Who could have guessed, back in 2000 when The Doughboys got back together after a lapse of 35 years, that the reunion would result in the full-blown renaissance it’s become. After a period of sporadic gigs, The Doughboys pulled it together & released “Is It Now?” in 2007 to a public obviously hungry for high energy, authentic “garage” rock, because rock’n’roll fans the world over ate it up with a spoon! Little Steven got the taste for Doughboys’ music & crowned the first single “Black Sheep” one of the coolest songs in the world of 2008.
Actually, perhaps it was predictable. The four Doughboys are seasoned & well-respected musicians of the first order – lead singer Myke Scavone led 70’s hard rock ensemble Ram Jam (of “Black Betty” fame); drummer Richard X. Heyman (a/k/a “Richie”) is an acclaimed singer/songwriter with seven albums to his credit; guitarist Gar Francis has made a name for himself as blues man Plainfield Slim & has done sessions with such luminaries as Billy Idol; & bassist Mike Caruso honed his chops in the studio backing stars like Jimi Hendrix!
The Doughboys were one of the most popular of central Jersey’s bands in the ‘60’s. Mike & Richie formed the group with guitarist Willy Kirchofer in the fall of ‘64 & called it The Ascots. A year later Mike Farina & Myke Scavone from rival band The Apollos came on board. The Ascots changed their name to The Doughboys in ‘66 & got a recording contract with Bell Records by winning a battle-of-the-bands on Zacherle’s Disc-o-teen TV show. They put out two singles – “Rhoda Mendelbaum” & “Everybody Knows My Name”, as the band played weekly WMCA Good Guys shows all over the tri-state area. They were the house band at the legendary Café Wha? in Greenwich Village during the summer of ’68.
Lots of groups – both famous & un – reunite, but very few of them pick up where they left off & then top it. Well-known acts coast on their old material while local guys play a few shows to their wives & kids on the odd weekend. Not The Doughboys – they’re gigging constantly, at venues like B.B. King’s in New York City, Maxwell’s in Hoboken & The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, sharing bills with the likes of The Pretenders, Robin Trower & The Electric Prunes, playing to ecstatic crowds. Their music is being aired around the world, from Spain to California to Croatia to Austria. & Little Steven has already chosen “I’m Not Your Man,” the first single from their brand-new second album “Act Your Rage,” as another Coolest Song In The World on the Underground Garage.
So, OK, “Rhoda Mendelbaum” never chopped the charts in ‘66, but no matter – The Doughboys’ new material on “Act Your Rage” is smokin’, with contributions from Richie, Gar & Myke, & a couple oddball covers for good measure (a garage version of The Moody Blues’ prog-rock classic “Tuesday Afternoon,” anyone?!). & they’re coming to a stage near you! The Doughboys’ live show is not to be missed, if you want to see & hear how rock’n’roll used to be – & still oughta be – done. The Doughboys are past catering to trends. Their music is pure them.
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