This proto-metal version of a classic by all rights should’ve been a worldwide sensation.
This was a wild discovery. Before “General Hospital’, before ‘Jessie’s Girl’ Rick Springfield was the guitarist for a band called Zoot in Australia. Also in that band was bassist Beeb Birtles, founding member of Little River Band. Doom scrolling around the interwebs, I came across this absolute banger cover of ‘Eleanor Rigby’.
Despite his well-earned pop star/soap opera star status, I recognized and appreciated Springfield’s musical talent a while back. Still, today’s discovery was a revelation. Arranged by Springfield, this searing 1970 proto-metal cover of The Beatles classic by all rights should’ve been a worldwide sensation. While the song charted well in Australia — hanging on the Top 40 for 20 weeks and peaking at #4 — it was otherwise left in the halls of oblivion. I mean for fuck’s sake, I never even heard it until today!
Springfield’s fiery guitar riffs stand out and the band as a whole kicks ass. Powerful energy. Impressive dynamics. Birtles’s bass paired with Rick Brewer’s drums drive this engine. Darryl Cotton’s are powerful and haunting. The overall heavy rock arrangement gives the song a whole new spirit and life. A whole new edge. I feel like I should take a deeper dive into their catalog.
Cheers!
Stephen
