The Underbeats were a garage band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1962 originally composed of guitarist and vocalist Russ Hagen (replaced by Ray Berg in '63, then Enrico Rosenbaum in '66), guitarist Jim Johnson, bassist Doni Larson, and drummer Bob Duane (replaced by Rod Eaton in '63, then Tommy Nystrom in '65).
From a basement to the circuit of ballrooms, dances, civic centers, roller rinks, teen clubs, and other spaces where a Twin Cities youth could find bands and live music the Underbeats found popularity and fans across the Twin Cities area, becoming a hit band of the Midwest by the mid-'60s. In 1964 the band scored its first 45 and its first big local hit in the song "Foot Stompin'" as well as popularity with the songs "Little Romance," "Annie do the Dog," and "Sweet Words of Love." Although they performed many covers, as were much of the songs played by garage and dance bands of the time, the Underbeats contributed their own stylistic appeal with their vocal harmonies (an excellent example of this is in their cover of "Since I Don't Have You" performed in 1967 at Bobby's Teen Club in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, as well as songs like "Book of Love"). They went on to release nine 45 singles and were even one of the local Twin Cities bands that were chosen to open for the Beatles when they played the Met Stadium in 1965 in Bloomington, Minnesota.
By 1969, after a few more changes in the line-up, the band was composed of Jim Johnson, Doni Larson, Enrico Rosenbaum, Jay Epstein, and James Walsh. With the move from Minnesota to Los Angeles there was an end to the Midwestern teen dance group The Underbeats and a start to the West Coast progressive rock group Gypsy.
It's interesting to listen to a song like "Darkness" (written by Jim Johnson and Enrico Rosenbaum and released as a single in 1968) compared to their earlier singles and then compared to the music released as Gypsy. "Darkness" has a heavier rock sound with a strong, shrieking electric guitar solo, bluesy vocals, and a distinctive lack of the vocal harmonies that characterized them in their early days. Elements of the original Underbeats can still be heard in the music of Gypsy, such as the vocal harmonies in the first track of their first self-titled album Gypsy released in 1970.
Here is a selection of songs from the Underbeats available to listen to and download:
1. Annie do the Dog (1964)
2. Book of Love (1965) (original by the Monotones in 1957)
3. Broken Arrow (1964) (original by Chuck Berry in 1959)
4. Darkness (1968)
5. Darling Lorraine (1965) (original by the Knockouts in 1959)
6. Fate of a Fool
7. Find this Woman (1967)
8. Foot Stompin' (1964) (original by the Flares in 1961)
9. Footsteps (1967)
10. I Can't Stand It (1966) (original by Smoky McAllister in 1963)
11. It's Gonna Rain Today (1967)
12. Jo Jo Gunne (1965) (original by Chuck Berry in 1958)
13. Little Romance (1964)
14. Our Love (1965)
15. Route 66 (1964) (original by Bob troup in 1946)
16. Shake it for Me (1966) (original by Willie Dixon in 1961)
17. Since I Don't Have You (live at Bobby's Teen Club in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, 1967) (original by the Skyliners in 1959)
18. Sweet Words of Love (1964)
19. Sweetest Girl in the World (1967)
20. You're Losing Me (1968)
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