Old geek roll call: 3 Dog Night?

[Bob Mc]

Anybody a fan? Some of the albums (vinyl!!!) were on the corny side but I dug them as a kid. They're playing my little community theatre in October and I think I'm going to go.
They're really 2 Dog Night now, with the typical politics (Negron has his own band) and just found out that the original bassist Joe Schermie passed last year. Original guitarist (Mike Allsup) .

 

[telemike]

I saw them on VH1 Classic over the weekend. They now have a retro 70's half hour or something. Somebody in there was sporting a tele!

 

[John Harrison]

Three Dog Night

Somehow, my high school managed to book them, during the peak of their popularity. They played in our gym and were really great!
The musicianship was first rate and the three singers were all terrific. While I'd agree that they were, at times, too "pop", at least for my tastes, they also managed to produce some classic rock and roll.

 

[Bob Mc]

I forgot how successful they were

They really chalked up some stats for number one songs.

 

[Tim Bowen]

Old geek checkin' in... I always loved those guys. "Live At The Forum" was the first vinyl LP I ever owned... Their version of "Chest Fever" was cool... I loved "One", "Shambala", "Black & White", "Never Been To Spain", most all of the hits, but especially dug more obscure cuts like "You" and "Liar", what a great rocker... Allsup was / is a tasty & underrated parts player in my opinion. Didn't realize Joe S. had left us, RIP.

 

[Bob Mc]

Hey Tim

If I remember correctly that live album sleeve had dozens of tiny photos (proofs?) and in one you could make it out Allsup with a Tele. And oh yeah, "Liar" had a cool groove.
Can you believe I forgot about "Spain"?? Great tune!
I'm going to get tix for sure.

 

[Geo]

I first saw them at the Atlantic City Pop Festival in 1969
and they were very energetic. The band rocked and was
really good. I think they just had one album out
and remember "Nobody" got a lot of airplay on Rock FM.
After 2-3 LPs they seemed to become more pop like
although they still had some good tunes.

 

[KokoTele]

I guess I'm a young geek checking in. I'm 28 and have some big 3-disc compilation of them that I love.

I found out about them in the stupidest way, though. I used to hear some of their songs like "One" on the classic rock station and I didn't really like it much, and "Mama Told Me Not to Come" (which I liked). Also used to hear snippets on the old TV ads selling hits of the 60s and 70s. There was always some moron in a bad hippie costume dancing in front of fake-hippie graphics.

But I didn't get into them at all until about 4 years ago when I watched the season finale of the X Files. Mulder had been shot or something and he and Scully were stranded in the woods & getting cozy, he said "Scully sing me a song." So she sang "Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog," and I remembered it from the 60s and 70s hits commercials. I couldn't get it out of my head for weeks, and eventually I found this 3 CD set in the discount bin. I must have listened to that track 10 times a day for weeks.

Lots of other cool stuff on there, too. I doubt I'd ever go see them now, but I'm glad i got to know their music a little bit.

 

[Pierce]

REAL old fart here..

saw them twice in louisville...same place they busted Chuck with the "H" and underage girls...

I liked all the albums..that I recsall..kind of a memory loss tho..

 

[feojack]

Another 'geezer'checking in

The musicianship was first rate and the three singers were all terrific. While I'd agree that they were, at times, too "pop", at least for my tastes, they also managed to produce some classic rock and roll.

Yeah I saw them at a club in Houston called "Of Our Own" I think it was. Somewheres about '68 or '69. Fairly small venue too.
I think the tickets were in the $3.00 to $6.00 range. Hard to remember, that's a lot of "lifestyle" under the bridge.
They were a bit pop for me too (I wanted Git-tar Rock), BUT they did put on a great show and had a great band! The one thing I do remember about that show was that they did a fantastic version of "River Deep, Mountain High."
That was a great little club...... I also saw Zappa there and Jethro Tull too,at about the same ticket price. The stage was only abou 4/5 feet high, and you could get right up close. Man I miss that type of musical intimacy.
cheers, feo

 

[tweedman]

Never been to Spain-Eli's Coming-One Man Band

 

[Tim Bowen]

Well okay, since we're carbon-dating our bad selves, I check in at 42 on the geezer/old fart scale.

