

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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More Nuggets
Nuggets: Oh Yeah by The Shadows of Knight

Nuggets: Diddy Wah Diddy by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

Nuggets: Johnny Was A Good Boy by Mystery Trend

Nuggets: Nobody But Me by The Human Beinz

Nuggets II: The Bitter Thoughts Of Little Jane by Timon

Nuggets: Journey to Tyme by Kenny and the Kasuals

Nuggets: Psycho by The Sonics

Nuggets II: But You’ll Never Do It, Babe by The Boots

Nuggets: Romeo and Juliet by Michael and the Messengers

Nuggets II: Kicks and Chicks by The Zipps

Nuggets: I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) by The Electric Prunes

Nuggets: I’m Gonna Make You Mine by The Shadows of Knight

Nuggets: Double Yellow Line by The Music Machine

Nuggets II: Pictures of Matchstick Men by The Status Quo

Nuggets: I Need You by The Rationals

Nuggets: One Track Mind by The Knickerbockers

Nuggets II: Vacuum Cleaner by Tintern Abbey

Nuggets II: Glendora by Downliners Sect

Nuggets: Get Me to the World on Time by The Electric Prunes

Nuggets II: Sad by The (Australian) Playboys

Nuggets: Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl by The Barbarians

Nuggets II: Get Yourself Home by The Fairies

Nuggets: Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White by The Standells

Nuggets: The Witch by The Sonics

Sugar and Spice by The Cryan’ Shames

Nuggets: Spazz by The Elastik Band

Nuggets: Steppin’ Out by Paul Revere & the Raiders

Nuggets II: Break It All by Los Shakers

Nuggets: Little Girl by Syndicate of Sound

Nuggets II: Here Come the Nice by The Small Faces

Nuggets II: No More Now by The Smoke

Nuggets: Mindrocker by Fenwyck

Nuggets: Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love) by The Swingin’ Medallions

Nuggets: Stop! Get A Ticket by Clefs of Lavender Hill

Nuggets: Follow Me by Lyme & Cybelle

Nuggets: You’re Gonna Miss Me by The 13th Floor Elevators

Nuggets: Love's Gone Bad by The Underdogs

Nuggets: It’s A-Happening by The Magic Mushrooms

Baby, Please Don’t Go by The Amboy Dukes

Nuggets: Knock, Knock by The Humane Society

Nuggets: Too Many People by The Leaves

Nuggets: Voices Green and Purple by The Bees

Nuggets: Incense and Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock

Nuggets: A Public Execution by Mouse

Nuggets: No Time Like The Right Time by The Blues Project

Nuggets II: Slaves Time by The Slaves

Nuggets II: No Presents For Me by The Pandamonium

Nuggets: Pushin’ Too Hard by The Seeds

Nuggets: She’s About A Mover by Sir Douglas Quintet

Nuggets: What Am I Going to Do? by The Dovers

Nuggets II: I’m Your Witchdoctor by Chants R&B

Nuggets: Journey To The Center Of The Mind by The Amboy Dukes

Nuggets: Why Do I Cry by The Remains

Nuggets: Strychnine by The Sonics

Nuggets: Run, Run, Run by The Third Rail

Nuggets II: How Does It Feel to Feel by The Creation

Nuggets II: When The Alarm Clock Rings by the Blossom Toes

Nuggets: Complication by The Monks

Nuggets: Open My Eyes by Nazz

Nuggets: Mirror Of Your Mind by We The People

Nuggets: I See the Light by The Five Americans

Nuggets II: One Third by The Majority

Nuggets: I Wonder by The Gants

Nuggets: Maid of Sugar – Maid of Spice by Mouse and the Traps

Nuggets: Sweet Young Thing by The Chocolate Watchband

Nuggets II: You Can Be My Baby by The Red Squares

Nuggets: Psychotic Reaction by Count Five

Nuggets: No Friend of Mine by The Sparkles

Nuggets II: It’s My Fault by The Rattles

Nuggets: Jack of Diamonds by The Daily Flash

Nuggets: Codine by The Charlatans

Nuggets: Beg, Borrow, And Steal by The Rare Breed

Nuggets: I Want Candy by The Strangeloves

Nuggets: Story of My Life by The Unrelated Segments

Nuggets: Respect by The Vagrants

Nuggets: (We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet by the Blues Magoos

