THE BARBARIANS
Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl? (Sundazed)
Reviewed by Bill Holmes

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Although it seems ludicrous today, after The Beatles invaded America and boys started skipping that monthly trip to the barber shop, asking the titled question was quite a pastime for squares. Of course, should I ever stop a clueless looking mallrat and ask why their pants are…oh, fifty sizes too big, I suppose I'll go down in history right alongside past-wits like Steve Allen and Bob Hope. But I digress…

As usual, Sundazed dials up the past and resurrects it properly. The Barbarians were a hard-rocking Boston band that got caught in the troll nets of the post-British Invasion, when American labels tried everything and anything to counterattack The Beatles, Stones, Animals and Herman's Hermits. Wearing sandals and looking a little ragged was far more revolutionary in 1965, when band members dressed alike, and if that were not enough, the drummer (Moulty) had a hook in place of his left hand. A good garage band that could crank out surf instrumentals and jangly pop, they soon found themselves thrust into the spotlight with some of their contemporary heroes - The Stones, The Byrds and James Brown, to name a few. But all the exposure that touring and appearances on Hullabaloo, Shindig and American Bandstand brought was short-lived; the band never made it through 1967. A second album was recorded and never released, and the disillusioned young band broke up.

All band, even The Beatles, peppered their sets and albums with covers, but to The Barbarians' credit, at least they had some solid selections - "Bo Diddley", "Memphis Tennessee" and "I've Got A Woman" among them. Many young bands were covering Chuck Berry, but selecting Ray Charles showed initiative. The recorded songs do not capture the energy of their live shows, but then again, whose do? This fifteen track collection includes their original self-titled album featuring the title hit, the follow-up "What The New Breed Say" and several covers, along with three bonus tracks. The bonus tracks are fascinating - "Hey Little Bird" is much heavier, recalling the Pacific Northwest sound, and the infectious "You've Got To Understand" is a picture-perfect hybrid of surf music and the British Invasion sound. How did this not get on the radio?

But the oddest and most famous track, "Moulty", is part "Hang On Sloopy" and part Lorne Greene warbling "Ringo". Recorded as a lark with The Band backing Moulty in the studio, the song finds Moulty sharing his experience of getting back up again after life knocked him down. It was never supposed to be released to radio. When it was, several stations turned it into an anthem for the depressed, but it upset the band enough to sever ties with Laurie Records, and ultimately, their career.

© 2000 - Bill Holmes