Bob Mc, It's been so long since I parted with my vinyl LP's that I don't remember much about the album graphics, unfortunately... But that's cool to know though, because I'd always associated Allsup with Les Pauls. Enjoy the show!

I know what you guys are saying about the "pop" thing... but I have to say that the pop music of that era was just so much better than current mainstream pop offerings - plenty of good new stuff out there to listen to, but I don't find much of it on the radio... That might just be old fart talk though.

 

[John Harrison]

Allsup's guitar

When they played at my high school, he played a blonde or butterscotch Tele (don't recall exactly) in the soundcheck and show. The band was terrific!

 

[Bob Mc]

42 here too

"Pop: usually leaves a foul taste in my ears (whoa metamixphor!!) It's funny, I'd never have thought it possible but I'm kinda burnt on technique right now; a good tune (lyrics, vocals, proper backing) sounds so much better then a wankfest.

 

[KokoTele]

Re: 42 here too

"Pop: usually leaves a foul taste in my ears (whoa metamixphor!!) It's funny, I'd never have thought it possible but I'm kinda burnt on technique right now; a good tune (lyrics, vocals, proper backing) sounds so much better then a wankfest.

Me too. In fact, I never understood how people could be entertained by someone that plays extended solos all night long. I remember a couple of years ago I asked what people thought about Robert Cray since I was considering whether or not to buy tickets to see him. Lots of folk told me how bored they were at his show, but it turned out it was mostly because he doesn't show off many fretboard heroics. He keeps the band tight in the groove, everything nice and tasty, the kind of stuff that makes even non-dancers want to dance. I saw him and smiled all night long.

It's tough talking about music with guitar players, most of us want to talk about incredible technique and don't pay any attention to the tune.

 

[Bob Mc]

Support of Mr Cray

What a great example! I brought a bunch of folks to see him and almost everybody was floored; tight band, great guitar as needed. One buddy said he slept thru it, and that Cray couldn't hold a candle to SRV (pretty much a quote).
Can't even argue with that kind of logic.
To each his own.

 

[stantheman]

in my best Hulk Hogan voice.....

Lemme tell ya somethin' brother when Valerie Van Halen
hosted Saturday Night Live she and Eddie insisted on Robert Cray as the musical guest, that outta tell all you
little twangamaniacs a thing or two about one of the most respected players in history and the respect Eddie has
for Mr Cray the Undisputed Champion Of Smooth Soul
and the rightful heir to Sam Cook's legacy. And as a side
note Robert Cray has a better Strat Tone than 90 percent of the people mentioned in the Strat Tone Poll
Thread; living,dead,zombie, in the sleeper hold, brain claw, or the most electrifying move in sports entertainment "The People's Elbow". Anyone dissin' Robert Cray should be sentenced to a "Stinky Face".
Their version (especially the ending) of "Try A Little
Tenderness" always floored me...And as a final note
"The Master Of The Telecaster" Albert Collins was a 3 Dog Night fan too.

 

[LPBlue]

On the old fart scale I'm 47(is that old?) and when I hear Mama told me not to come, it triggers memories that I can feel and smell. For a brief moment I could even see and hear the SG I was playing back then. I think I need help
J.R.

 

[PhatBoy]

48 here

It's tough talking about music with guitar players, most of us want to talk about incredible technique and don't pay any attention to the tune.

Actually, I've never admitted this, but I used to go to the dances & parties to watch the guitar players. They musta thought I was a prevert or something! (I *know* how to spell pervert!)


PB

 

[Bill Beck]

I love those guys!!

The first band that I was in when I was 13 did some TDN cover tunes. I still remember our keyboard player/singer hitting those opening chords to "One" on his Wurlitzer piano.

Mike Allsup has an interesting web site, goes into his equipment, his take on life, etc. Worth checking out if you are a fan.

I'm a sucker for tight harmonies, and they did a great job for a bunch of white guys.