Nuggets: Last Time Around by The Del-Vetts

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 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 29/118: Last Time Around by The Del-Vetts
Release Year: 1966
From: Chicago, Illinois
Aphoristic Rating: 9/10

LAST TIME AROUND – The Del-Vetts [2:39]
(Dennis Dahlquist)
Personnel/JIM LAUER: vocals, lead guitar * BOB GOOD: guitar * JACK BURCHALL: bass * ROGER DEATHERAGE: drums
A DUNWICH Production
Recorded in Chicago, IL
Dunwich single #D-125 (5/66)

The Del-Vetts started their career playing dances on Chicago’s north beach. Their first single was a cover of The Righteous Brothers’ ‘Little Latin Lupe Lu’.

Their second song was entirely different, an edgy song penned by band associate Dennis Dahlquist. It’s hard to believe ‘Last Time Around’ is from 1966. With its sludgy, doomy riff it’s close to metal, like a proto Black Sabbath.

The band released several more singles, but never made an album. Lead singer Jim Lauer reportedly ended up in a mental institution.

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9 Comments

    • Yup, the Kinks get credit for inspiring metal but this is closer IMO. On the other hand, way more people probably heard The Kinks.

    • Yeah, I guess they don’t have the same reputation as other heavy bands – kind of a one-hit wonder. Shame they didn’t record more.

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