Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled 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 89: Are You Gonna Be There (At The Love In) by The Chocolate Watchband
Release Date: 1966
From: Los Altos, California
Rating: 8/10
ARE YOU GONNA BE THERE (AT THE LOVE-IN) – The Chocolate Watchband [2:20]
(Ethon McElroy/Donald Bennett)
Personnel/DAVE AGUILAR: vocals * MARK LOOMIS: lead guitar, vocals * SEAN TOLBY: guitar, vocals * BILL FLORES: bass * GARY ANDRIJASEVICH: drums
Produced by ED COBB for GREENGRASS PRODUCTIONS
Recorded in Studio City, CA
Tower single #373 (9/67)
From Los Altos, California, The Chocolate Watchband have three songs on the Nuggets set. ‘Are You Gonna Be There’ opens the fourth disc of the set. The band was originally led by lead guitarist Mark Loomis, a constant in an ever-changing early lineup. They recruited David Aguilar, a biology student, as lead singer.
Their career has a sense of missed opportunity – they were offered a contract with Bill Graham to become a house band at Fillmore alongside The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane. Unfortunately, a week earlier, they had already signed with a small scale producer, and their distribution was limited as a result.
The Chocolate Watchband’s albums were often reliant on covers, although ‘Are You Gonna Be There?’ was co-written by Aguilar. The song feels a little slight, but there’s enough happening with a strong vocalist and creative lead guitar. There’s an interesting juxtaposition between the peace and love lyrics, and the aggressive sound. The Chocolate Watchband’s raw, Stones-inspired garage rock is close to punk and it’s a worthy opener to disc 4 of the set.
The Chocolate Watchband’s initial tenure ended messily in the late 1960s. Producer Ed Cobb considered the group’s musicianship too raw and often overdubbed them with other musicians, while Aguilar left before their final 1960s album. The Chocolate Watchband reunited in 1999; 1960s members David Aguilar, drummer Gary Andrijasevich and guitarist Tim Abbott are still in the band. They released This Is My Voice in 2019.
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Cool tune. There’s definitely a dose of Stones in here. The lead vocalist sounds a bit similar to Mick Jagger.
Yeah, I think it’s pretty close to the Stones as well.
The sound of this is really good…usually these older recordings don’t have the bass up like this one. I would like to hear more of their stuff…sounds great.
There are two more Chocolate Watchband songs on the Nuggets set, so you will get your wish.
That night I listened to Don’t Need Your Lovin from the movie Riot On Sunset Strip…I loved those sixties movies where real bands would pop up in a club or bar.
I tend to like those songs with such music/lyrics contrast, like the jangly Smiths sounds with the miserable Morrissey lyrics.
Good tune. Very Sixties production. Groovy. They sound like a thousand bands from that era. The band Them comes to mind.
It’s fun drawing comparisons back to the big 1960s bands from the obscure ones on Nuggets. I thought Stones, but Them and Stones aren’t miles apart. Beatles, Byrds, Animals, Kinks, The Who are other common reference points.
It’s a good song writing trick – I’m not sure if it works the other way…
christiansmusic musings nailed it, this is a great Stones tune that never was!
Yup, would have been a good Stones song.
Keef is jealous lol.
If I didnt know from reading pretty easy to say what era they come from or they could be a new band redoing the sound. Good tune.
Yup, bit of a tougher sound.
It has a vibe similar to the Monkees’ I’m not your stepping stone.
A recommendation for your Great B-sides posts would be the B-side to Daydream Believer, ‘Goin’ Down’.
Do you know, I have a list of ideas for the series, and that’s right at the top of the list.