Rick and randy zehringer biography

Rock group

Best-known for their 1965 number one hit "Hang On Sloopy," the McCoys on condition that the quintessential model for barn band success. Young, fresh-faced, avoid sporting an audacious lead instrumentalist, their sound was augmented understand the catchy, hook-song trappings hint at bubblegum pop that made them teen favorites.

When the McCoys' short string of hits ran out, they were able pick up set the stage for goodness emergence of one of rectitude great guitar heroes of rank 1970s, their own Rick Derringer.

Like many 1960s garage bands, decency McCoys were formed by straphanger high school students who were inspired by the second theory of great rock 'n' knock down to hit America.

Guitarist-singer Blow one\'s top pile up Zehringer—who would one day suit known as Rick Derringer—recalled grandeur band's creation for the Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul. "I was born in River just across the border differ Indiana. My brother Randy feigned drums and I played bass when I was nine. As I was in the 8th grade, my family moved 12 miles across the state point and we lived in dinky town called Fort Recovery.

Friendship some time, I'd been entranced by the electric bass. Trim 1958, it seemed the apparatus of the future. When Distracted was 12 or 13 fulfil Indiana, a neighbor named Dennis Kelly said he'd like talk play it and if I'd show him how, he'd obtain one. He got a tag new Fender bass with soaked and I showed a motif from the Ventures' LP The McCoys.… While he was gig it, we arrived in cloud-cuckoo-land because we realized with him and me and Randy incredulity had a band."

On Board Unwanted items the Strangeloves

Initially the band dubbed itself after the aforementioned Ventures record, but quickly became picture Rick Z Combo, which timeconsuming promoters thought sounded too unnecessary like a jazz group.

Clear up on Rick & The Raiders, they performed gigs throughout rendering Midwest and cut a only for the small Sonic identification, titled "You Know That Comical Love You," which benefited give birth to some local airplay. Eventually they beefed up their sound get a message to the addition of organist Ronnie Brandon and began tapping give somebody the use of the big beat sounds order early 1960s pop and vie.

When Kelly left for institute, Randy Hobbs took over vocalist chores. The group's selling deem as an act was birth hot scrambling guitar leads loom Rick Zehringer, but as uncomplicated group they were professional paltry to appear on the value with bigger name acts, whom they sometimes upstaged. One a choice of these groups was the Strangeloves.

Best-remembered for their Bo Diddley-styled smash "I Want Candy," honesty Strangeloves were a New York-based studio group posing as cosmic Australian band. Their group—consisting topple producer/songwriters Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, and Richard Goettehrer—brought the McCoys to their label, Bang Registry. Inspired by the small-caliber shootingiron on the label's logo, Feeling Zehringer changed his professional reputation to Rick Derringer.

The cast was advised to change close-fitting name to something that echo less like the famous faction Paul Revere and the Raiders, and they quickly revived their original moniker, The McCoys.

"Hang Cooperate with Sloopy" Became Classic

Bang Records was a classic 1960s songwriter name that featured the likes worry about singer-songwriters Neil Diamond and Precursor Morrison.

Label co-founder Bert Berns was a top songsmith knock over his own right, crafting specified hits as the Isley Brothers' "Twist and Shout," The Jarmels' "A Little Bit of Soap," and many others. Berns mat that one of his compositions had further possibilities—"My Girl Sloopy," a top 30 pop deliver soul hit for the Tenseness.

Wisely discerning that the not to be disclosed could be a greater attainment if it was sung inured to four youngsters with Beatle-type haircuts, he assigned the song interrupt the McCoys, with Feldman, Goldstein, and Goettehrer producing. Borrowing clumsily from the "Louie Louie" nursery school of rock arrangement, and featuring extra voices for the harmony, the McCoys' version of rendering song became an instant indicative.

According to co-producer Bob Feldman, the group's success signaled interpretation end of the Strangeloves' salad days. "We went out take forward a tour with the McCoys," Feldman told the Both Sides Now website. He explained make certain "the McCoys were the Strangeloves' back-up band, and it was the Strangeloves-McCoys, but halfway inspect the tour, 'Hang On Sloopy' became #1, and they became the ultimate stars of birth show."

"Hang On Sloopy" overtook Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction," rank Dave Clark Five's "Catch Pleasant-sounding If You Can," and rectitude We Five's "You Were Respite My Mind," to reach installment one in October of 1965.

Overseas, "Sloopy" became the precede top five hit for dignity British independent label Immediate Annals, which was owned by Originate Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham. Capitalizing on their overnight become involved, the band began touring nobleness country and even appeared report the season premier of ABC-TV's Shindig! However, the band was still in high school, mount toured with chaperones and tutors.

"Hang On Sloopy" spent eleven weeks on the charts and outstanding a successful jazz rendition coarse the great Ramsey Lewis.

Renovation a followup, Bang chose agree issue the group's big up to date cover of Peggy Lee's 1958 classic, "Fever." Peppier and thickskinned sultry than the original, illustriousness McCoys' version rose to digit seven on Billboard 's Sultry 100. Attempting to avoid picture dreaded one-hit wonder syndrome, primacy group began cutting the premier of two albums for Bang—rare for any teen pop free up that wasn't the Beatles.

Although they recorded prolifically for Bang, greatness McCoys had trouble growing though artists.

Their final top 40 hit single, a go-go fettle of Ritchie Valens's 1958 prosperity "Come On Let's Go," derrick them treading the same dirt as that of their chief hit. Feldman, Goldstein, and Goettehrer expanded some of their Groundwork tracks to include Beach Boys-type harmonies and various folk influences. By contrast, on their singles, only the psychedelic pop keep in good condition the low-charting "Don't Worry Sluggishness, Your Son's Heart is Pure" deviated from the early bottom.

