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The Blues Magoos’ dalliance with drugs was barely disguised, and titles such as ‘Love Seems Doomed’ (LSD) and ‘Albert Common Is Dead’ (ACID) were created to expound their beliefs. By 1968 tensions arose within the group and they broke up following the release of Basic Blues Magoos. The management team re-signed the name to ABC Records, and, as Thielhelm had accumulated a backlog of material, suggested he front a revamped line-up. John Leillo (vibes, percussion), Eric Kaz (b. Eric Justin Kaz, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA; keyboards), Roger Eaton (bass) and Richie Dickon (percussion) completed Never Goin’ Back To Georgia, while the same group, except for Eaton, was augmented by sundry session musicians for the disappointing Gulf Coast Bound. The Blues Magoos’ name was discontinued when Peppy took a role in the musical Hair. As Peppy Castro he has since pursued a varied career as a member of Barnaby Bye, Wiggy Bits and Balance, while Cher and Kiss are among the artists who have recorded his songs. Kaz went on to form American Flyer. The original line-up of the Blues Magoos reunited for a live performance at Cavestomp 2000. Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze. |
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Formed in the Bronx, New York, USA, in 1964 and initially known as the Trenchcoats and then the Bloos Magoos, the founding line-up comprised Emil ‘Peppy’ Thielhelm (16 June 1949; vocals/guitar), Dennis LaPore (lead guitar), Ralph Scala (b. 12 December 1947; organ/vocals), Ronnie Gilbert (b. 25 April 1946; bass) and John Finnegan (drums), but by the end of the year LaPore and Finnegan had been replaced by Mike Esposito (b. Delaware, USA) and Geoff Daking (b. Delaware, USA). The group quickly became an important part of the emergent Greenwich Village rock scene and in 1966 secured a residency at the fabled Night Owl club. Having recorded singles for Ganim and Verve Forecast, the band was signed to Mercury Records, where they became the subject of intense grooming. However, Vidal Sassoon-styled haircuts and luminous costumes failed to quash an innate rebelliousness, although the group enjoyed one notable hit when ‘(We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet’ (1966) reached number 5 in the US chart. Its garage-band snarl set the tone for an attendant album, Psychedelic Lollipop, which contained several equally virulent selections.