THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
1,275) Them — “Dirty Old Man”
Belfast’s Them (without Van the Man) give us a ’67 A-side that is “pure 60’s Garage punk!” (HemiVic, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmycGm0c158), fueled by [Kenny] McDowell’s snarling garage punk vocal and a wonderfully angst ridden organ-led middle-eight this is a record that belongs in the ’60s garage-punk Hall of Fame!” (Jon “Mojo” Mills, liner notes to the CD reissue of Time Out! Time in For Them) And it was recorded in Amarillo, Texas!
Mills tells us that:
“[I]n 1966 the final line-up of Them . . . imploded. Van Morrison quit after a somewhat fruitful tour of the States . . . . Shortly after this split, bass player Alan Henderson picked up the pieces and regrouped with the surviving members and new singer Kenny McDowell under the old “Them” moniker, and set off to conquer America. On meeting impressario Ray Huff their metamorphosis slowly began; growing from R&B tinged garage-band to fully-fledged paisley wearing raga-rockers. First album Now-and-“Them” [including a re-recorded version of “Dirty Old Man”] was a rather mixed affair blending all manner of old and new influences. It sounded more like the product of three bands than that of one succinct unit. However, it was the lengthy eastern inspired piece “Square Room” that gave “Them” their new hip and happening identity. . . . [T]hey had become Them only in name. . . . taking their foremost inspiration from contemporary West Coast acts rather than the Morrison-era’s vintage black R&B template, and fashion wise the sunny Californian hippy style of dress bore no relation to the ban’s former suited and booted Irish selves.
liner notes to Time Out! Time in For Them
As to the LP version, Richie Unterberger calls it “a muted ‘Gloria’ rewrite . . . (whose Strawberry Alarm Clock [see #127, 272, 901, 1,111]-like harmonies dilute the original arrangement, cut by the group slightly earlier on a non-LP single)” (https://www.allmusic.com/album/now-and-them-mw0000032954), and Jon Mills says the 45 “is far better than the softened up version re-recorded for Now-and-‘Them’“. (liner notes to Time Out! Time in For Them)
Here is the LP version:
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Had no idea they reformed and relocated.
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