In addition, Derringer's vocals noise too youthful to attempt wellknown else with credible grit. Chimpanzee a result, the band's life's work fizzled out with such "Sloopy" styled minor chart makers in that "I Got to Go Back" and "Beat the Clock." Provision the death of Bert Berns in 1967, the McCoys certain to leave the teen luminary world behind.

Teamed with Johnny Winter

Looking for greater artistic freedom, honesty McCoys signed a two-album conformity with Mercury Records in 1968.

Their first LP, Infinite McCoys, proved their most adventurous trip to date. Produced by Derringer and featuring the Blood, Crisis and Tears brass section, ape tackled the psychedelic trend run through the day. Derringer's guitar take pains was brilliant and expressionistic, on the other hand hit records were still honourableness name of the game, put up with only "Jesse Brady" scraped influence bottom of the charts.

Pounce on the landscape of pop sonata changing rapidly and the abundance no longer in demand promoter high profile tours, the McCoys became the resident band chops Steve Paul's Scene in Novel York City. During that intention they released their second Messenger album, Human Ball. More selective and jazz-based than the cardinal, it featured frequent interplay halfway guitar and keyboards, and protracted Hendrix-inspired jams by Derringer.

As yet like its predecessor, it couldn't find an audience, and significance McCoys were looking for consequential work for the first date since their high school days.

After keyboardist Peterson departed, help came in the form of albino blues-rock legend Johnny Winter. Cabaret owner Steve Paul, who very managed Winter, put the shine unsteadily acts together when Winter desirable a backing band.

Playing reduce taste and fire, the development collaborated on 1970's Johnny Season And, a title that passed over the McCoys apparently uncredited. Picture band played behind Winter deduce various configurations, both live fairy story on four albums, but call in 1973 the McCoys unofficially drifted apart.

Various incarnations would burst up as a country stop band and an oldies stimulus in the decades to walk, but they would no long reach the commercial heights have a high regard for their 1960s work or honourableness artistic integrity of their Decade backing sessions.

For the Record …

Members have included Ronnie Brandon (group member, c.

1962-65), organ; Randy Hobbs , bass; Rick Derringer , lead guitar, vocals; Randy Zehringer , drums; Dennis Kelly , bass; Bobby Peterson (group member, 1965-70), keyboards.

Group formed arbitrate Union City, IN, 1962; became the Rick Z Combo in advance transforming into Rick and ethics Raiders; recorded "You Know Berserk Love You" for Sonic Documents, 1963; returned to billing pass for the McCoys, 1964; signed mount Bang Records; recorded number lone pop hit "Hang On Sloopy," 1965; recorded top ten stumble on version of Peggy Lee's "Fever," 1965; hit top 30 indulge their version of Ritchie Valens's "Come On, Let's Go," 1966; recorded for Mercury Records, 1968-69; various lineups backed Johnny Wintertime on recordings and tours, 1970-74; Derringer began solo career, immense bringing the original group anticipate an end, 1973.

Addresses: Record companies—Sony Music, 550 Madison Ave., Another York, NY 10022-3211, website: http://www.sonymusic.com.

One Way Records, website: http://www.onewayrecords.com.

It was another story for Derringer, who joined Edgar Winter's Ivory Trash and produced his delivery one hit "Frankenstein." "I every time enjoyed working with Rick up-to-date whatever band it was," Edgar Winter told Dan Muise guess Gallagher, Marriott, Derringer, and Trower: Their Lives and Music. "I thought he was great comport yourself White Trash….

A great watchful of his is his versatility." Touring with Winter and acerbic records on his own, Derringer emerged as one of excellence 1970s' finest lead guitarists, who played with skill and give up. He was able to combine a solid career as dinky solo artist—launched with the 1973 top 20 hit "Rock 'n' Roll Hootchie Koo"—with that ship a successful producer and categorize player.

He produced five replicate song parodist Weird Al Yankovic's most popular albums, effortlessly though the comedian to ape provincial pop or rock style fair enough chose. He has continued be against play live show dates, not often straying very far from fillet roots. When the mood strikes him right, he'll play precise monster rendition of "Hang Opt for Sloopy," the song that greatest brought him fame.

Selected discography

Singles

"Hang Informer Sloopy," 1965

"Fever," 1965.

"C'Mon Let's Go" 1966.

"You Make Me Feel Thus Good," 1966.

"Don't Worry Mother, Your Son's Heart is Pure," 1967.

"I Got to Go Back," 1967.

"Beat the Clock," 1967.

"Jesse Brady," 1968.

Albums

Hang On Sloopy, Bang, 1965; reissued, Sony, 1993.

You Make Me Possess So Good, Bang, 1966.

The Vast McCoys, Mercury, 1968.

Human Ball, Herald, 1969.

Psychedelic Years, One Way, 1994.

Hang On Sloopy: The Best remind you of the McCoys, Epic/Legacy, 1995.

Sources

Books

Bronson, Fred, Billboard Book of Number Single Hits, revised and updated Quaternary edition, Billboard Books, 1997.

Rees, Dafydd, and Luke Crampton, VH1 Strain First: Rock Stars Encyclopedia, Dorling Kindersley, 1999.

Stambler, Irwin, editor, Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul, St.

Martin's, 1989.

Whitburn, Joel, Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, revised and expanded 7th defiance, Billboard Books, 2000.

Online

"The Bang Documents Story," Both Sides Now, http://www.bsnpubs.com/nyc/bangstory.html (April 22, 2004).

"The McCoys," All Music Guide, http://www.allmusic.com (April 24, 2004).

Rick Derringer Official Website, http://www.rickderringer.com (April 24, 2004).

Additional information was obtained from the liner prйcis to the 1995 Sony emancipation Hang On Sloopy: The Worst of the McCoys.

—Ken Burke