THE SWINGIN' MEDALLIONS

It sounds like you’re in the middle of a frat party. With a cheap organ and a lot of hootin’ and hollerin’, this South Carolina band is responsible for one of the biggest party records of all time. And believe it or not, the one-hit-wonder group still swings on stage today. Grab a beer, it’s the story of the Swingin’ Medallions and their 1966 smash hit “Double Shot (of My Baby’s Love).” Read More...

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THE ANIMALS had their beginnings as the blues-based Alan Price Combo. But things started to change when deep-voiced Eric Burdon joined in 1962 as lead singer. The band’s name was switched to The Animals. Eric became a dynamic front man as he would howl and growl his way through the group’s repertoire. "House of the Rising Sun" remains one of the true classic rock and blues songs of the era. Read More...

THE GRASS ROOTS, a baby boomer favorite, had over 20 hits from 1966 to 1972, being on the Billboard charts for a record-breaking 307 consecutive weeks (1967-1972). Quite a nice run for a group with such an unusual genesis—the band name was registered even before the actual band was formed! Read More...

MITCH RYDER & THE DETROIT WHEELS scorched up the charts circa 1965-1967. Their brand of rock-pop craziness could yank you out of your seat and throw you into a frenzy. They specialized in revved-up re-tellings of old rocker songs. Their signature song and biggest hit was the wild and crazy “Devil With A Blue Dress On”. The song is a classic. Read More...

Few groups have successfully changed their lead singer 4 times and gone on to obtain Top 40 hits with each one of them. Going from ‘50s doo-wop, to ‘60s Motown soul, to the ‘70s R&B “Philly Sound,” to two Disco hits in 1980, the Spinners fall into an unusual category. But as they changed musically with the times, seamless harmonies were always their most prominent trademark. Read More...

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NAPOLEON XIV

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THE BUCKINGHAMS soared to Number 1 in February of 1967 with their classic hit, “Kind of a Drag”. The five teenagers from Chicago were originally named “The Pulsations”. But in the midst of the British invasion, they were told that their band name needed to sound more English. So they adopted the name of “The Buckinghams”. Read More...

Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe” stands out as one of the greatest narrative recordings of the rock era. Interspersed with mundane dinner table conversation giving this masterpiece an eerie flavor, the song weaves an intriguing tale of the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of one Billie Joe MacAllister--circumstances that people still debate 40 years after the record was released! Read More...

With an impressive string of hits from 1966 to 1971, Tommy James & the Shondells were able to stay on top by going through some style changes. At the heart of the group has always been Tommy James himself. Boomerhead.com was recently lucky to have the opportunity to speak with him....Read More...

Known mainly for memorable bubble gum hits like “Dizzy” and “Sweet Pea,” Tommy Roe’s successful early rocker era (“Sheila”, “Everybody”) is sometimes overlooked—as are his songwriting credentials. He wrote many of his Top 40 records (11 in all) between 1962 and 1971, making him one of the most commercially successful singer/songwriters in the singles market and AM Radio. Starting out in a Billy Holly mode and ending up vying for title of bubble-gum king, Tommy Roe has had a dizzying career. Read More...

Even though some baby boomers consider STEPPENWOLF’s “Born to Be Wild” the property of their generation, (after all it played a big part in the soundtrack of the landmark baby-boomer flick “Easy Rider”), the song has been embraced by people of all ages from many walks of life. Quite a turnaround from when the song first came out in 1968 and parents were threatened by its aggressiveness. Read More...

THE STANDELLS snarled their way up the charts in 1966 with the enduring smash hit “Dirty Water.” The swaggering bravado of lead singer and former-Mouseketeer (!) Dickie Dodd’s vocals, along with the bluesy and raunchy arrangement make this a favorite among current garage and punk bands and baby boomers twice their age. Read More...

Eclectic rock group, "LOVE" led by Arthur Lee, never quite made it big nationally, but their influence on the 60s music scene was substantial during their brief heyday.Their third album, “Forever Changes”, is included on many contemporary music critics best albums lists. Rolling Stone Magazine ranks it at #40 of greatest rock albums ever. Read More...

LESLEY GORE stands tall in the girl-group category where she is strangely categorized. The diminutive solo artist won over early baby-boomers in 1963 with her #1 smash hit “It’s My Party.” It was the first and biggest song of her career and embodied the trials and tribulations of young teen-age girls across America. Poor Lesley, that evil Judy, and what was Johnny thinking! Read More...