Jack Ely, R. I. P.
'Louie Louie' singer Jack Ely dies at 71: Jack Ely was original member of the Kingsmen, a band formed in 1959 that mostly performed cover versions of songs. Four years later, the group recorded Louie Louie at a studio in its home city of Portland. According to lore, it cost $36.
4 comments:
First time I heard "Louie Louie" was in late 1975, and I was 12 years old. I found it on an oldies LP (following "Happy Happy Birthday Baby" by the Tune Weavers and preceding "It Might As Well Rain Until September" by Carole King, btw), and I just couldn't figure it out. It sure didn't sound like anything else on that LP, and not like anything else I had heard elsewhere either. And there was no information at all on the sleeve. What a mystery. Then a year or so later some English guys called the Sex Pistols became famous, and whenever the roots of punk were discussed - there was Louie!
IIRC, Louie is played three times within the first 15 minutes of ANIMAL HOUSE. That, and John Vernon, is what makes that movie great.
That oldies LP was an eclectic collection.
The flag flies at half staff at Dave's house today.
That LP is a fine collection indeed, including also - amongst others - such diverse talents as Buddy Holly and Betty Everett. Did this LP turn me into the musically eclectic fiend I am today, or did I acquire that LP because I was already that kind of fiend back in '75? I guess we'll never know.
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