|
As
one of the most popular Californian pop/rock bands of the
'70s, the Doobie Brothers evolved from a mellow, post-hippie
boogie band to a slick, soul-inflected pop band by the end
of the decade. Along the way, the group racked up a string
of gold and platinum albums in the US, along with a number
of radio hits like "Listen to the Music," "Black
Water" and "China Grove." The roots of the
Doobie Brothers lay in Pud, a short-lived Californian country-rock
band in the vein of Moby Grape featuring guitarist/vocalist
Tom Johnston and drummer John Hartman. After
Pud collapsed in 1969, the pair began jamming with bassist
John Shogren and guitarist Patrick Simmons. Eventually,
the quartet decided to form a group, naming themselves the
Doobie Brothers after a slang term for marijuna. Soon, the
Doobies earned a strong following throughout Southern California,
especially among Hell's Angels, and they were signed to
Warner Bros. in 1970. The band's eponymous debut was ignored
upon its 1971 release. Following its release, Shogren was
replaced by Tiran Porter and the group added a second drummer,
Michael Hossack for 1972's Toulouse Street. Driven by the
singles "Listen to the Music" and "Jesus
Is Just Alright," Toulouse Street became the group's
breakthrough. The Captain and Me (1973) was even more successful,
spawning the Top 10 hit "Long Train Runnin'" and
"China Grove." Keith Knudsen replaced Hossack
as the group's second drummer for 1974's What Once Were
Vices Are Now Habits, which launched their first number
one single, "Black Water," and featured heavy
contributions from former Steely Dan member Jeff "Skunk"
Baxter.
|
