Like a ‘where were you when…..’ From backrooms and attics, playing at my tempo.
In the days before Easy Rider, Steppenwolf was just another band, a little louder and heavier. No one knew they had made a sixties anthem, until a few years later Dennis Hopper came along.
Steve, of course, owns it. He says, “You might need to plug your ears–this record is nothing without volume.”
Amen.
First came ‘Sookie Sookie’. Hard, tough groove. Nasty guitars. Is he really saying “Suck me”?
Then Born To Be Wild. It’s tough to find words for something so heavy, so raucous barreling at you. That first drum hit: the lightning, guitars getting louder and louder–the thunder (or as he sang, “Heavy Metal Thunder”). That voice, low, threatening growl rising up from the guitar wails. Looking for adventure. All little boys looked for adventure, but this meant something else. Like a true nature’s child. The world was open for you, take it in a love embrace. Teenage years ready to welcome me. Climb so high, I never want to die, especially listening to this song that left me breathless, Shaking my head uncontrollably.
Then The Pusher. I close my eyes, walking into a dark room. Those guitars uncoiling slow and eerie. John Kay sounding absolutely possessed, yelling top of his lungs, summoning midnight spirits to rend this evil pusher. It was funny how I knew somehow who ‘the dealer’ was. But that great sixties strawman: the pusher. Takes our wonderful drugs and makes them into something unnatural and unholy. Kay is the profane preacher, extorting parishioners to rise up and scream with him.
And this guy is yelling a word you can’t say on the radio. The old man’s second favorite word (after the racial slur): GODDAMN. Kay sings it over and over–pushing that word into your brain.
The crashing airplane. My spine tingles.
It ends. Steve says, “look at your arms”
My little peach fuzz hairs are rigid and upright.
And I saw that it was good.