Nuggets: I’m Five Years Ahead of My Time by The Third Bardo

Nuggets: Blackout of Gretely by GONN

Nuggets: It’s Cold Outside by The Choir

Nuggets: Don’t Look Back by The Remains

Nuggets: (Would I Still Be) Her Big Man by The Brigands

Nuggets II: Bat Macumba by Os Mutantes

Nuggets: You Burn Me Up and Down by We The People

Nuggets II: I Wish I Was Five by Scrugg

Nuggets: Can’t Seem To Make You Mine by The Seeds

Nuggets: Blue's Theme by Davie Allan & the Arrows

Nuggets: Louie Louie by The Kingsmen

Nuggets: Dirty Water by The Standells

Nuggets II: Flight from Ashiya by Kaleidoscope

Nuggets: Optical Sound by The Human Expression

Nuggets: Are You Gonna Be There (At The Love In) by The Chocolate Watchband

Nuggets: Farmer John by The Premiers

Nuggets: Going All the Way by The Squires

Nuggets: At the River’s Edge by New Colony Six

Nuggets: An Invitation to Cry by The Magicians

Nuggets: Put the Clock Back on the Wall by The E-Types

Nuggets: I Live in the Springtime by The Lemon Drops

Nuggets: Action Woman by The Litter

Nuggets: Little Bit O’Soul by The Music Explosion

Nuggets II: My Life by Thor’s Hammer

Nuggets II: Nothin’ by Ugly Ducklings

Nuggets: Tobacco Road by Blues Magoos

Nuggets: Outside Chance by The Turtles

Nuggets: Lies by The Knickerbockers

Nuggets II: Touch by The Outsiders

Nuggets: Primitive by The Groupies

Nuggets: Let’s Talk About Girls by The Chocolate Watchband

Nuggets II: No Good Without You Baby by The Birds

Nuggets II: Bad Little Woman by The Wheels

Nuggets: Open Up Your Door by Richard & the Young Lions

Nuggets II: Rosalyn by The Pretty Things

10 Best Songs on the Nuggets Boxset

Nuggets: Wooly Bully by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

Nuggets: Fight Fire by The Golliwogs

Nuggets: Bad Little Woman by The Shadows of Knight

Nuggets: Time Won’t Let Me by The Outsiders

Nuggets: Live by The Merry-Go-Round

Nuggets II: The Madman Running Through The Fields by Dantalian’s Chariot

Nuggets: Why Pick On Me by The Standells

Nuggets: You Must Be A Witch by The Lollipop Shoppe

Nuggets: Hold Me Now by The Rumors

Nuggets: Moulty by The Barbarians

Nuggets II: Why Don’t You Smile Now by Downliners Sect

Nuggets: Shape of Things to Come by Max Frost & The Troopers

Nuggets II: Come On by The Atlantics

Nuggets: Who Do You Love by The Woolies

Nuggets: Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) by The Hombres

Nuggets II: Real Crazy Apartment by Winston’s Fumbs

Nuggets: The Little Black Egg by The Nightcrawlers

Nuggets: Falling Sugar by The Palace Guard

Nuggets: 7 and 7 Is by Love

Nuggets: Run, Run, Run by The Gestures

Nuggets: Talk Talk by The Music Machine

Nuggets: Mr. Pharmacist by The Other Half

Nuggets: Liar, Liar by The Castaways

Nuggets: My World Fell Down by Sagittarius

Nuggets: Bad Girl by The Zakary Thaks

Nuggets: Just Like Me by Paul Revere & the Raiders

Nuggets: So What! by The Lyrics

Nuggets II: Dance Around the Maypole by Acid Gallery

Nuggets II: The Train to Disaster by The Voice

Nuggets: Sit Down, I Think I Love You by The Mojo Men

Nuggets: She’s My Baby by The Mojo Men

Nuggets: Night Time by The Strangeloves

Nuggets: Hey Joe by the Leaves

Nuggets II: I’m Just A Mops by The Mops

Nuggets: Laugh, Laugh by The Beau Brummels

Nuggets: I Ain’t No Miracle Worker by The Brogues

Nuggets: The Trip by Kim Fowley

Nuggets: You Ain’t Tuff by The Uniques

Nuggets: I Think I’m Down by the Harbinger Complex

Nuggets: A Question of Temperature by The Balloon Farm

Nuggets: Last Time Around by The Del-Vetts

Nuggets: Out Of Our Tree by The Wailers

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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!