Poobah (band)

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Poobah
OriginYoungstown, Ohio, U.S.
Genres


Years active1972–present
Labels


Associated acts
Websitepoobahband.com
Members
  • Jim Gustafson - guitar, bass vocals
  • - drums
  • - percussion, backup vocals

Important session & live musicians

  • - bass
  • - bass
Past members
  • Phil Jones - founding member
  • - founding member
  • Greg Jones
  • Mike Lewis
  • Paul Zyla

Poobah are a rock band from Youngstown, Ohio, U.S., which was founded in 1972 by Jim Gustafson.[1][2] The band played classic 70s rock[3] or simply rock.[4] Especially the first record "Let Me in" is a rare collector's item. Prices between $300 and $900 for an original are not uncommon.[5] Poobah released a total of 14 albums from 1972 to 2020.[6] The band gained more popularity through the use of their songs in the television series Graves and the Hollywood film Josie.[7]

History[]

The beginnings[]

Jim Gustafson was the guitarist and singer in the band Daze Endz in 1967. In 1968, at the age of 15, he recorded his first record, the single "What Can I Do?" / "Knock On Wood". He wrote and sang the songs and played electric guitar. Phil Jones, later founding member of Poobah, played bass on the recording.[8]

From 1969 to 1970, Gustafson was the guitarist and singer in the band Biggy Rat.[9] His second single, "Look Inside Yourself / I'm A Woman" was produced in Memphis Tennessee by Billy Cox, the bassist with the recently deceased Jimi Hendrix. Other members of the band were Scott Hunter, Gary Dipasquale, Shirliann Shank, later Steve Rohrbaugh and Frank Amedia. Biggyrat support Cheech & Chong, Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper, Sugarloaf and others.

After Gustafson left Biggy Rat, he formed the hard rock trio Poobah with bassist Phil Jones and drummer Glenn Wiseman. The band's name derived from the nickname of a feared girl at Gustafson's school.[10] In 1972, Gustafson used a small inheritance from his grandmother to record the album "Let Me In"[11] in Peppermint Studio, Youngstown, Ohio. The album had great success on local radio stations. The first pressing of 500 copies, sold out in one day by National Record Mart.[1]

First changes of line-up and temporary disbanding[]

After disputes with Gustafson, Wiseman left the band in 1973 and was replaced by sixteen-year-old Steve Schwelling. Wiseman later returned to the band, but soon left again and was replaced by Nick Gligor. The new line-up was working on the next album while they did tours and shows with Ted Nugent, Canned Heat, Alice Cooper, ZZ Top, Blue Öyster Cult, Spirit, Uriah Heep, Mitch Ryder, Glass Harp, The Godz, Foghat, Tim Curry, Judas Priest, Sean Lennon, Les Claypool, Eddie Money, James Gang, Cheech & Chong, Brownsville Station, Mark Lindsay, Trent Reznor (9 Inch Nails), Mark Chatfield, Sugarloaf and others. In 1974, Nick Gligor and guitarist Pat O'Horo left Poobah, to form their own band. New members were drummer Gene Procopio and keyboardist Ken Smetzer, who added Hammond organ to the sound of Poobah. The band also made several appearances on television during this period.[1] The album "U.S. Rock" was recorded in 1976 with the record company A.E.I. Records.[12] Camelot Music Distribution, who had already sold their entire stock of Poobah records, pre-ordered 5,000 copies of the new album. Poobah, preoccupied with touring, noticed too late that A.E.I. Records was in financial trouble. As a result of the bankruptcy of their record company, Poobah disbanded in 1978. Jim Gustafson played in other bands, but no records were released in that time.

New start[]

Jim Gustafson and Phil Jones re-established Poobah in 1979. There were several line-up changes since then. In 1979 the album "Steamroller" was released, the last album on vinyl until later re-issues. In the following years Jim Gustafson founded or joined several short-lived bands, including "Switch", where he produced the single "Eye To Eye" in 1986.[13] In 1994, Gustafson produced the CD "Rock Collection". It is the first CD produced by Poobah, more releases and personnel changes followed. The drummer Mike Fortino, whose first album with Poobah is the CD "Peacefarmer", remains a member of the band to this day. Other long-time players are bassists Kevin Mc Illvaine and Dan Tharp.

New popularity[]

In 2010 Poobah signed a deal with the Ripple Music label.[14] The first album "Let Me In" was remixed by Tony Reed (Stone Axe / )[15] and reissued as CD and double album on vinyl with previously unreleased bonus material from 1972-73. The album received good reviews and high recognition. The Rolling Stone magazine e.g. added "Let Me In" to the "Top Ten Albums Of The Year".[16] The Goldmine music collector magazine named the album "Reissue Pick Of The Year" and Poobah "One of the world's most collectable psych rock bands".[17] The Goldmine magazine also featured an interview with Poobah in April 2021.[18][19] London's Shindig! magazine wrote a positive review of "Let Me in" in its 2018 summer issue.[20] Poobah tracks are played in several company productions. The Hollywood movie "Between Us" uses the title "Frustration" from the album Steamroller in 2016.[20] In 2017 "Enjoy What You Have" from the LP "Let Me In" is used in the TV series Graves with Nick Nolte and introduced the band to a larger audience. The 2018 Hollywood film Josie with Sophie Turner uses the title "Enjoy What You Have" from the album "Let Me In". The film Youngstown: Still Standing uses five titles by Poobah.[20] In 2020 Dave Wyndorf of Monster Magnet released a cover version of Poobah's "Mr. Destroyer" on his album "A Better Dystopia".[21][22][23][24] Poobah produced the CD "Blue" 2018 and "Evolver)Revlove" in 2020. The release of another album on CD and LP has been announced.

