This is the tale of The Wildweeds, a band that by all accounts was always slightly out of step with prevailing musical fashions. In retrospect, the band seemed to exist to set the stage for Al Anderson's future. But, as this new collection from Confidential Recordings, "No Good To Cry: The Best of The Wildweeds," reveals and affirms, the music that the group produced stands on its merits as an important contribution to the pop lexicon.
The influences which made the band seem in the minority musically are today acknowledged as masters of soul. True the Beatles and the Stones popularized and emulated crossover rock and roll artists like Chuck Berry. But The Wildweeds worshipped the likes of Ray Charles, The Impressions and Billy Stewart. Perhaps The Weeds were ahead of their time. Listening to "No Good To Cry: The Best of The Wildweeds," a compilation of the band's singles and unreleased material, shows just how fresh that take is today.
By the late 50s/early 60s, rock and roll had moved out of the south, and was not strictly the domain of the big cities any more, so this group of Windsor, CT boys was able to follow their musical ideals with impunity.
The Hartford area had a strong music scene. The young players typically shifted in and out of various combos. Bands with names like The Blues Messengers, The Altones, The Six Packs and The Futuras shaped them. The Weeds finally gelled in late 1966. Shortly thereafter, the name was expanded to The Wildweeds. The musicians included Al Anderson, of course, on guitar and vocals. Andy Lepak (drums), Ray Zeiner (keyboards), Bob Dudek (bass) and Martin "Skip" Yakaitis (percussion) rounded out the group in its definitive lineup.
While the band was still in its early stages, Andy Lepak's father, Alex Lepak Sr., a professional musician and teacher, started managing them. He provided a stabilizing influence, paying them a salary and instilling in them strong ideals about their music.
According to the fairytale trajectory, the band's popularity grew locally through enthusiastic fans at numerous live gigs. Al Anderson continued to hone his songwriting skill. (Thirty-four years later, in 2000, Al Anderson was named BMI Songwriter of the Year, but that's getting too far ahead. Back to 1966.) The Weeds went into Syncron Sound Studios on their own and cut some tracks, including "No Good to Cry."
The next chapter of the story finds record producer Thomas "Doc" Cavalier purchasing Syncron. Reviewing the archived assets of his new property, Doc was drawn to the energy and raw talent he heard from the Weeds rough recordings. He sought the boys out. He soon went further, refocusing and renaming the single, "No Good to Cry," and used his experience and influence to get them some industry notice. It worked. DJs around the northeast began to play "No Good to Cry." It was an unqualified regional hit.
Doc got them a deal with one of Chess Label's subsidiaries, Cadet. "No Good to Cry" proceeded to get wider airplay, but never received the huge national attention that it deserved.
Still more classic ups and downs followed. In an attempt to keep up with the evolving rock music of the late 60s, they tried a different musical direction, which culminated in the single "I'm Dreaming," released on Cadet Concept, another Chess offshoot. Again, good local response encouraged the band, but it seems the writing was on the wall. The band broke ranks with Doc Cavalier, changed personnel, and shifted their musical direction. This lineup of The Wildweeds released a self-titled country-influenced outing in 1970 on Vanguard that got little notice.
Sometime in 1969 Skip Yakaitis urged Al Anderson to come with him to hear NRBQ, a new band. Within two years, history began anew when Al signed on with the "Q." Twenty-two years later, that chapter came to a close.
Skip Yakaitis died in 1988. The Lepak family still lives in the Hartford area, and is still involved in music. Ray Zeiner now repairs pianos and still performs in Connecticut. Bob Dudek lived in Connecticut, and spent his years caring for the wildlife there. He died in June 2002 after a long battle with cancer. Thomas "Doc" Cavalier runs Trod Nossel Productions out of the same studio location that that he bought in 1967.
Fans of NRBQ have been assured of Al Anderson's talents for decades. Legions of them treasure, trade and discuss everything that the band has ever done. With the release of "No Good to Cry: The Best of The Wildweeds," Confidential Recordings is proud to contribute some long-lost, ever-so-deserving material, including rare and vintage photos and documents, to update and add to the legend.
