THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
1,412) The Road Runners — “Goodbye”
Garage rock perfection out of Fresno, California, this is no shriveled California raisin, but a ’66 A-side that is “Absolutely Fierce garage rock” (ThomasSmith-hq7in, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tv2xZKxFuDs), “a traditional pounding approach strengthened even further by exquisite harmonies, prominent Farfisa and fuzzy guitar licks. . . . [and] even . . . some old-school sax, bleating up a storm in just the right spots.” (liner notes to the CD comp Garage Beat ’66: Speak of the Devil . . .)
On the Flip-Side writes that:
The Road Runners were a top notch garage band . . . in the raisin capital of the world. The quintet of farm boys released four singles in their brief life. . . . The band was fronted by Randy Hall who sang lead and played bass. Dale Samuelian was on organ, Bob Trippell on saxophone, Steve Heitkotter on drums and Denver Cross was the excellent guitarist of the band. Randy Hall penned both [the A- and B-sides]. The songwriting and musicianship is across the board excellent. “Goodbye”, the hard charging A-Side shows off Hall’s vocal prowess and Cross’ strong guitar work that shows, as with most artists in this genre of the day, he was listening to a ton of Jeff Beck. Hall seems particularly angry at his muse. Even a little heavy handed. . . . A real double sided gem.
https://ontheflip-side.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-roadrunners-goodbyetell-her-you.html
Garage Beat tells us that:
[They] opened Fresno shows for most of the touring royalty of the day, culminating in a riotous Rolling Stones concert . . . . They even basked in the attention of a number one record on local KYNO. But . . . . [i]n one of the oldest tricks in the garage band playbook, the Road Runners [had] bought up enough local supply . . . to confuse the station into thinking they had another Beatles on their hands.
liner notes to Garage Beat ’66: Speak of the Devil . . .
Chris Bishop notes that their drummer Steven Heitkotter “who a few years later recorded a free-form psychedelic jam LP that has been reissued . . . . was institutionalized by 1972”. (https://garagehangover.com/road-runners-fresno-morocco-miramar-reprise/)
Here they are live:
Pay to Play! The Off the Charts Spotify Playlist! + Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock Merchandise
Please consider helping to support my website/blog by contributing $6 a month for access to the Off the Charts Spotify Playlist. Using a term familiar to denizens of Capitol Hill, you pay to play! (“relating to or denoting an unethical or illicit arrangement in which payment is made by those who want certain privileges or advantages in such arenas as business, politics, sports, and entertainment” — dictionary.com).
The playlist includes all the “greatest songs of the 1960’s that no one has ever heard” that are available on Spotify — now over 900 songs. The playlist will expand each time I feature an available song.
All new subscribers will receive a Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock magnet. New subscribers who sign up for a year will also receive a Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock t-shirt or baseball cap. See pictures on the Pay to Play page.
When subscribing, please send me an e-mail (GMFtma1@gmail.com) or a comment on this site letting me know an e-mail address/phone number/Facebook address, etc. to which I can send instructions on accessing the playlist and a physical address to which I can sent a magnet/t-shirt/baseball cap. If choosing a t-shirt, please let me know the gender and size you prefer.
Just click on the first blue block for a month to month subscription or the second blue block for a yearly subscription.
Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! / Off the Charts: 60s Rock Revelations😊 