Peter Greenberg (DMZ, Lyres, Customs) and Barry White formed Barrence Whitfield & The Savages in Boston. They released a self-titled album in 1984 on their own Mamou label, and signed to Rounder for the 1985 followup, Dig Yourself. These albums combined amped-up covers of songs from early rock and R&B records with new songs written in a similar spirit.
After the original lineup disbanded, a new tribe of Savages formed around Barrence and guitarist Milton Reder. These new Savages played on through the mid-90's. Barrence also made two albums with Tom Russell.
In 2009, a new Barrence Whitfield album called Raw Raw Rough appeared, with Milt Reder and original Savages drummer Howard Ferguson. Barrence soon reunited with Peter Greenberg and original bassist Phil Lenker. Their 2011 comeback album was called Savage Kings. It was followed by three more albums: Dig Thy Savage Soul, Under The Savage Sky, and Soul Flowers Of Titan.
In 2019, Barrence and Milt Reeder teamed up again in The Barrence Whitfield Soul Savage Arkestra, and released an album called Songs From The Sun Ra Cosmos. Barrence has also performed and recorded with Spanish groups The Bloodyhotsak and Los Mambo Jambo, and this year Peter Greenberg laid down some guitar for the next Woggles album.
"Savage Songs That Barrence Taught Us" is divided into three sets: 1) the original recordings of songs covered by the first lineup (including the bonus tracks on the reissue of the debut); 2) songs covered during the Milt Reder era (including Raw, Raw, Rough); and 3) cover songs recorded by the current incarnation of The Savages. You dig?
Savage Songs That Barrence Taught Us
ReplyDeleteV1: https://tinyurl.com/barrence1
V2: https://tinyurl.com/barrence2
V3: https://tinyurl.com/barrence3
If anyone can provide a higher bitrate mp3 for Finley Brown's "I Can't Get No Ride" or Rock Murphy's "Scratchin", I would appreciate it! These were the only two songs that I had to rip from Youtube.
Muy excellente!!! Thx a ton Jonder, you gotta dig what makes Barrence tick!!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutamente! We must also doff our fezzes in respect for a singer who doesn't find it too "hard to handle" songs associated with great voices like Otis Redding, Esquivel, Don Covay, Don Van Vliet, Gerry Roslie, and Van Morrison!
DeleteOh my God, thanks Jonder!
ReplyDeleteI’ve got “I Can’t Get No Ride” from BW&tS - Soul Flowers of Titan (2018)
ReplyDeletehttps://mega.nz/file/sew0AZwb#a71L2TZxDsbo9Fsb7EAGFSH_7zK6JqjtvbtOmG3Gwbs
Thanks for the share! I'm hoping to find the original ("I Can't Get No Ride" by Finley Brown) in a better bitrate than the 128 webrip that I made from Youtube.
Deletehttps://www.discogs.com/master/1108415-Finley-Brown-I-Cant-Get-No-Ride
"Can't Get No Ride" appears in two versions on "Savage Songs That Barrence Taught Us" because Barrence recorded it for his 2009 album (Raw, Raw, Rough!) as well as the 2018 version that you shared. The song was covered in 1967 by The Fyrebirds:
https://www.discogs.com/release/6359475-The-Fyrebirds-Cant-Get-No-Ride
You know I love PETER GREENBERG, Jon! I'm looking forward to listening to this--all I need is a VERY long drive!
ReplyDeleteI listened to these CDs 1-2-3, and they're all KICK ASS!
ReplyDeleteAll new to me -- thanks Jonder!
ReplyDeleteWhy this guy isn't a smash star is beyond me....I saw him first with his original band.....he the man!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks!Great band
ReplyDeleteI'm glad this post is continuing to get hits. Barrence is a terrific frontman, Peter Greenberg is a legend, and both of them have impeccable taste in rock, soul and blues. It's great that they decided to work together again.
ReplyDeleteI bought the first Savages LP when it came out, and fell in love with songs like "Bip Bop Bip", "Georgia Slop" and "Walking With Barrence". Of course this was before the internet, and it wasn't until years later that I got to hear the originals. The records that inspired Barrence, Peter and the band tell a different story about the history of rock & roll.
Many of us (myself included) think of rock being born when Sam Phillips met Elvis, or when Chess released "Rocket 88". But the reality is that a lot of different artists were absorbing the influences of R&B, gospel, jump blues and hillbilly music, and combining them into something new and exciting. Some of those pioneers didn't get their due, and it takes a little digging to find them.
Peter and Barrence aren't academics -- they're vinyl hounds, performers and fans of the music they love. So these comps aren't really intended to educate, they're to entertain us with some FUN tunes that groove, jump and ROCK!
Thank you much!
ReplyDeleteBarrence is the man! Gotta a bunch of his LPs and saw him twice....loved it ---Hawkster (from the Cool & the Crazy)
ReplyDeleteGlad you found this post, Hawkster! Is the Cool & the Crazy a music blog?
DeleteI bought the first Savages LP when it was a new release, but I've never seen the band! I had a ticket for their tour supporting The Sonics, but sadly that got cancelled. Barrence and the original Savages released a new album in 2023, so I'm still hoping to get to see them one of these days.