We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago…..
When he formed a new group in 1972 we didn’t realize that Edgar Win ter was bringing together what we would later recognize as a budding “supergroup”. Dan Hartman, Ronnie Montrose and, at least on this album, Rick Derringer, came together to create the LP “They Only Come Out At Night” and what became one of the most iconic rock instrumentals ever…the immortal “Frankenstein”.
That this incredible song is actually various pieces and musical ideas spliced together (hence the name of the track) does not, at least in my opinion, detract from its power. Despite the studio machinations to put it together, they could still recreate it live, mostly intact, and even expand it as they did in this incredible appearance on the British rock TV show, The Old Grey Whistle Test”.
Montrose had just left Van Morrison’s band and would later form his own hard rock group with Sammy Hagar. Here he is still honing is rock chops but delivers big time all over this album.
Hartman, who wrote or co-wrote many of the songs, including the big hit “Free Ride”, would later achieve solo success in the 1980s, plays a number of instruments including the famous guitar intro on Free Ride.
Derringer, produces and plays many different guitar parts including some pedal steel on the countryish “Round & Round”. They also give us some Latin feel with “Alta Mira” and include a ballad called ‘Autumn”
Chuck Ruff is the drummer, and an underated part of this ensemble.
It’s the rockers that drive this one and the band delivers. Another of the LPs I spent my hard earned cash on back in the day.
If you’ve never heard “Frankenstein”, I envy you your discovery today.
and here is the studio creation of the monster track
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