Biography by Richie Unterberger
Along with the Remains, the Rockin' Ramrods were Boston's premier rock band in the mid-'60s. Unlike the Remains, they
didn't gain even a modicum of exposure beyond their city, and are far more obscure even to '60s collectors. They were
a decent if not significant group, sounding kind of like a Beatlized frat band, and relying largely upon original
material, much of it penned by bassist Ronn Campisi. Over the course of more than half a dozen singles between 1963 and
1966, they competently tackled garage grunge, wild instrumentals, and some very pleasant hard pop/rock originals with
prominent keyboards, somewhat in the manner of an Americanized early Manfred Mann. "Bright Lit Blues Skies," their best
song, was a hit in the Boston area, but they achieved no other success of note before disbanding.
*****
1.JUNGLE CALL
2. I WANNA BE YOUR MAN
3. I'LL BE ON MY WAY
4. DON'T FOOL WITH FU MANCHU
5. TEARS MELT THE STONE
6. PLAY
IT
7. BRIGHT LIT BLUE SKIES
8. MISTER WIND
9. CAN'T YOU SEE
10. MARY,
MARY
11. FLOWERS IN MY MIND [Puff]
12. VACUUM
13. TREES
14. RAINY DAY
15. LOOKING IN MY WINDOW
16. WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE
17. OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SLEEP
18.
I SURE NEED YOU
19. DEAD THOUGHTS OF ALBERT
20. WHEN I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING
21. GO WITH YOU
22.
CHANGES [Ramrods '71]
23. MY VISION HAS CLEARED
24. I DON'T WANT TO I WILL
25. TROUBLES
******
Review by Richie Unterberger
A strange compilation that spans several stages of the group's evolution. There are eleven songs (one previously unreleased)
from their mid-'60s prime, presented in much better sound than on the Eva reissue, but six of the songs from the
eight singles they recorded during this time are missing. Then there are eleven tracks (one previously unreleased) from
the obscure 1968 MGM
recording by Puff, a spinoff group that did not feature Ramrods
leader/singer/songwriter Ronn Campisi, although, oddly, he wrote all of the material. The Puff cuts are light, sophisticated
pop/rock with lots of harmonies and slight psychedelic touches; mildly interesting, it's much less hard-rocking than
the other "Bosstown" groups MGM was giving a big push to in 1968. The CD finishes with three unreleased songs recorded
by a 1971 incarnation of The
Ramrods. A wealth of genuine Rockin' Ramrods unreleased material from their 1966-67 prime that has circulated among a
few '60s/garage collectors was not tapped at all. Though less comprehensive, much harder to find, and of lower fidelity,
the French import on Eva -- which includes both sides of every one of
their eight early singles -- still gets the nod over this less cohesive batch.