Ohio Express, The

Band members               Related acts

- Tim Corwin - drums, percussion (1967-)
- Doug Grassel - guitar (1967-)
- Dean Kastran - bass (1967-)
- Joey Levine - vocals (1967-70)
- Jim Pfahler - organ (1967-)
- Dale Powers - guitar (1967-) 

 

 

 - The Ivy League (John Carter)
- The Rare Breed 

 

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Beg, Borrow and Steal

Company: Cameo

Catalog: CS 20.000

Year: 1968

Grade (cover/record): VG-/VG-

Comments: ring wear; couple of pops

Available: 1

Price: $7.00

 

 Drummer Tim Corwin, guitarist Doug Grassel and Dale Powers, bassist Dean Kastran and keyboard player Jim Pfahler first came together while attending high school in Mansfield, Ohio. Originally known as The Rare Breed (see separate entry), the quintet initially pursued a blue-eyed soul stance, landing a contract with the small Attack label. Released in 1966, the single "Beg, Borrow and Steal" b/w "" generated some regional attention, including that of the Cameo label, which promptly bought out their contract.

Under Cameo's auspices, the group quickly underwent an image and name change, emerging as bubblegum pop-meets psychedelia The Ohio Express. In order to take advantage of their commercial hit, as was standard marketing practice for the time, the band was rushed into the studio to record a supporting album. Cleverly titled "Beg, Borrow and Steal" teamed them with producers/writers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz. Musically the set found the band trying to find a balance between their own blue-eyed soul stance ("Soul Struttin'"), top-40 pop (much of it penned by Kasenetz and Katz) and a hipper mildly psych sound ("It's Too Groovy"). Perhaps not the year's most original effort, the results weren't half bad, particularly on their original material where they seemed to avoid being over produced (the raw "Let's Go" and "Try It" were particularly good). Elsewhere the band was lucky it didn't get slapped with a plagiarism suit for having swiped Cream's "Crossroads" lock, stock and barrel. In the end it didn't make much difference since the set vanished without a trace.

"Beg, Borrow, Steal" track listing:
1.) Beg, Borrow and Steal (Day - Zerato) - 2:54
2.) And It's True (Sepulveda) - 1:45
3.) Had To Be Me (Jim Pfahler) - 2:10
4.) Let's Go (Jerry Kasenetz - Jeff Katz - Kastran) - 2:18
5.) Soul Struttin' (Orlando - Thau) - 2:59
6.) Try It (Joey Levine - Bellack) - 2:40
7.) I Know We'll Be Together (Jim Pfahler) - 2:09
8.) I Fine I Think of You (Walsh) - 2:10
9.) Stop Take a Look Around (Chiprut - Jerry Kasenetz - Jeff Katz) - 2:50
10.) Hard Times (Jim Pfahler) - 2:41
11.) It's Too Groovy (Tim Corwin) - 2:52

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