Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years from 1965-1968 and was a major influence on punk rock. Rhino Records reissued an expanded version of the set in 1998, with 118 tracks in total. I’m profiling and rating each of these 118 tracks, working backwards.
Track 99: What Am I Going To Do? by The Dovers
From: Carpinteria, California
Aphoristical Rating: 8/10
WHAT AM I GOING TO DO – The Dovers [2:28]
(Tim Granada)
Personnel/TIM GRANADA: vocals, guitar * BRUCE CLAWSON: lead guitar * Others unknown
Produced by TONY CARY
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA
Miramar single #118 (9/65)
Tim Granada, frontman and songwriter for The Dovers, came from the oceanside city of Carpinteria. The band started as The Vandells but changed to the more English-sounding Dovers to tie in with the British Invasion.
More than anything British, ‘What Am I Going To Do?’ sounds akin to The Byrds with the twelve-string guitar of Bruce Clawson and the harmony singing of saxophonist Tony Rivas. ‘What Am I Going to Do’ was the b-side to their first single ‘She’s Gone’ – recorded in Gold Star Studios, it became a minor hit in Los Angeles. Drummer Rick Morinini was still at high school when the single was recorded.
The Dovers only hung around for a few singles, but they showed some artistic progression. ‘The Third Eye’ from April 1966 mines similar Indian and psychedelic influences to The Byrds’ ‘Eight Miles High’. According to Dovers’ guitarist Bruce Clawson, they developed ‘The Third Eye’ independently; “We’d already worked on the tune,” he told Mike Markesich, “a few weeks later I’m in the car and Eight Miles High came on. I was crushed. I thought I had something unique.” It’s a shame ‘The Third Eye’ isn’t on Nuggets – its heavy psychedelic feel would have fitted more naturally.
The Dovers drifted apart as several members struggled with addiction – a shame, as there’s a lot of potential in the handful of songs they recorded. It’s difficult to find information on the members as none of them went on to a successful career in music. The Dovers’ four singles and their b-sides are compiled on the 2002 compilation We’re Not Just Anybody, a rare collector’s item. The Atlas Sound’s 2009 song ‘Walkabout’, with guest artist Panda Bear from Animal Collective, samples ‘What Am I Going To Do’.
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Good tune. You’re right they seemed like they had a lot of potential
Could have a few good albums in them for sure.
I like both of these tunes. I think your Byrds comparison is spot on. Too bad The Dovers didn’t go further.
Folk-rock like The Byrds then psych-rock like The Byrds.
What Am I Gonna Do is good but The Third Eye does show a jump with the song structure and the over all sound. Its odd that none of them ended up in music in some form.
Yeah, I think that’s the first time it’s happened in the series that noone’s gone on to something – it’s hard to find info on them for that reason.
You would think they would have a page…being on those collections. It is rare…even the small local band I was in…the drummer plays professionally.
These alt bands…some of them like Green on Red and other bands are hard finding things about.
I love Nuggets. Used to have a signed Lenny Kaye copy…
Wow – that’s cool.
It was very cool indeed. I miss it almost as much as my Martin!
More “Nuggets”. I was waiting for the sax guy to blow a few notes.
It’s a pretty good skill set playing sax and singing harmonies. Means you don’t sit looking bored for most of the show.
There’s a clip of Paul Gonsalves (sax man) asleep while Ellington’s orchestra is playing. It’s priceless.
Like Rick Wakeman eating his Indian takeaways during a slow spot on the Tales of Topographic Oceans tour.
Thats a good one.
Man I love this sound. Sounds like it’s coming straight out of my mother’s old jukebox.
Folk-rock!
Glory!