 |
  
 
 |
|
The Doobie Brothers
|
YEARS OF EXISTENCE: 1970-1982, 1989-present YEARS OF DECENT EXISTENCE: 1972-'74 BEST RECORDS: The Captain And Me (1973), What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits (1974) WORST RECORDS: Remainder. GO DOWNLOAD: "Rockin' Down The Highway," "Jesus Is Just Alright," "China Grove," "Black Water," "Takin' It To The Streets," "What A Fool Believes" FILE UNDER: From Biker Bars To Boardrooms SIMILAR-SOUNDING DINOSAURS: Rare Earth (for the funk tip), Pure Prairie League (for the country element) and Pablo Cruise (for the shit-pop). I bet Taylor Hicks has the Doobs on his iPod the way Clay Aiken has male underwear models bookmarked in his copy of the 2007 JC Penney catalog. THE MUSIC: In the late '60s, the Doobie Brothers plied their way-earnest biker blues to any Bay Area club that would have them. They signed to Warner Bros. in 1971, which released their self-titled debut to the acclaim of absolutely nobody within flying distance of their practice space. Radio was much kinder to the Doobs for their following discs, Toulouse Street and The Captain And Me, which garnered FM hits from people who like bong hits. However, in 1977, the band-joined by allegedly "soulful" singer Michael MacDonald, whose herniated croon sounded like a moose with extreme lower-back pain-became lite-rock staples with singles ("Minute By Minute," "What A Fool Believes") frequently played in dentist offices and elevators to this day. They broke up in 1982 but reconvened in 1989 (sans McDonald) and have been on the rib-cookoff/theme park radar ever since, living off catalog royalties and $25 ballcaps. WHAT THEY SAY: "One of the singles-oriented pop-rock bands of the '70s."-Allmusic Guide To Rock WHAT I SAY: Hippie-era Doobies = Nickelback. Lite rock-era Doobies = Panic! At The Disco. Those who don't know history are doomed to download it... WHY YOUR (GRAND)PARENTS LIKE THEM: When your 'rents got cushy jobs, they embraced the Doobs' (marsh)mellow soft rock like a commodity, similar to $1,500 videotape recorders and cell phones the size of Pringles cans. If you come from a working-class fam, there's a good chance Pops is knocking back shots to "China Grove" this very moment-just after filing his third unemployment benefits extension. CURRENT WHEREABOUTS: Rhino Records recently issued the two-disc collection The Very Best Of The Doobie Brothers so parties at both yacht clubs and trailer parks can rock a few hours longer. A handful of original members and some hired hands are touring at various intervals this spring and summer at amphitheater prices, but here's what's really cool: Jeff Baxter (guitarist, 1975-1980) is a consultant for the U.S. Department Of Defense who chairs a congressional advisory board on counterterrorism. Play some Doobies tracks for some suicide bombers, and they'll gladly detonate themselves prematurely. -Jason Pettigrew |
