I heard last night that Paul Revere had passed on at 76. Made a note to check on his website this morning, and maybe watch a video or two. Just a small personal tribute to an American footnote to the 1960s, a guy with a band that seemed to be everywhere for a few years, and than nowhere. Along with his Raiders, they had a bunch of hit singles, a lot of cover songs, a spot on Dick Clark’s Where the Action Is, a record deal with Columbia, and always a ton of non-stop gigs played in a band of ever changing members.
My memories, beyond the silly costumes that made no sense in a generation of costumes, were of their faces often on the covers of magazines like 16 and Teen Life and other similar pre-teen TMZ/Entertainment Tonight bullcrap. Maybe they were manufactured; maybe they were just as real as any other band of that era. Didn’t really matter. They were a fixture of the middle of the road. Not your Dylan folkie or your Byrds cool… more Frankie and Annette. Or the Monkees, I suppose.
I remeber Mark Lindsay was the lead singer and poster boy. Good looking dude. Phil Volk… he played that famous Vox teardrop guitar or bass. Can’t recall. I think he was nicknamed Fang. The rest I don’t remmeber at all.
Lots of news stories today about Paul’s cancer and his stamina. And there will be the usual canned obit we’ve come to expect, pulled from some obit app or factory. I was going to put up Roger Hart’s words this morning, but then I found this from Paul, written fairly recently I think. So if No Dep’s text box cooperates, I’ll try and post it here.
By the way. Americana? A band in a garage, a band on the road, a band on the run, a band that lasted forever. Yeah. Paul Revere and the Raiders were as Americana as they come.
Hey gang, Paul Revere here!
You know, 2014 has been just a great year for the band so far, thanks to you guys. We’ve played killer shows to great audiences all over America, and we’re having a blast – Disney, Busch Gardens, the “Where The Action Is” cruise, Las Vegas and every supermarket opening and pie eating contest along the way.
Even though I’ve had some health issues, nothing can stop the old man. I’m like the Energizer Bunny! I jump on my tour bus and go from city to city, packing a trunk full of great Raider songs, tight pants and bad jokes – all against doctor’s orders, by the way!
I’ve been the worst patient these guys have ever seen, and they’ve been on me to take a break all year. So, we finally did take a break, and recorded two new singles (due out in September), but that’s not good enough for them. They want a longer break. I told them, “Hey, I’ve got to hit the road, I’m booked! And I’m bored!!”
Well, you can’t ignore doctor’s orders forever, and I have to give in this time or these wonderful men and women might stop trying to help me. It breaks my heart to have to stay home while the band goes out without me to our next block of dates. You don’t even know how much it kills me. But the truth is, The Raiders kick major butt with or without me. We’ve designed this show to run like a Ferrari, even if it’s only firing on 11 cylinders. It’s built for speed from the ground up. High energy and fun is what a Paul Revere and The Raiders show is all about, and that’s always the same, no matter which one of us shows up in a body cast.
So come out and see my boys, and tell them how much you miss me. We have the absolute best fans. I love you all and will see you soon.
The show must always go on!
Love, Paul
