Good Lovin the Rascals

In the final chapter of Mix Tapes and Empty Buildings, Mix’s father brings up the band, The Rascals. 

If you get a copy of their Greatest Hits, you won’t believe it’s the same band did all these songs. We’re not talking the way Genesis and the Peter Gabriel vs. Phil Collins years. This line up was the same but grew and explored. 

“Good Lovin” is garage rock at its loudest and frenetic. It’s one of the biggest hits of the 1960s. “How Can I Be Sure?” Is a beautiful waltz ballad. “You Better Run” was covered by Pat Benatar at her rocking period. “Beautiful Morning” is a great springtime song to enjoy a day outside. 

This band joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. The band that made the Hall was Eddie Briganti, Felix Cavaliere, Gene Cornish and Dino Danelli. This band would fall apart but by bit until 1970. 

The Rascals were one of those bands that had 5 good years and burned out just as quick. 

The idea of nostalgia tours for bands started in the 1970s. Bands that didn’t have a big catalog of songs would do package shows. Felix Cavaliere still had rights to the name Rascals so for decades you could see Felix Cavaliere and the Rascals at a show. His solo tours were billed the same way. I really thought he was the lead and vocals for the band. Billes as Felix Caaliere’s Rascals, they toured small clubs and package shows for years. So the Rascals never really went away. 

Eddie Briganti didn’t get the press until recent years. One of the bands biggest fans is Little Steven Van Zandt. He worked to get the band in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. It was his press tours that brought all the names out. Once the Rascals made it to the Hall of Fame, they got a Broadway show. It was a limited run, but it mixed the band playing live along with clips of them from the past. The show was a success. 

New Jersey was the birthplace to a series of great bands. This was definitely one of them.