From The Official Wildweeds Website: The Wildweeds
I Can't Stand It
The Wildweeds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you get all the love
I can't stand the pain of life
I can't even stand the shock.
But when I hear you say
That you will go away
And leave me someday
I can't stand itI can't stand it
When you stand close to me
You makes me kind of weak
And when you hold me tight
My poor heart skips a beat
And when I hear you say
That you will go away
And leave me someday
I can't stand it
When you're standin' close to me
You make me kinda weak
And when you hold me tight
My poor heart skips a beat
And when I hear you say
That you will go away
And leave me someday
I can't stand it
The Wildweeds's song "I Can't Stand It" is an emotionally charged song about the pain of love and life. The singer expresses his inability to cope with the pain of love and how it affects him so much that he can't stand the shock. He begins the song by saying that he can't stand the pain of love when the person he loves receives more love than him. This suggests that the singer desires love but doesn't receive enough of it.
As the song progresses, the singer talks about his relationship with the person he loves. He feels weak when the person is close to him and his heart skips a beat when they hold him tight. However, this emotional intensity turns negative when the person says that they will leave him someday. The singer can't bear the thought of being without the person he loves and can't stand it. The chorus repeats this phrase several times, emphasizing the singer's pain and inability to cope with the situation.
Overall, "I Can't Stand It" is a poignant song that explores the depths of emotional pain and vulnerability. The singer's raw emotions are conveyed through the lyrics, making the song relatable to anyone who has experienced heartache and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't stand the pain of love
The emotional pain that love brings is unbearable for me
When you get all the love
I feel jealous when you receive more love than me
I can't stand the pain of life
The hardships in life are too much for me to bear
I can't even stand the shock.
Even the slightest shock is hard for me to handle
But when I hear you say
That you will go away
And leave me someday
I can't stand it
The thought of you leaving me is too much for me to bear
When you're standin' close to me
You make me kinda weak
And when you hold me tight
My poor heart skips a beat
Your physical presence affects me deeply and excites my heart
And when I hear you say
That you will go away
And leave me someday
I can't stand it
The fear of losing you makes me unable to cope
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
Written by: LOU REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jimp1445
The Wildweeds were the first live band I ever heard. Multiple shows at Wright's Country club in Torrington, CT had me hooked. Rock'n soul, to country, and blues. Lyrical, harmonious, and full of energy. Great role models that I still enjoy listening to. Keep on rocking Big Al!
@billbuller4568
This was the first "live" band I ever saw. 1968, St. Theresa
a Church in North Haven, CT. I never forgot that show, or the band. Thank you Wildweeds!
@GeorgeStraughn
Fantastic! 😎🎸👍
@rondecarufel6212
Love this album. And when she smiles. Is one of my all-time favorite songs.
@user-te7yo1ci7m
Позитивное , симпатичное country . Спасибо !
@catman256able
👍🙏🎏✌️
@saraslater7949
Good music 🎶🎵
@robertdaddona3719
This was a local Ct.band that we went to see whenever they were in the Waterbury area. .And yes they covered alot of the hits of the day...I remember Blackbird, & Rocky Racoon from the Beatles White Album, and they were the only band I ever heard to cover "Hey Bulldog"...Skippy sang a great Touch me by the Doors & "Ballad of a Teenage Queen". ..Must have seen them over a dozen times. Oh yeah Al sang a great Ruby Dont Take Your Love to Town too.
@robertflagg2461
I use to listen to the 6 packs practicing to be the Wildweeds from my cousins house next door to Lepaks oh yeah memories! Now Al writes plays and is friends with Vince Gill. Maybe its just me but this is one of the best albums of all time.
@AllenOption8
Playing this now for the bonus tracks. I had the original album. This was Al Anderson's turn to country (which he grew up listening to). They are a Windsor band and they were amazing in their day. Originally playing more blue-eyed soul - but again listen to these bonus tracks and hear it yourself. "Big Al" would go on to star with NRBQ and then write in Nashville. Incredible muso, vocalist and writer. They played this album for us all on the steps of the Windsor Town Hall in 1970. I believe that there were some Beatle songs in there by recollection.