Shamanczarek Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Guitarist Mike Mitchell, who co-founded The Kingsmen in 1959 has passed at age 77. He had kept the band going with various members for nearly 60 years. The Kingsmen were nationally known for their hits "Louie Louie" and "Jolly Green Giant". In the Pacific Northwest they were also known for their version of "Money", "Death of an Angel" and other songs. https://www.guitarworld.com/news/mike-mitchell-the-kingsmen-co-founder-and-louie-louie-guitarist-dies-aged-77 The Kingsmen were the first rock band I ever saw in person. A couple of neighbor kids and I walked into a local Salem, Oregon supermarket where a band was playing just inside the entrance. We listened to a couple of songs and then went on to check out the comic books. I wasn't into listening to rock music yet but The Kingsmen did make a lasting impression. Another co-founder of The Kingsmen, Lynn Easton, who played drums on "Louie Louie" and then took over lead vocals until 1967 died last year. More about him and the band's history can be found here: https://www.louielouie.net/blog/?p=11519 Quote C3/122, M102A, Vox V301H, Farfisa Compact, Gibson G101, GEM P, RMI 300A, Piano Bass, Pianet , Prophet 5 rev. 2, Pro-One, Matrix 12, OB8, Korg MS20, Jupiter 6, Juno 60, PX-5S, Nord Stage 3 Compact Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyalcatraz Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Man, it"s been a bad week in the music world. RIP. Quote Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx http://murphysmusictx.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Hats-off. Quote Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KuruPrionz Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 Rest In Peace, Mike. Thanks for the music. Quote It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertbluesman Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 RIP Mike Mitchell Louie Louie, oh no Me gotta go Aye-yi-yi-yi, I said Louie Louie, oh baby Me gotta go Fine little girl waits for me Catch a ship across the sea Sail that ship about, all alone Never know if I make it home Louie Louie, oh no Me gotta go Quote dbm If it sounds good, it is good !! http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=143231&content=music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 [font:Comic Sans MS]"Me gotta go now... "[/font] Quote Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KuruPrionz Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 NOBODY has ever had such a massive and prestigious FBI dossier compiled on the meaning of their song. Despite desperate attempts to prove that the song was irredeemable smut, no charges were ever filed. Allegations were made but they did not hold up. In the end, nobody could really tell what they were singing about. For all that, somewhere in the vicinity of 500 pages were written about this short rock song. Quote It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Fraser Posted April 23, 2021 Share Posted April 23, 2021 NOBODY has ever had such a massive and prestigious FBI dossier compiled on the meaning of their song. Your tax dollars at work. Quote Scott Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted April 24, 2021 Share Posted April 24, 2021 Hard to believe I was only 9 years old when Louie Louie came out! Still a favorite rock tune of mine! Rest in Peace Mike Mitchell... Quote Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted April 24, 2021 Share Posted April 24, 2021 Hard to believe I was only 9 years old when Louie Louie came out! Still a favorite rock tune of mine! Rest in Peace Mike Mitchell... I wasn't born until 1966, nearly three years later, so... I was- ehrr, well- I wasn't. Quote Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted April 24, 2021 Share Posted April 24, 2021 I think Paul Revere and the Raiders put out their version of Louie Louie around that time Caevan...they did a good job of it too... Quote Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamanczarek Posted April 25, 2021 Author Share Posted April 25, 2021 Paul Revere and the Raiders version of "Louie Louie" was recorded at the same studio, Northwestern Recording, Inc. as The Kingsmen's but nobody seems to know which version was recorded first although it was within a few days of each other in April 1963. The Kingsmen were managed by Ken Chase from KISN radio which was Portland's hot top 40 station. He also owned a teen club called The Chase in nearby Milwaukie and hired The Kingsmen as house band. Paul Revere and the Raiders were managed by another KISN radio personality Gary Hart. I and all of my friends preferred the Paul Revere version but really it was Rockin' Robin Roberts and the Fabulous Wailers version that first gained popularity in the Northwest and The Kingsmen pretty much copied that version with a rawer sound and a mistake or two. Paul Revere's version was a more refined original arrangement with a Sax intro, an arguably hotter Guitar solo, a short breakdown, and I consider Mark Lindsay to be a far better vocalist. Still The Kingsmen version is the undisputed classic. Gary Hart turned out to be the better manager signing The Raiders to a deal with Dick Clark and getting a contract as the first rock band on Columbia Records while The Kingsmen remained on the regional Wand label. Far more Northwest bands modeled themselves after the Raiders with names like The Nightraiders, The Redcoats, Grant's Blue Boys, George Washington and the Cherry Bombs, etc. Quote C3/122, M102A, Vox V301H, Farfisa Compact, Gibson G101, GEM P, RMI 300A, Piano Bass, Pianet , Prophet 5 rev. 2, Pro-One, Matrix 12, OB8, Korg MS20, Jupiter 6, Juno 60, PX-5S, Nord Stage 3 Compact Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 The Original Louie Louie was recorded in 1955 by Richard Berry: Update: recorded1955 according to a song history article: so I wasn't 9 years old I was only 5 maybe 6 LoL!... Quote Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamanczarek Posted April 26, 2021 Author Share Posted April 26, 2021 Chuck Berry's "Havana Moon" inspired Richard Berry to write "Louie Louie". [video:youtube] Quote C3/122, M102A, Vox V301H, Farfisa Compact, Gibson G101, GEM P, RMI 300A, Piano Bass, Pianet , Prophet 5 rev. 2, Pro-One, Matrix 12, OB8, Korg MS20, Jupiter 6, Juno 60, PX-5S, Nord Stage 3 Compact Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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