The Standells
Encyclopedia
The Standells are a garage rock
band
from Los Angeles
, California
, formed in the 1960s, who have been referred to as the "Godfathers of Punk Rock", and are best known for their 1966 hit "Dirty Water
," now the anthem of several Boston
sports teams.
with engineer Eddie Brackett; the song would go on to become a hit
for The Routers
. Immediately after recording the demo, Duncan quit, and Larry Tamblyn joined. Tamblyn had previously been a solo performer, recording several 45 singles in the late 1950s and early 1960s including "Dearest", "Patty Ann", "This Is The Night", "My Bride To Be" and "Destiny" for Faro Records. He is the brother of actor Russ Tamblyn
and uncle of Amber Tamblyn
, star of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
.
The Standels band name was derived from stand ing around booking agents' offices trying to get work. In 1962, drummer Benny King (aka Hernandez) joined the group, and as "the Standels," their first major performance was in Honolulu at the Oasis club. Rich and King then left, and Tamblyn and Valentino, with two sidemen, performed their first ever show (as the Standels) in California - also in 1962 - in Fresno
. In late 1962, bassist Gary Lane and drummer Gary Leeds
, later known as Gary Walker of The Walker Brothers
, joined the band. In 1963, the band first used - and permanently changed its name to- "the Standells." In February 1964, these four members formed a DBA partnership in California. After the Standells signed with Liberty
in 1964, Leeds left the group, and was replaced by vocalist and drummer Dick Dodd (born Joseph Richard Dodd in Hermosa Beach, California, October 27, 1945). Dodd was a former Mouseketeer who had been the original drummer for The Bel-Airs
, known for the hit surf rock song "Mr. Moto".
In 1964, Liberty Records released three singles and an album, The Standells In Person At P.J.'s. The album was later re-issued as The Standells Live and Out of Sight. The band also appeared on The Munsters
TV show, performing "I Want to Hold Your Hand
". In late 1964, they signed with Vee Jay and released two singles in 1965. Later in the year they signed with MGM
for one single.
The group appeared in several low budget film
s of the 1960s, including Get Yourself a College Girl
and cult classic Riot on Sunset Strip
. The Standells played the part of the fictional rock group the "Love Bugs" on the television sitcom
Bing Crosby Show
in the episode "Bugged by the Love Bugs". They also appeared as themselves on the television sitcom
The Munsters
in the episode "Far Out Munster," wherein the band performed "Come On and Ringo" and a version of The Beatles
' "I Want to Hold Your Hand
." In addition to performing an instrumental in the background in a Ben Casey
episode "Three 'Lil Lambs". The Standells performed incidental music in the Connie Francis
movie Follow the Boys
, which coincidentally co-starred Larry Tamblyn's brother Russ Tamblyn
. The band also performed the title song for the movie Zebra in the Kitchen
. Some reports state that early versions of the band had a relatively clean image and performed only cover songs. However, early 1964 photos counter that notion, showing the Standells with long hair, making them one of the first American rock groups to adopt that style. In order to work in conservative nightclubs like PJ’s nightclub, the group members were forced to cut their shaggy locks. Like the Beatles, early rock groups did mostly cover songs in nightclubs.
In late 1965 the group - Dodd, Tamblyn, Valentino and Lane - signed with Capitol Records
label Tower
, teaming up with producer Ed Cobb
. In 1966 this led to their first hit single
"Dirty Water
," which reached #11 on the Billboard charts on June 11, 1966, #8 on the Cashbox charts on July 9, 1966 and #1 on the Record World
charts. Though the song is credited solely to Cobb, band members Dodd, Valentino and Tamblyn have claimed substantial material-of-fact song composition copyright contributions to it as well as contributing to its arrangement. According to critic Richie Unterberger
,
Other popular tracks included "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White" (later covered
by Washington, D.C. hardcore band Minor Threat
and Swedish garage band The Nomads), "Why Pick on Me," "Riot on Sunset Strip," and "Try It", which was later covered
by Ohio Express. Picked by Billboard Magazine to be the Standells' next hit, the song was banned by reactionary Texas radio mogul Gordon McLendon
who deemed the record as having sexually-suggestive lyrics. The Standells were asked by Art Linkletter
to debate with McLendon on his House Party
TV show in 1967. By most accounts, McLendon was handily defeated, but, by then, most radio stations had followed McLendon's suggestion not to play the record.
