The Blues Magoos was a rock music group from the Bronx, New York. They were… Read Full Bio ↴The Blues Magoos was a rock music group from the Bronx, New York. They were at the forefront of the psychedelic music trend, beginning as early as 1966
1964 - 1971
The band was formed in 1964 as "The Trenchcoats". The original members were Emil "Peppy" Thielhelm aka Peppy Castro (vocals and guitar), Dennis LePore (lead guitar), Ralph Scala (organ and vocals), Ronnie Gilbert (bass) and John Finnegan (drums). The band made a name for itself in various clubs in Greenwich Village. By 1966 the band had changed its name to fit in with the psychedelic vibe of the times - they first changed their name to the Bloos Magoos, though they changed that to the more conventional Blues Magoos. They also made some line-up changes, bringing in Mike Esposito as lead guitarist, and Geoff Daking as drummer.
Like their name, the group's sound was of the psychedelic variety. They released the "I'm Wrong and You Are Right" b/w "The People Had No Faces" single on Verve Records, but did not gain the band much recognition. However, Mercury Records signed the band to a record deal in late 1966 and the group's debut album, Psychedelic Lollipop was released shortly thereafter. It was one of the first records to contain the word "Psychedelic" on the sleeve (along with the 13th Floor Elevators' first album, The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators, and The Deep's Psychedelic Moods, both also from 1966). They played a lot then at the Chess Mate Coffeehouse owned by Morrie Widenbaum, a mostly folk venue that also hosted bands like Southbound Freeway, Siegel-Schwall Blues Band and Blues Magoos.
In a tour of the US in 1967 they were the opening act followed by The Who and then the headliners Herman's Hermits. The group's biggest song, "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet", whose Vox Continental organ riff bears an uncanny resemblance to the 1962 hit by Ricky Nelson, "Summertime" (Deep Purple also used this riff in their hit "Black Night") , was released as a single in 1967 (albeit from their 1966 album), with "Gotta Get Away" as the b-side. The song hit number 5 on the US charts, although it did not fare nearly as well in the UK. It was used for the movie Easy Rider in 1968. Incidentally, The Magoos' "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet" was released as a single in February 1967 by British group The Spectres (later to become The Status Quo). The record did not chart.
The next single by the Blues Magoos, "There's A Chance We Can Make It," was only a minor hit, with its b-side "Pipe Dream" actually charting higher (though neither side hit the top 40). After one more minor chart single with "One By One," subsequent singles were largely ignored by record buyers. Neither of the two albums released after Psychedelic Lollipop, Electric Comic Book and Basic Blues Magoos, had much success. By 1968, the band was discouraged and they split up.
The group's management had other plans. The band was signed to ABC Records, but most of the members did not go along with this plan. Only Castro agreed and started up a revamped Blues Magoos, with Eric Kaz, Richie Dickon, John Leillo and Roger Eaton. The other Blues Magoos moved to the west coast, enlisted Joey Stec, formerly of The Millenium, and released the "Let Your Love Ride" b/w "Who Do You Love" single on Ganim Records in 1969 before eventually going their separate ways. Ralph Scala and Joey Stec later resurfaced as a member of The Dependables. In 1969, the Castro-led band completed Never Goin' Back To Georgia, but that release did not attract public attention either. Eaton left the band, and the other Blues Magoos used session musicians for the follow up Gulf Coast Bound. It did poorly as well and though the Magoos struggled for another two years, they eventually parted ways.
1972 - present
After a stint with the rock musical Hair, Peppy Castro formed Barnaby Bye with fellow cast members Bobby and Billy Alessi.[1] The group released two albums on Atlantic records, "Room to Grow" (1972) and "Touch" (1973).[2] In 1981, Castro resurfaced again with the group Balance whose song "Breaking Away" reached #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In July 2008, the Blues Magoos with original members Ralph Scala, Castro and Geoff Daking reunited for the first time in years for two concerts, including one with The Zombies at the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza in New York City.[3] In December 2009 they traveled to Spain for the Purple Weekend festival.[4]
1964 - 1971
The band was formed in 1964 as "The Trenchcoats". The original members were Emil "Peppy" Thielhelm aka Peppy Castro (vocals and guitar), Dennis LePore (lead guitar), Ralph Scala (organ and vocals), Ronnie Gilbert (bass) and John Finnegan (drums). The band made a name for itself in various clubs in Greenwich Village. By 1966 the band had changed its name to fit in with the psychedelic vibe of the times - they first changed their name to the Bloos Magoos, though they changed that to the more conventional Blues Magoos. They also made some line-up changes, bringing in Mike Esposito as lead guitarist, and Geoff Daking as drummer.
Like their name, the group's sound was of the psychedelic variety. They released the "I'm Wrong and You Are Right" b/w "The People Had No Faces" single on Verve Records, but did not gain the band much recognition. However, Mercury Records signed the band to a record deal in late 1966 and the group's debut album, Psychedelic Lollipop was released shortly thereafter. It was one of the first records to contain the word "Psychedelic" on the sleeve (along with the 13th Floor Elevators' first album, The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators, and The Deep's Psychedelic Moods, both also from 1966). They played a lot then at the Chess Mate Coffeehouse owned by Morrie Widenbaum, a mostly folk venue that also hosted bands like Southbound Freeway, Siegel-Schwall Blues Band and Blues Magoos.
