Droogs Logo"Heads Examined" Art Direction: L.T. Pearl

 

 

 

 

 

HEADS EXAMINED (E.P.)

PLUG 'N' SOCKET PNSEP 101 1983 U.S.A. 12"
CLOSER 198? FRANCE 12"

Produced By The Droogs
Engineered By Fred Ampel, Roger Clay assisted by Brian, Peter and Tom
Mastering John Golden at K-DISC
Recorded and Mixed At Track Record, 5429 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA
except 1 & 2 - Remixed at Can-Am, Tarzana, CA.

TRACK LISTING

1 98 Steps 3:26 Albin/Clay
2 You Must Be A Witch 3:39 Fred Cole
3 Train She's On 2:57 Albin/Clay
4 Born To Be Wild 3:33 Mars Bonfire

PERSONNEL

Ric Albin Vocals Droogs
Roger Clay Guitars
David Provost Bass (1/2/3)
Steve Liberty Bass (4)
The Heaters Phil Cohen Drums
Textones Tom Morgan Keyboards (3/4)

 

Four new grooves, from four renewed Droogs re-enforced by a collectors pride, let you know you need your heads examined, if only to point out the ever-present choice that the great backdoorman made: "The basic feeling of being alive" - for him these exist. For in the half-drawn sunrise of Camelot, when the court was cleared of faded generals and unwanted dragons, there surfaced faster than any agency's dream, the path not taken. Here in, with garden tools, winter clothes and summer jam, these four harbor fate long enough to realize this epiphany is at hand.
Wayne Davis 1983Plug 'N' Socket Logo

Many Thanks: Ken Barnes, Gloria Bennett, Gary Stewart, Mark Shipper, Greg Shaw, Don Waller, Lester Bangs, Mike McDowell, Hans Jurgen Klitsch, Bo Clifford, Record Boy, Bryon Coley, Gary & Don, Ian Ballard, Suzanne & Nicole, Brian Hogg and Bob Wilson

 

From the Press Kit:

The Droogs, The Kid and the Gorilla Beat (Between Sets)

"Heard anything good lately?" the kid asked me between sets.
"I dunno. A couple of the Droogs dropped by the other night with their new record. Four songs. That sounded pretty good."
"Yeah? What's it called?"
"Heads Examined." I could tell he didn't believe me.
"I know these guys have been around since the days of whine and poses, but this is their best stuff yet."
"Better than 'Set My Love On You' and 'Ahead Of My Time' on those two Rhino anthologies?"
"Oh yeah." I lit a cigarette.
"They cut a version of 'You Must Be A Witch'. You know, the old Lollipop Shoppe number. Cut it to the bone. The new rhythym section helps."
"Isn't what's-his-name, that bass player from the Textones, playin' with those guys now?"
"David Provost. Yeah, he's on the EP. And the drummer is Phil Cohen, who usta be with the Heaters. Roger Clay is the guitar player. And that's Tom Morgan, from the Textones on 'Born To Be Wild'."
"Still the same singer?"
"Right. Ric Albin. Just a second, lemme get another drink. I just got paid. You want anything?"
"Just get me a coke."
"Man, that stuff'll rot your teeth." I motioned for the nearest bartender, ordered a taqueray 'n' tonic and the kid's coke.
"So are the other two songs originals?"
"More or less. Like '98 Steps' reminds me of the later Yardbirds - you know, the stuff with Jimmy Page - but steamier, and 'Train She's On' has got this real sad, uplifting chorus kinda like, I dunno, the Palace Guard or something like that."
"The 'paisley underground'."
"Oh yeah, right. read all about it, weekly. Another movement from the bowels of the sunsoaked urban jungle that is Los Angeles ... Gimme a break." Our drinks came. I laid six bucks on the bar and turned back to the kid.
"In other words, you've got 29 people who the closest they ever got to windowpane was when they cut themselves on a piece of glass, runnin' around actin' like they found God on a Strawberry Alarm Clock album." The kid grinned and reached for his coke.
"So what's the difference between them and the Droogs?"
"I dunno. Maybe it's the way the Droogs look back with love, but keep an eye on the future. I mean Ric and Roger have been through that cult hero bit - their old singles go for 150 bucks in Europe, bands like the Psychotic Pineapple have covered their tunes - and they know you've got to get your 'Heads Examined'."
"I saw this German fanzine called 'Gorilla Beat' that said the Droogs' last single, 'Only Game In Town' was 'The power pop-punk record of the decade'."
"That's funny. I though it sounded like U2." I turned to rescue my drink from a watery grave. the lights went down.
Onstage the music started......

Don Waller