The Standells 'The Best of The Standells' (1983)
The Standells were thee punk band of the 1960s. They combined a snarly, moody look with a vicious, burning sound that made them the epitome of Teenage Punk. Their records were a tour de force of us-versus-them teenage stances packed into two-and-a-half minute, commercial rock songs. It all worked so well, that it seems amazing such a group could have emerged from their rather ordinary backgrounds.
Earlier in the decade the Standells -- Larry Tamblyn, Tony Valentino, Gary Lane and Gary Leeds (who was replaced by Dick Dodd in 1963) -- were a clean-living, fun bunch of bananas who layed down the rock hits of the day, like "Louie Louie" and "Money," at trendy clubs like P.J's and on a variety of TV shows like the "Munsters" and movies like "Zebra in the Kitchen" where a clean rock'n'roll band was needed. The group included one guy who spoke in a very unhip, broken Italian accent, and another who was a refugee from the Mouseketeers. After a few recordings of minor note, their fortunes changed upon meeting producer/songwriter Ed Cobb. The match was perfect. Ed was formerly a member of the super clean Four Preps!
Rather than a combined future in a Disneyland-like middle American Heaven, Ed and the boys pulled a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde and bounded back with a very seething, resentful, provoking approach that was very influenced by the Rolling Stones. Perhaps the years of growing up squeeky clean had suppressed a lot of angst that unleashed itself in the group's newfound personality. -from the liner notes
