 Paul
Revere & The Raiders
Paul Revere and The Raiders were formed in Portland, Oregon in
1962 by vocalist/saxophonist Mark Lindsay - the heart-throb of the
group - and organist Paul Revere.
Resplendent in American colonial military uniforms, their image
matched their colourful records - which were far more polished
than those of most of their contemporaries - and records on Jerden
led to a contract with Columbia and a recording of Louie Louie
that, although it never made the national charts, fought it out
bitterly with The Kingsmen's version on the West Coast in 1963.
They continued recording raunchy dance songs until Steppin'
Out and the Kinks-derived Just Like Me (actually a
cover of a local record by Rick Dey & The Wild Knights) led
them into the 'punk rock' sound they epitomised so well.
They recorded a series of best-selling albums, including Here
They Come, In The Beginning, Midnight Ride,
Spirit of '67, Revolution and Something
Happening. But their on-stage comedy routines and
historical military uniforms had pegged them as a teenybopper
group and they were unable to make the transition required by late
sixties rock audiences.
After dwindling sales and numerous personnel changes, they
abbreviated their name to The Raiders and - despite a surprise
return in 1971 with the Number One, Indian Reservation - they
faded away during the early seventies.
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