The Keggs

[94mikej]

I've been searching around for info on these guys and this what I've found (so far?)

The Keggs, 'To Find Out' Orbit Records (1967)

-'Four young men from Garden City, Michigan'
^close enough to Detroit don't you think?

- '... a band so hated they had to change their name before and after each gig they played'
^Does anyone know why were they hated?

-Members: Art Lenox, Bob Rich, Pat Amboyan, Steve Cool
^(I don't who played what so don't ask)

-Recorded July 1967 at B.A. Starr studio at 13305 Dexter

-No bass on the record

-'Yolanda Owens offered up her imprint, Orbit Records, for the release. She told them to come back in two weeks for their records. The band returned later only to find rubble…the studio was completely decimated by the ’67 race riots. Owens managed to press 100 copies of the single. She gave the band 75 and sent the rest to local DJ’s and star-makers.'

- 'the band broke up after one of the guitarists was 'decapitated' in a motorcycle accident'
- To date there are approximately 10 copies known in existence.

- A completely wrecked, cracked copy sold for $373.

- In 2005 a copy sold for $2561. The buyer of this copy is Jack Whites (of the White Stripes) nephew and collegue Ben Blackwell who also has a promo version of the disc.

Myths:
- 'Legend has it the bassist traded his axe for a pair of Beetle boots the day before the session'

- 'the band had a night of heavy drinking the night before the session'
^Makes me wonder if this myth would have any baring on the name? Beer keg = Keggs? Might also explain the sound of the 'don't-give-a-fuck' sound of them and their guitars.

That's what i have at the moment, feel free to post anything you find

 

[94mikej]

welcome back to the fray Lee.

am I correct in thinking the line-up is different for both sides? seems like a more `talented` member was singing and possibly playing lead guitar on `To Find Out`.

I `d say `Girl` is fairly demented:confused:

To my ears the guitar that starts 'Girl' off, sounds like the same guitar that's playing the licks in 'To Find Out'. So maybe it is the same guy who's playing those parts on those 2 songs. Maybe he was the more talented member? We'll probably never know

 

[Ryan L.]

Anyone else hear a stylistic resemblance between the vocals on 'Girl' and about a hundred Jonathan Richman songs?

 

[axel]

Never occurred to me, but listening to it again after you said it... yeah, I can hear that. Question might be- do I want to hear that...? Nothing against Jonathan Richman, but the Keggs morphing into a Jonathan Richman-soundalike...

 

[Ryan L.]

Maybe Mr. Richman is a massive Keggs fan. Maybe he's built his entire career around that one record.

 

[axel]

Or maybe Mr. Richman was the notorious Steve Cool before starting his solo career...

 

[Ryan L.]

Yer blowin' my mind, man!!

 

[Hicksville Hogwash]

I never thought The Keggs sounded out of tune but they probably are? And possibly playing cheap guitars and like Mr. Messis I always found getting a guitar in tune was a pig of a job those tuning pegs on cheapo guitars slip easily and those semi acoustics bridges slide around and if it they had whammy bars that'll mess with your tuning too. And nervousness can inflict cotton-wool to the ears. Oh and beer don't help any either.

I used to know the sister of the lead guitarist of The Applejacks (UK beat band) who tuned his guitar 1/4 of a turn high to make his lead breaks stand out of the mix, remember no dude on a mixing desk or effect boxes to stamp on for VOLUME. I'm not saying The Keggs did this.

I still don't think it is out of tune though it is beautiful.

 

[Perkeo]

I remember Bosshoss stating somewhere that he thought the Keggs 45 has just about the best recording, mastering and fidelity of any record he has ever heard...I may be over stating one of those categories but it was something close to that. Seems mind blowing but if you listen it is pretty damn clear....

 

[Ryan L.]

Yeah, you can imagine that that's EXACTLY how the performance sounded in the studio.

 

[94mikej]

To my ears the guitar that starts 'Girl' off, sounds like the same guitar that's playing the licks in 'To Find Out'. So maybe it is the same guy who's playing those parts on those 2 songs. Maybe he was the more talented member? We'll probably never know

If anyone wants the chords it follows riff
The intro starts as G#, B, F#, G# and repeats
then somewhere as the whole band kicks in the other guitar is playing:
A, C, G, A and the first guitar either carries on or joins in with this alteration, i can't tell. But there you have it

 

[94mikej]

I've been searching around for info on these guys and this what I've found (so far?)

