dip of exposure. The group’s faces further adorned the covers and pages of teen magazines, transpiring them into genuine superstars. Decked out in colonial war uniforms, Paul Revere & The Raiders were additionally recognized for their wild and crazy live performances. Synchronized dance steps, coupled with goofy jokes were always part of the program.

In 1964, Paul Revere & The Raiders signed a deal with Columbia Records, and released “Here They Come!” the following year, which featured a fairly varied selection of styles. The energy and aggression is authentic and determined on hard edged versions of “Louie Louie,” “You Can’t Sit Down,” “Money” and “Fever,” while “These Are Bad Times (For Me And My Baby)” is framed in a folk pop finish. Even slower tunes such as “A Kiss To Remember You By” and “Time Is On My Side” were executed with conviction. Carpeted with rousing harmonies, scorching saxophone work and tight playing all the way around, “Here They Come!” staged a nice job of capturing the raw and rugged talent of Paul Revere & The Raiders.

The band’s next effort, “Midnight Ride,” appeared in the spring of 1966. Having fine tuned their chops to maximum effect and developed more of an original sound, Paul Revere & The Raiders cut a striking and masterful pose on this album. Charged to the limit with power and drive, “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone” and “Kicks” are first class rockers, complete with snarling vocals, rip-snorting guitar breaks, muscular hooks and grinding organ thrills. No less punishing are “There’s Always Tomorrow” and “Ballad Of A Useless Man,” which are splashed with shots of country fried flavorings. Blending a head-bobbing Bo Diddley beat with freaky, distorted figures, “Get It On” slithers and slides with adventure.

Made up of lead singer Mark Lindsay, organ and piano player Paul Revere, guitarist Drake Levin, bassist Phil “Fang” Volk and Mike “Smitty” Smith, Paul Revere & The Raiders were a high quality band. Though they later encountered some personnel changes, they continued to craft good records. However, there’s little argument the aforementioned musicians were responsible for their greatest creations. Paired together on one disc, “Here They Come!” and “Midnight Ride” reveal Paul Revere & The Raiders to be just as comfortable wielding the kind of rough and tough blues stompers The Animals and The Rolling Stones were associated with as they were tackling melodic pop songs.