Why aren't The Flamin' Groovies more well-loved?

I've heard the SQ was sub-par, not as good as the original vinyl comp. Also, I was lucky enough to see them kill at the Paradise in Boston in '78 (with The Paley Brothers opening), but even better (IMO) was when Cyril & Roy played at Southpaw in Brooklyn about 10 years ago with The A-Bones as their backing band. That was amazing!

 

Damn. I'd have loved to have been there.

 

Also, this is quite good - recorded at Gold Star in '81. You should pick one up before they're gone - there's only 500 of 'em:

The Flamin' Groovies - Long Way To Be Happy b/w Don't Forget To Write

 

Whatever one thinks of the FG's 'powerpop/Merseybeat' era, you've got to admire the commitment and dedication to a style they loved. I read...I think it was Jordan...once talking about how they moved to that style after Loney's departure because they wanted to see if they could get the 'feeling' and excitement they got from getting those British Invasion records a decade earlier. They got Vox amps and period-correct equipment and even clothes. They tracked down Brian Jones tailor to have suits made...almost like they were engaging in what anthropologists call "sympathetic magic" -- getting things associated with the object of the spell to work it right.

 

To clarify this (already confusing) subject, there's a version on The Flamin' Groovies - I'll Have A... Bucket Of Brains that's speed-corrected and is around the same tempo as the demo on the Slow Death CD.

 

I'm more familiar with the Flamin' Groovies than either the Raspberries or Big Star, both of whom the OP mentioned. I have a couple of Raspberries LPs and a CD comp (which I have definitely listened to). Let's Pretend has always been my favourite. I have only the #1 / Radio City CD by Big Star; I don't recall much so it cannot have impressed me (I like September Gurls though).

I bought Shake Some Action off a review (probably Creem but maybe Hit Parader) when it came out (and after hearing Teenage Confidential on the radio). I prefer the other '60s-styled songs too: You Tore Me Down, Yes It's True, I'll Cry Alone, I Saw Her, Sometimes. I just listened to the title track, probably for the first time in four decades! It's not bad, but not as refined as the aforementioned so I'm a bit less fussy about it.

Prior to Shake Some Action, I don't believe I had ever heard of the band. To this day I have not heard any of the previous material.

I bought Now when it came out, and found three songs stood out -- Between the Lines, Take Me Back, and Good Laugh Mun:

 

Great WBAI interview from '71 with Cyril and Roy

 

Cos they’re not very good? I always assumed it was that

 

No. That's not it. I think they're great. If you've never heard them check out Groovies Greatest Grooves. An entirely terrific album. Some of the others are admittedly spotty but this one's all killer no filler. If you like 60s style power pop. If you don't like that style of music then they're probably not for you.

 

Considering how many performers there have been over the years that have sucked and still been well loved I’d say one has nothing to do with the other.

 

Fair point

 

I did have one of their albums once a long time ago. Can’t remember what it was called but it had this one poppy acoustic song which I think was a bit of a hit for them that wasn’t bad. Other than that it didn’t do much for me.

But they are on my “must try again sometime” list.

 

Top tier rock and roll, what's not to like.

 

Try the one I suggested, Groovies Greatest Grooves. It's basically a best of/greatest hits package and the whole album is really good. It might change the way you look at them.

 

I should have posted this last night:

 

The night that I saw Roy and Cyril play a few years ago, Chris Wilson got onstage to do Shake Some Action and Slow Death and was steaming. So much so I thought a punter had climbed up there and the band were too afraid to get him off. Roy didn't look to pleased.

 

It's a mystery to me as well. That song is one of the most infectious slices of power pop you're ever going to hear. I worked in AOR/Classic Rock Radio from '87-'03 and even over 30 years ago, there was no sight of the FG's or Big Star for that matter. The Raspberries were limited to GATW and IWBWY but Cheap Trick were well represented. I don't get it. This stuff is brilliant

 

I concur.

 

The limitations of the source material on the CD are especially noticeable on some tracks more than others. Not sure what the status is of the Rockfield and Gold Star masters, although I would definitely buy the RSD vinyl if they utilize new sources and the sound is improved.

 

I prefer to say the "no apostrophe" and the "apostrophe" lineups. I prefer the earlier stuff 68-73.

 

I was there too, and have to agree. Not one of Chris's better nights and an underwhelming set.

My favorite reunion show, on the other hand, was at Warsaw, Brooklyn in 2013 where they opened for The Sonics. A pretty great night overall (entire show, not just the Groovies). Chris was "well behaved" I guess since they weren't headlining.

They announced a secret show at that one for 2 days later as a small place a few blocks up called Europa. I went there too. Chris was plastered, but it was a fun show. His stage monitor almost went over the stage.

 

I was at that Warsaw show as well. That was the best performance of the reunited Groovies of all the ones I've witnessed. Possibly the best of the 5 reunited Sonics shows I've caught over the years as well.

 

I love the Groovies, way better than the Raspberries, whom in my opinion have too many album filler and corny ballads

 

My favorite albums are Supersnazz and Now

 

You need to hear Teenage Head and Flamingo, both are worthy of a far better fate than they have received as far as people knowing about them.
Funny how Big Star and The Groovies were both regarded as classic bands by the very few people who heard them at the time. I remember picking up Teenage Head after reading a couple of raves about them (thank you CREEM) and wondering why the band was all but unknown. Same thing with Big Star when I got those albums. There was a very small clique of people who were tuned into that stuff back then, mostly critics and rock mag scavengers/fans like me who talked up those bands as often as possible. Then punk came along and the audience for music like that was suddenly(finally) there. Check Miriam Linna's sneakers in this photo taken at CBGB.