Members[]

Founding members[]

  • Jim Gustafson - guitar, bass, vocals
  • Phil Jones - bass, vocals
  • - drums

Current line-up[]

  • Jim Gustafson - guitar, bass, vocals
  • - drums
  • - percussion, backup vocals

Important live- and session musicians[]

  • - bass
  • - bass

Past members[]

  • Greg Jones
  • Mike Lewis

Poobah and comic art[]

The cover art of the album "Let Me In" shows a character in the style of american underground comix of the late 1960s. The illustrator Jack Joyce made the drawing after Jim Gustafson had told him about his love of comics.[1][25]

Larry Blake, known for his comics about the band KISS made for Marvel, created drawings for Poobah, an illustration for "Steamroller" and an alternative cover for the album "US Rock".[26]

Band founder Jim Gustafson and other members of the band appear as characters in the Webcomic "Theater Of The Bloody Tongue" together with a witch called Ariane Eldar and rockstars from other bands.[27][28]

Discography[]

Albums (vinyl)[]

  • 1972: Let Me In
  • 1976: U.S. Rock
  • 1979: Steamroller

Singles (vinyl)[]

  • 1973: "Rock City" / "Bowleen"
  • 1975: "Your Way, My Way" / "Let's Rock"
  • 1976: "Through These Eyes" / "Watch Me!"

CD[]

  • 1994: The Rock Collection
  • 1998: Wizard Of Psych
  • 1999: Steamroller: Reissue
  • 2004: Furious Love
  • 2005: Underground
  • 2006: Switch On
  • 2007: No Control
  • 2007: Live At The Cleveland Rock'n Roll Hall Of Fame
  • 2010: Let Me In: Reissue
  • 2011: Compilation After and Before
  • 2012: Peace Farmers
  • 2014: Cosmic Rock
  • 2015: US Rock: Reissue
  • 2018: Blue
  • 2020: Evolver)Revlove

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "Poobah interview". July 15, 2011.
  2. ^ "poobahband.com". poobahband.com.
  3. ^ "Album review: POOBAH – U.S. Rock". Get Ready to ROCK!.
  4. ^ "Poobah - U.S. Rock". August 20, 2014.
  5. ^ "Mahoning Valley music".
  6. ^ "Poobah". Discogs.
  7. ^ "News: Monster Magnet cover Poobah's 'Mr Destroyer' And Ripple Music Are Set To Release A Poobah Anthology Album". April 6, 2021.
  8. ^ Staff, Goldmine. "Obituaries: Cedella Booker, Lawrence Lloyd Brown Sr., Phil Jones, Sean LeVert and more". Goldmine Magazine: Record Collector & Music Memorabilia.
  9. ^ "Poobah - Aliases - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org.
  10. ^ arianeeldar.thecomicseries.com/comics/pl/1087337
  11. ^ "Poobah, Let Me In: Riding the Upside Down Highway to Rock City". September 17, 2010.
  12. ^ "Poobah 'U.S. Rock' CD/LP/DD Reissue 2014". February 28, 2014.
  13. ^ "Switch (35)". Discogs.
  14. ^ "Poobah | Ripple Music". www.ripple-music.com. 12 February 2014.
  15. ^ July 2018, Sleazegrinder 24 (24 July 2018). "The man who's re-recording the history of Heavy Rock". loudersound.
  16. ^ Fricke, David (December 27, 2010). "Fricke's Picks: Top 2010 Reissues from Under the Radar". Rolling Stone.
  17. ^ Prince, Patrick. "Poobah brings joy to collecting '70s rock". Goldmine Magazine: Record Collector & Music Memorabilia.
  18. ^ Contributors, Goldmine. "Where Are They Now? — Poobah". Goldmine Magazine: Record Collector & Music Memorabilia.
  19. ^ "Goldmine – April 2021" – via english-bookys.com.
  20. ^ a b c "poobahband.com - Bio". poobahband.com.
  21. ^ "monster magnet | Ripple Music". www.ripple-music.com.
  22. ^ "MONSTER MAGNET video: Motorcycle (Lyric Video)". Roooar Violent Zone (UK).
  23. ^ "Latest U.S & World News: Trusted Source - WorldNewsEra".
  24. ^ "Monster Magnet Cover Obscure Gems on New LP 'A Better Dystopia'". Ultimate Classic Rock.
  25. ^ Francis, R. D. (October 22, 2019). "Other Musical Phantoms: Neil Merryweather and Jim Gustafson. Who?". Medium.
  26. ^ "Larry Blake | Credits". AllMusic.
  27. ^ "Poobah songs have staying power". vindyarchives.com.
  28. ^ "Characters | Theater Of The Bloody Tongue". theaterofthebloodytongue.thecomicseries.com.

External links[]

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