Fantastic Baggys, "Anywhere The Girls Are" c/w "Debbie Be True," Imperial 66072 (rel. 10/1964)

In 1964, songwriters Phil Sloan and Steve Barri, teamed up by their mentor Lou Adler, explored every possible niche for a hit single. Within a few months, the then 19-year-old Sloan would strike a global chord with his "Eve of Destruction," one of the most controversial songs of the 1960s. A #1 hit for folkie Barry McGuire, its still-prescient sentiments summed up the turmoil of a world full of both promise and hatred.

By the 1980s, "Eve" was scorned by hipsters who guffawed at its heart-on-sleeve statements about the follies of mankind. Eleven months into the monstrous reign of a demented, incontinent gangster, the song seems newly relevant. 

None of this was yet on the tarmac when Sloan and Barri created a SoCal surf-rock group, at first called The Baggys; the 'fantastic' was added after a vitriolic reaction by rock's #1 curmudgeon, Mick Jagger. Optimists to a fault, the two songwriters took that sarcastic response and beefed up the group name.

The Baggys were not a group, per se: Sloan and Barri layered their own vocal harmonies, Sloan played lead and rhythm guitars and members of the LA session community now referred to as The Wrecking Crew filled in the other parts. "Tell 'em I'm Surfin'," which was played on Fascistbook a couple of years ago, got to a breathtaking #99 on the Billboard pop charts--sufficient for Imperial Records to order an LP. The resultant long-player is a delightful entry in the SoCal surf annals, with one track that should've been issued as a single, "Summer Means Fun."

In the fall of 1964, Imperial requested a new single from The Baggys. Phil and Steve created two songs that had genuine chart potential--had they been issued a few months earlier. Released around Halloween 1964, Imperial 66072 was out of sync with the seasons; as well, British groups furthered the deterioration of the American pop status quo. Thus, a grand record came and went without a whimper.

In passing years, "Anywhere the Girls Are" has become a cult favorite of surf, garage and '60s rocknroll fans. It's a powerful li'l package of teen sounds wrapped in intriguing lyrics that are relatable and crisp. The opening guitar passage by Sloan suggests he'd been listening to The Wailers and/or The Sonics, the twin towers of Northwest rock at the time. Those opening 11 seconds must have thrilled the few teens who heard this song on their car radios: it's downright sinister!

The songs tells the tale of a young man who's stuck in a boring day job and who lived for the weekend, when he and his buds can cruise the boulevard, make general nuisances of themselves and get some chicks. The stakes are thus higher than your average SoCal surf 'n' turf recording. The narrator's desperation, though understated, gives the song an emotional oomph lacking in many songs like it. One hopes our hero got his wishes and, perhaps, nabbed a better gig somewhere. LA is a big town and was wide-open back then.

The finest specimen of The Fantastic Baggys, this kick-ass song went nowhere when released. It fulfilled a contractual obligation but more than exceeded expectations. Once again, Sloan and Barri delivered the genuine goods to crickets and tumbleweeds.

 

Cash Box didn't help matters with this

cynical, indifferent write-up.

"Debbie Be True" wants to be a hair faster than it is. For once, Hal Blaine's sense of tempo fails him. This is a mid-tempo ballad in the vein of Brian Wilson's more pensive album tracks for The Beach Boys. A haunting melody. some impressive key changes and solid vocals highlight this heart-tugger about a guy who just wants his sweetheart to be faithful to him. 

Sloan's double-tracked lead vocal on both sides is superb. What a great voice! It's a pity he adopted a Dylanesque pose on his solo sides for Dunhill Records. His natural voice is distinctive, always on-pitch and able to convey the emotional bent of any lyric. He is the overpowering presence on The Fantastic Baggys' recordings. (Steve Barri sings the lead on the aforementioned "Summer Means Fun," which is worth sussing out on the YouTube.)

A faster-paced out-take of this song exists and has circulated amongst collectors. It lacks the feeling of this sometimes-lumbering official version; in either rendition, it's a great song and shows that Sloan and Barri were the equal of any of LA's other songwriting combines.

The Baggys had one more single in their contract; Steve Barri suggested an expansive remake of the Skip & Flip teen pop hit "It Was I" for the A-side. An elaborate rendition with cascading vocal harmonies and a string section, it died upon release in early 1965. On the flip was an LP track, "Alone on the Beach." Like today's single, it's mighty hard to find; I believe fewer copies of it were pressed. I've never seen one, but know it by heart, thanks to the 1992 EMI CD release of The Baggys' Imperial sides. Sundazed issued a similar CD in 2000 which added a few new discoveries to the mix. Both CDs are recommended as they complement one another.

We'll be back with more Sloan-Barri gems; they're Jukebox heroes!

Tomorrow: one of the rarest records I've ever found; I am privileged to own it. It, too, is part of the SoCal surf-rock scene. Hear it tomorrow; it's a classic!