Paul Revere and The Raiders

Paul Revere and The Raiders , pop-rock hit-makers of the 1960s; Membership: Paul Revere, kybd. (b. Boise, Idaho, Jan. 7, 1942); Mark Lindsay, lead voc, sax. (b. Cambridge, Idaho, March 9,1942); Drake Levin, gtr.; Mike Holiday, bs.; Mike Smith, drm. In 1964, Philip “Fang” Volk replaced Holiday. Freddie Weller (b. Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 9,1947) was lead guitarist from 1967 to 1971.

Starting out in Idaho in 1959 as The Downbeats, with Paul Revere and Mark Lindsay, the group became Paul Revere and The Raiders in 1960. They achieved their first moderate hit with the instrumental ’Tike, Long Hair” on the Gardena label in 1961. Regrouping in Portland, Ore., around 1962 with Revere, Lindsay, and Mike Smith, the group enjoyed considerable regional success and recorded an early version of the raunchy Richard Berry classic “Louie, Louie.” Nonetheless, another local group, The Kingsmen, scored the national hit in 1963. Realigning with Revere, Lindsay, Smith, Drake Levin, and Mike “Doc” Holiday, the group secured a Columbia Records recording contract, replicing Holiday with Phil “Fang” Volk in 1964.

Moving to Los Angeles in 1965, Paul Revere and The Raiders’ first big break came when they became the house band for Dick Clark’s daily ABC-TV show Where the Action Is in June. That fall, they had a moderate hit with “Steppin’ Out,” followed by the major hit “Just Like Me,” both written by Revere and Lindsay. They subsequently scored smash hits with two Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil songs, “Kicks” and “Hungry,” and two songs written by Lindsay and producer Terry Melcher, “Good Thing” and “Him or Me—What’s It Gonna Be?.” “The Great Airplane Strike” and “Ups and Downs,” co written by Melcher and Lindsay, became major hits. In 1967, Drake Levin, Mike Smith, and Phil Volk formed Brotherhood (later Friendsound), as Freddy Weiler joined the Raiders on lead guitar. The group had their own Saturday morning ABC-TV show Happening, produced by Dick Clark, in 1968 and 1969 as the major hits continued with “I Had a Dream,” “Talk Too Much,” “Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon,” and “Let Me.” Lindsay’s parallel solo career produced major hits with “Arizona” and “Silver Bird” around the same time.

Experiencing frequent personnel changes, the group became The Raiders in 1970 and managed a top hit with John D. Loudermilk’s “Indian Reservation” and a major hit with “Birds of a Feather.” Paul Revere and The Raiders subsequently remained nominally intact under the direction of Paul Revere, establishing themselves on the state fair and oldies circuit and securing a longstanding engagement at Harrah’s Reno (Nev). In 1988, Paul Revere and erstwhile Righteous Brother Bill Medley opened the oldies dance club Kicks in Reno.

Discography

Paul revere and the raiders:Like, Long Hair (1961); Paul Revere and The Raiders (1963); In the Beginning (1966); Here They Come! (1965); Just Like Us! (1966); Midnight Ride (1966); The Spirit of ’67 (1966); Revolution! (1967); Christmas Present...and Past (1967); Goin’ to Memphis (1968); Something Happening (1968); Hard V Heavy (1969); Alias Pink Puzz (1969); Special Edition (1982). The raiders:Collage (1970); Indian Reservation (1971); Country Wine (1972). the brotherhood (with phil volk, drake levin and mike smith):The Brotherhood (1968); Brotherhood, Brotherhood (1969). Friendsound (with phil volk, drake levin and mike smith):Joyride (1969). Mark lindsay:Arizona (1970); Silverbird (1970); You’ve Got a Friend (1971).

—Brock Helander