Premiers, The

Band members               Related acts

- George Delgado - rhythm guitar (1964-)
- Johnny Perez - drums (1964-)
- Lawrence Perez - lead guitar (1964-)
- Phil Ruiz - sax (1964-)
- Joe Urzua - sax (1964-)
- Frank Zuniga - bass (1964-) 

 

 

 - none known

 

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Farmer John "Live" The Premiers

Company: Warner Brothers

Catalog: 1566

Year: 1964

Grade (cover/record): G/VG

Comments: neat tape on bottom seam; mono pressing; BB

Available: 1

Price: $30.00

 

 San Gabriel, California's The Premiers (guitarists George Delgado and Larry Perez, drummer Johnny Perez, sax players Phil Ruiz and Joe Urzua, and bassist Frank Zuniga) started out working East L.A.'s club circuit. By 1964 they were generating considerable attention through the local hispanic community. Word of mouth led producers Billy Cardenas and Eddie Davis to check the band out. Impressed with the group, Cardenas and Davis signed the band to the local Faro label, cutting several demos. Releasing the old Don and Dewey song "Farmer John" b/w "Duffy's Blues" as a single, the track began picking up local airplay, leading Warner Brothers to acquire national distribution rights. 

As was then common marketing practice, with the single hitting the top-20, the slightly larger Rampart label rushed the group into the studio to cut an album of similar sounding material. Released as "Farmer John "Live" The Premiers" holds the distinction of being one of the year's most irritating albums. As producer, Cardenas hit on the brilliant idea of marketing the band's studio set as a live collection. Slapping what suspiciously sounds like waves of post production audience noise on top of the songs, the results made individual songs unintelligible. Accordingly, amidst a background of shrill female screams and snippets of conversation, it was virtually impossible to tell whether The Premiers had any real talent (one suspected it was minimal). On those rare occasions you could actually hear the band ("Over the Mountain, Across the Sea" and "Feel Like Dancing"), the results were pretty lame. Flat group vocals, bland rhythm patterns and plenty of blown notes made for sub par garage .... With the follow up single "Annie Oakley" bombing, the parent album quickly vanishing without a trace. Warner Brothers subsequently bought nationally distribution rights, but in the wake of the collection's commercial failure, dropped the band from it's recording roster. (Nice to see the company spending so much money on the album art.)

"Farmer John "Live" The Premiers" track listing:
1.) Opening
2.) Farmer John (Terry - Harris) - 2:12
3.) Don't You Just Know It (Smith - Vincent) - 2:49
4.) We Go Together (Haims - Stevens) - 2:38
5.) Look At Me (Johnny Cole) - 2:31
6.) Over the Mountain, Across the Sea (Rex - Garvin) - 2:32
7.) Annie Oakley (Max Uballaz) - 2:03
8.) Anymore (Washington - Robey) - 3:19
9.) Feel Like Dancing (Max Uballaz) - 2:26 
10.) Ruined (Mike Gordon) - 2:36
11.) I Won't Be Back Next Year (Pat Vegas) - 2:09
12.) Cross My Heart (Robey - Mattis) - 2:54
13.) Mary Ann (Billy Cardenas) - 2:52

Raiding it's corporate vaults, over the next year Faro released several unsuccessful follow ups. For their part, the Premiers returned to the club circuit, where they continued to perform through the mid-'60s.

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