Steppenwolf- The Way-Back Machine


	Sugarbuzz Magazine The Way-Back Machine (This is the first in a series of CD reviews of re-issues of classic vinyl recordings.) By Victoria Jane Joyce Steppenwolf Steppenwolf the Second O 1968 Universal Records O 1999 Beat Goes On Records
	Kinks guitarist Dave Davies is credited with the quote, "I didn't call it 'Heavy Metal' when I invented it." But it was the band Steppenwolf that gave us the lyric "heavy metal thunder" in "Born to be Wild, " a song so overplayed we are all sick of it and almost single-handedly gave birth to the tired radio category of "Classic Rock." Hey, cut them some slack. This was a very important rock and roll band. Taking their name from the Herman Hesse novel, they can be found on the oldies circuit, front man John Kay has new sidemen and still plays gigs. From a roots perspective, their first two vinyl albums have been re-issued on one CD and are most worthy of your collection. First released in 1968 when FM radio was just getting off the ground, they broke out big. Too hard core and sophisticated for the pop bubble gum of AM, they were a natural for the counter culture bringing together blues roots, hard rock and controversial material that was sometimes banned from airplay. Funny how some stuff doesn't change.
	Mixing it up with their own writing and some choice covers, highlights are: Disk One Steppenwolf "Sookie Sookie," a nice soul rocker that still sounds good with some wicked keyboards by Goldy McJohn. "Hootchie Kootchie Man," an immortal Willie Dixon tune done by many but this may be the best. Very very black vocals for a guy born in Germany and raised in Canada (John Kay). Again with the amazing keyboards.
	"Born to be Wild" done to death, this song has been cut up and put here and there in movies, TV and commercials, but listen to it clean and un-cut. It really is an amazing song that spoke to a generation hip deep in Viet Nam, Civil Rights and the Sexual Revolution. "The Pusher" by Hoyt Axton. A very long song condemned heroin and celebrated marijuana with the line "I smoked a lot of grass and I popped a lot of pills, but I never took nothing that my spirit would kill. God damn the pusher man." It was banned from the airways and performances were occasionally stopped by the cops. After 35 years it still rings true. And great guitar solos. "The Ostrich" a good old-fashioned 60's protest song penned by Kay. A real history lesson with a Bo Diddley beat.
			Disk Two The Second "Don't Step on the Grass Sam" another protest song with an obvious nod to marijuana, touching on censorship and government hypocrisy with really nice guitars and keyboards. Ending with a simulated drug bust and toilet flush. All history lessons should be this cool. "28" a real gem about coming of age written before the whole death at '27' thing kicked in (Jimi, Janis, Jim and Gram Parsons, etc). Spooky. "Magic Carpet Ride" another classic that's been beaten to death but well worth hearing in it's entirety. The balance of songs stand the test of time. Very nice.
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