In a tour of the US in 1967 they were the opening act followed by The Who and then the headliners Herman's Hermits. The group's biggest song, "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet", whose Vox Continental organ riff bears an uncanny resemblance to the 1962 hit by Ricky Nelson, "Summertime" (Deep Purple also used this riff in their hit "Black Night") , was released as a single in 1967 (albeit from their 1966 album), with "Gotta Get Away" as the b-side. The song hit number 5 on the US charts, although it did not fare nearly as well in the UK. It was used for the movie Easy Rider in 1968. Incidentally, The Magoos' "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet" was released as a single in February 1967 by British group The Spectres (later to become The Status Quo). The record did not chart.
The next single by the Blues Magoos, "There's A Chance We Can Make It," was only a minor hit, with its b-side "Pipe Dream" actually charting higher (though neither side hit the top 40). After one more minor chart single with "One By One," subsequent singles were largely ignored by record buyers. Neither of the two albums released after Psychedelic Lollipop, Electric Comic Book and Basic Blues Magoos, had much success. By 1968, the band was discouraged and they split up.
The group's management had other plans. The band was signed to ABC Records, but most of the members did not go along with this plan. Only Castro agreed and started up a revamped Blues Magoos, with Eric Kaz, Richie Dickon, John Leillo and Roger Eaton. The other Blues Magoos moved to the west coast, enlisted Joey Stec, formerly of The Millenium, and released the "Let Your Love Ride" b/w "Who Do You Love" single on Ganim Records in 1969 before eventually going their separate ways. Ralph Scala and Joey Stec later resurfaced as a member of The Dependables. In 1969, the Castro-led band completed Never Goin' Back To Georgia, but that release did not attract public attention either. Eaton left the band, and the other Blues Magoos used session musicians for the follow up Gulf Coast Bound. It did poorly as well and though the Magoos struggled for another two years, they eventually parted ways.
1972 - present
After a stint with the rock musical Hair, Peppy Castro formed Barnaby Bye with fellow cast members Bobby and Billy Alessi.[1] The group released two albums on Atlantic records, "Room to Grow" (1972) and "Touch" (1973).[2] In 1981, Castro resurfaced again with the group Balance whose song "Breaking Away" reached #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In July 2008, the Blues Magoos with original members Ralph Scala, Castro and Geoff Daking reunited for the first time in years for two concerts, including one with The Zombies at the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza in New York City.[3] In December 2009 they traveled to Spain for the Purple Weekend festival.[4]
Nothin' Yet
Blues Magoos Lyrics
One day you're up and the next day you're down
You can't face the world with your head to the ground
The grass is always greener on the other side, they say
So don't worry, boys, life will be sweet some day
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
We made enough mistakes
But you know we got what it takes
Oh, we ain't got nothin' yet
No, we ain't got nothin' yet
Nothin' can hold us and nothin' can keep us down
And someday our names will be spread all over town
We can get in while the getting is good
So make it on your own, yeah, you know that you could
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
We got to make the break
'Cause we got too much at stake
Oh, we ain't got nothin' yet
No, we ain't got nothin' yet
We made enough mistakes
But you know we got what it takes
Oh, we ain't got nothin' yet
No, we ain't got nothin' yet
You can't face the world with your head to the ground
The grass is always greener on the other side, they say
So don't worry, boys, life will be sweet some day
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
We made enough mistakes
But you know we got what it takes
Oh, we ain't got nothin' yet
Nothin' can hold us and nothin' can keep us down
And someday our names will be spread all over town
We can get in while the getting is good
So make it on your own, yeah, you know that you could
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
We got to make the break
'Cause we got too much at stake
Oh, we ain't got nothin' yet
No, we ain't got nothin' yet
We made enough mistakes
But you know we got what it takes
Oh, we ain't got nothin' yet
No, we ain't got nothin' yet
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: Michael Esposito, Peppy Castro, Ralph Scala, Ronald Gilbert, EMIL THIELHELM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Plumcrazy Preston
1967 was a pivotal year in history. Rock and roll turned truly wild. Male hair turned truly long.
Hippies had arrived.
Drugs had arrived.
The sexual revolution had arrived.
Headbanging music had arrived.
1966 was the last year that some rock and roll had a hint of '50's-ish sound still left.
Something about the vocal harmony in this song here that sounds doo-whoppish.
leslie holocaust
It's much harder to write a song like this than it is to play it. That's what's so beautiful.
Metaphoria
So true and writing is the most important thing
John Conway
Yep. That's why I'm not a big fan of sampling. Someone's already done all of the heavy lifting writing the melodies and then along comes P. Ditty and Pit Bull. 🙄 At least the song's writers get paid...
Metaphoria
@John Conway many times the songs are better or at least good but I get the the original creation is the most important/ difficult like I prefer Thru the wire over the Chaka Kahn version tho its still great
Cuentos Mayores
The sound of the guitar in the main weird riff blew me away. I was literally in the other side of my house and had to come to the living room where the music was playing because that music that was coming out was so thrilling and something I had never listened to before in a guitar. Just amazing
Jersey SmellTours
Once heard
Never forgotten
A very potent musical earworm...
Jeanne Griffin
This song is on fire!! Pure energy!!
Bob Hopkins
Don't know why anyone hasn't replied, well said it's like going 90 down the freeway
H.M. MELD
i love this song
Barbarian Celt Lad
Their lead guitarist gave a few lessons to a young fan named Ace Frehley. I love the stories of music