Genre: rock
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: 7 Do 11
Company: SR-61157
Catalog: SR-61157
Year: 1968
Country/State: L.A., California
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG+
Comments: minor ring wear on cover; original Mercury inner sleeve; small promotion copy stamp on back cover
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4296
Price: $40.00
Cost: $66.00
I became aware of this outfit when someone in an online chat group handed me my head of a cyber-platter for making a mistake in saying that my favorite Grass Roots song was 'Midnight Confessions'. This person wasted no effort in making it clear that the Grass Roots were nothing more than a bunch of hacks and The Ever-Green Blues Band had actually recorded 'Midnight Confessions' nearly a year before John Sebastian and company.
Needless to say, this 'discussion' got my curiosity up and I happened to stumble across a copy of their debut album at a yard sale (still looking for the sophomore album "Comin' On").
So here's what little bibliographic information we've found on the band - most of it lifted from the brief liner notes on their debut LP. The group was originally formed in 1963. Apparently from Southern California, they started out as a trio (though the liner notes don't tell you who the founding members were), and slowly expanded ultimately becoming as even piece outfit consisting of guitarist Rick Barrio, trumpet player Tom Bray, singer Manny Esparza, keyboard player Steve Lawrence, drummer Sam Lombardo, bassist Steve McSweyn and trombone player Ken Walther.
Signed by Mercury, their 1968 debut "7 Do 11" was recorded in Los Angeles with Bob King producing. Musically the set's pretty good. Largely written by Lou T. Josie (?), material such as 'I Don't Want To Lose You and 'Because I Love' displays a mixture of blue-eyed soul and more pop-oriented moves. It's all quite commercial and to our ears quite attractive As lead singer Esparza injects considerable energy into the proceedings and the band have the common sense to keep the horn arrangements largely in the background. Personal favorites include the rocking lead off track 'Yesterday's Coming', the Young Rascals-styled 'I Don't Want To Lose You' and their enthusiastic cover of the Spencer Davis Group's 'Gimme Some Loving'. 'Midnight Confessions' b/w '(Yes) That's My Baby' (Mercury catalog number 72756) was tapped as a single. Sadly, while it's actually more energetic and likeable than the Grass Roots cover, it did little on the charts. 'Laura (Keep Hanging On)' b/w 'Yesteday's Coming' (Mercury catalog number 72780) proved an equally unsuccessful follow-on 45. The one group original 'Fun On the Train Part 1' sounds like something off of an Earl and Doug McKenzie comedy album.
"7 Do 11" track listing:
(side
1)
1.) Yesterday's Coming (Lou T. Josie) - 2:30
2.) I Don't Want To Lose You (C. Davis - K. Tarleton) - 2:18
3.) T-O-N-I (Lou T. Josie) - 2:36
4.) Song for a City (Lou T. Josie) - 3:15
5.) Love Is a Hurtin' Thing (B. Raleigh - D. Linden) - 2:18
(side 2)
1.) Midnight Confessions (Lou T. Josie) - 2:44
2.) (Yes) That's My Baby (Lou T. Josie) - 2:29
3.) Gimme Some Loving (Stevie Winwood - Muff Winwood - Spencer Davis) - 3:57
4.) Fun On the Train Part 1 (Ever-Green Blues Band) - 2:07
5.) Because I Love (Lou T. Josie) - 2:47
6.) Laura (Keep Hangin' On) (G. Buckley - Lou T. Josie) - ) 2:43
As mentioned
earlier, we've never seen, or heard it, but there's also a sophomore album
on ABC - 1969's "Comin' On".