Back Door Men


Back Door Men is the second album by The Shadows of Knight. Both this album and its predecessor, Gloria, were released in 1966 and are considered to be seminal garage band albums. As noted by one reviewer, "The original LP version of this album, the second by the legendary white Chicago garage punk/blues outfit, was one of the most sought-after artifacts of mid-'60s punk rock. Back Door Men was a loud, feedback-laden, sneering piece of rock & roll defiance, mixing raunchy anthems to teenage lust, covers of Chicago blues classics, raga rock, folk-rock, and a blues-punk grab off of commercial Top 40, all on one 12" platter. What makes the record even more startling is that every one of these tracks, however far afield they go from one another, works.".

Background

Back Door Men was recorded at Universal Recording Studio in Chicago IL, in late 1966. The album was recorded as a quick follow-up to the Shadows of Night # 10 debut release Gloria. By the time of this recording, Warren Rogers and Joe Kelley had traded instruments and David Wolinski had been added on keyboards. "Bad Little Woman", a cover of the Belfast band The Wheels, backed by "Gospel Zone" was released as the first single, but only charted as high as # 91. A second single, "I'm Gonna Make You Mine", a non-album cut backed by "I'll Make You Sorry" did only slightly better at # 90. A third single at that time, "Willie Jean"/"The Behemoth" did not chart. As with their first album, production was credited as "Produced for Dunwich Records" instead of crediting a specific producer. The original album incorrectly lists Dino Valenti as the composer for "Hey Joe".

Track listing

  1. "Bad Little Woman" – 2:37
  2. "Gospel Zone" – 3:19
  3. "The Behemoth" – 2:34
  4. "Three for Love" – 3:11
  5. "Hey Joe" – 5:42
  6. "I'll Make You Sorry" – 2:42
  7. "Peepin' and Hidin'" - 3:01
  8. "Tomorrow's Going to Be Another Day" – 2:23
  9. "New York Bullseye" – 2:43
  10. "High Blood Pressure" – 3:38
  11. "Spoonful" – 2:57

    Bonus tracks on LP and CD reissue, 1998

  13. "Gospel Zone" – 3:20
  14. "Willie Jean" – 2:50
  15. "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" – 2:30

    Personnel

Musicians

Single