Flamin' Groovies Now

The reconstituted Flamin' Groovies were more at home in the punk and new wave era than they'd been in the late '60s and early '70s, when their pre-hippie rock 'n' roll was clearly at odds with the dominant scene. It had taken the band five years to score a decent record deal before 1976's acclaimed Shake Some Action; Now followed less than two years later. The Groovies weren't quite up to writing an entire album of new material, but their ear for covers never let them down. The Byrds' "Feel a Whole Lot Better," The Rolling Stones' "Blue Turns to Grey" and "Paint It, Black," The Beatles' "There's a Place," the Cliff Richard hit "Move It," King Curtis' "Reminiscing," and Paul Revere & The Raiders' "Ups and Downs" were inspired choices that showed off the band's intense love and knowledge of rock history. Band leader Cyril Jordan and Chris Wilson wrote solid rockers with "All I Wanted," "Between the Lines," and "Don't Put Me On." Most importantly here, the band members are playing with inspiration and genuine fire.