About two months ago, an e-mail conversation I had with fellow
\nreview panel member Eric E5S16 got me interested in ’60s heavy
\nmetal stalwarts Steppenwolf again – and of late, I’ve been
\nlistening to albums that for one reason or another I haven’t
\ntouched in a few years. A prime example was when I was digging
\nthrough the Pierce Archives (New Jersey Nets fans, two words:
\nbye-bye) for a tape we’ll be reviewing tomorrow, and I ran across
\ntheir self-titled debut.<\/p>\n
John Kay and crew achieved immortality on
\nSteppenwolf<\/i> with the biker anthem “Born To Be Wild,” but
\nthere are many other songs which are even better on this album –
\nand it has successfully survived the test of time.<\/p>\n
Kay (who had fled East Germany with his parents, eventually
\nmoving to Canada) proved himself to be more than just an “image”
\nfronting the group. His lyrics often reflected social issues and
\nangst and anxieties we all face. (For the social commentary, go to
\nthe last track, “The Ostrich” as proof.) Even as Steppenwolf were
\nproviding anthems for a generation of drug experimentation, their
\ncover of Hoyt Axton’s “The Pusher” seemed to take an anti-drug
\nstand (never mind the opening line’s, “You know I smoked a lot of
\ngrass \/ Oh Lord, I’ve popped a lot of pills”). And Kay seemed to
\nstep up as the voice of a generation who lost their ideals on
\n“Desperation”: “Take my hand, if you don’t know where you’re goin’
\n\/ I understand – I’ve lost the way myself”. Ka-pow.<\/p>\n
Even Steppenwolf’s venture into blues knocks me out – their
\ncover of “Hootchie Cootchie Man” is still one of the best I have
\never heard. Just to hear Kay say in an unearthly groan, “Oh, baby,
\nI’m gonna mess with you” is worth the wait.<\/p>\n
Sure, a few songs have a little bit of dust on them –
\n“Everybody’s Next One” has a little bit of the hippy-trippy ’60s in
\nit, and “A Girl I Knew” could be a hidden gem from this band. But
\nwith rare exception,
\nSteppenwolf<\/i> pleases from start to end. The only track I’m
\nnot particulary fond of is “Berry Rides Again,” a tribute to the
\nrock pioneer that just doesn’t ignite.<\/p>\n
Now, maybe Steppenwolf was never comprised of the best musicians
\nin the world – on
\nSteppenwolf<\/i>, they make the best out of their talents. Jerry
\nEdmonton’s drumming is solid, as is the organ work of Goldy McJohn.
\n(Frankly, I’d prefer to stop the lineup listing here, only because
\nmy cassette has no liner notes, and I’ve seen conflicting stories
\nof the lineup of this album from two books I use as sources. I’d
\nrather shut up and be safe than list a line-up and be wrong.)<\/p>\n
And as much as “Born To Be Wild” has been played to the point of
\noverkill – so much so that I turn off the radio when it comes on –
\nSteppenwolf<\/i> is still an album I don’t get tired of listening
\nto. Even when “Born To Be Wild” comes on, it sounds very natural in
\nits own environment.<\/p>\n
Someday, when my daughter is old enough and starts asking about
\nrock music,
\nSteppenwolf<\/i> will probably be one of the first albums I
\nintroduce her to – even for someone my age, every time I listen to
\nit, it’s an education for me. Maybe this time, I won’t let this
\ntape get buried in the Archives.<\/p>\n
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