The Keggs, 'To Find Out' Orbit Records (1967)

-'Four young men from Garden City, Michigan'
^close enough to Detroit don't you think?

- '... a band so hated they had to change their name before and after each gig they played'
^Does anyone know why were they hated?

-Members: Art Lenox, Bob Rich, Pat Amboyan, Steve Cool
^(I don't who played what so don't ask)

-Recorded July 1967 at B.A. Starr studio at 13305 Dexter

-No bass on the record

-'Yolanda Owens offered up her imprint, Orbit Records, for the release. She told them to come back in two weeks for their records. The band returned later only to find rubble…the studio was completely decimated by the ’67 race riots. Owens managed to press 100 copies of the single. She gave the band 75 and sent the rest to local DJ’s and star-makers.'

- 'the band broke up after one of the guitarists was 'decapitated' in a motorcycle accident'
- To date there are approximately 10 copies known in existence.

- A completely wrecked, cracked copy sold for $373.

- In 2005 a copy sold for $2561. The buyer of this copy is Jack Whites (of the White Stripes) nephew and collegue Ben Blackwell who also has a promo version of the disc.

Myths:
- 'Legend has it the bassist traded his axe for a pair of Beetle boots the day before the session'

- 'the band had a night of heavy drinking the night before the session'
^Makes me wonder if this myth would have any baring on the name? Beer keg = Keggs? Might also explain the sound of the 'don't-give-a-fuck' sound of them and their guitars.

That's what i have at the moment, feel free to post anything you find

on top of all this, for all you guitar players I've worked out the chords by ear! (or made a version that sounds similar at least) and posted it on ultimateguitartab.com :) ill post a link on here when it's up

 

[The Swyne]

While we're on the topic, I saw this on Tim Warren's FB page a couple weeks ago.

"woo-hah! just wrapped a massive re-recording/re-mastering of Grave 6, just spoke to the mom of 1 of the Keggs and am hoping 27 years of rooting has finally turned up a KEGGS PHOTO, and am blasting the livin' f--k outta this alb and updating liners etc. REAL SOON i'm gonna once again sit outside the elusive Keggs member Steve's house as i did for 2.5 days in 1986 til he finally kicks up an interview! Countdown to RoadTrip SUPREME!"

Seeing The Keggs in the flesh is something I've always wanted to see!

 

[94mikej]

Could you p

While we're on the topic, I saw this on Tim Warren's FB page a couple weeks ago.

"woo-hah! just wrapped a massive re-recording/re-mastering of Grave 6, just spoke to the mom of 1 of the Keggs and am hoping 27 years of rooting has finally turned up a KEGGS PHOTO, and am blasting the livin' f--k outta this alb and updating liners etc. REAL SOON i'm gonna once again sit outside the elusive Keggs member Steve's house as i did for 2.5 days in 1986 til he finally kicks up an interview! Countdown to RoadTrip SUPREME!"

Seeing The Keggs in the flesh is something I've always wanted to see! [/quot

Could you post a link to his fb page plse? :)

 

[axel]

Wow. Can't wait to see that photo. And Tim Warren talking to Steve Cool- that should be filmed and broadcasted in the news: "60s garage punk summit!"

 

[94mikej]

An original copy has turned up on ebay!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/the-keggs-t...garage-mint-/261160676704?hash=item3cce63ad60

 

[Frantic]

An original copy has turned up on ebay!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/the-keggs-t...garage-mint-/261160676704?hash=item3cce63ad60

piece of shit bootleg

this sold for $373, why would a LIKE NEW copy sell for under 3 bills?

 

[Frantic]

Doesn't look like a reissue to me.

Here's the way to tell a real Keggs from a reissue :
1 - on the real Keggs, the label is a deep rich red, and the reissue is a paler red
2 - on the real Keggs, the words "Country Wide" above "BMI" are centered exacly on one side of the label. On the reissue, the "Country Wide" is closer to the center hole.

There are 2 different bootlegs. If you owned a copy of TBM you would know that. A near mint copy would sell for over $4000. So if you think that copy for $256.57 is real, you better BUY IT NOW

 

[Frantic]

Another thing...If that was a legit copy do you actually think that after 75 people looked at it, not 1 person would have bought it?

 

[Hicksville Hogwash]

http://reprorecordguide.com/ This is someone heres site so damned helpful..... the seller is not trying to hide it really as they have the right matrix for the repro. Maybe he just put his decimal point in the wrong place? A honest mistake?