Gary Lane left the group in 1966, and was replaced by bassist Dave Burke. Bassist John Fleck (born John William Fleckenstein in Los Angeles, August 2, 1946), formerly of Love
, replaced Burke in early 1967. In 1968, Dick Dodd quit the band to pursue a solo career. The Standells continued to perform with a varying line-up thereafter, briefly including guitarist Lowell George
who would go on to play with Little Feat
. Tamblyn left in late 1969 (until 1983), and Valentino led the band thereafter. To quote Tamblyn in the band's book biography, "Finally I could take no more and split from the group. Tony took over as the leader and carried on for several more years."
. In the late 1980s, the Standells, with Valentino and Tamblyn, recorded and released an independent single featuring Tamblyn singing "60's Band" on the A-side and Valentino singing "Try It" for the B-side. In 1999, the Standells, featuring Dodd, Valentino, Tamblyn and bass player Peter Stuart, appeared at the Cavestomp festival in New York, and their performance was subsequently released as an album called Ban THIS!. As the title suggests, the Standells were thumbing their noses at McLendon. Between 2004 and 2007 the band was called upon to reform to make several appearances at major Boston
sporting events. In 2006 the band sued Anheuser Busch for over $1 million after the company used "Dirty Water" in sports-related beer commercials without permission.
After a show at the Cannery Casino and Hotel
in Las Vegas in May 2009, Tamblyn formed a version of the band with former bassist John Fleck and with himself (rather than Dodd) on vocals. Since then, there has been an ongoing dispute regarding use of the band name. Tamblyn has alleged: "I was able to prove to the U.S. Patent office that I created the name, and by doing so it was protected retroactively to 1962. At one time, other bands posed as The Standells, and even former members were secretly trying to put together deals as The Standells....By protecting the name, we have been able to legally shut down every one of those sites that posed as the Standells and also prevented other groups from using the name."
Tamblyn and Fleck's line-up went on to make appearances at Los Angeles venues Amoeba Records, Echoplex
and the Whisky a Go Go
. In 2010 they toured in Europe
, performing in several countries. In 2011, Tamblyn raised $8,800 on Kickstarter
towards the cost of recording a new album for his version of the band. One of the new members, Adam Marsland, left the group in 2011.
in "Dirty Water," the Standells are not from Massachusetts
. Ed Cobb wrote the song after a visit to Boston, during which he was robbed on a bridge over the Charles River. None of the Standells had been to Boston before the song was released.
In 1997, "Dirty Water" was decreed the "official victory anthem" of the Red Sox, and is played after every home victory won by the Boston Red Sox
. Also, in 1997 two Boston area music-related chain stores celebrated their joint 25th anniversary by assembling over 1500 guitarists, plus a handful of singers and drummers, to perform "Dirty Water" for over 76 minutes at the Hatch Shell
adjacent to the Charles River. At short notice, at the invitation of the Red Sox, The Standells played "Dirty Water" before the second game of the 2004 World Series
at Fenway Park
. The band played at Fenway Park again in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, the Standells performed the National Anthem
at the first game of the 2007 American League Division Series
, also at Fenway Park.
In 2007 the original group members were deemed honorary citizens of Massachusetts
by official decree by the Massachusetts State legislature.
The song is now played not only at Red Sox games, but also those of the Boston Celtics
, the Boston Bruins
, and the Northeastern Huskies' hockey games.
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
from Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, formed in the 1960s, who have been referred to as the "Godfathers of Punk Rock", and are best known for their 1966 hit "Dirty Water
Dirty Water
"Dirty Water" is a song first recorded by the California rock and roll band The Standells in 1966 and composed by their producer, Ed Cobb. It is considered a classic of garage rock.-Description:...
," now the anthem of several Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
sports teams.
The 1960s
The original Standells band was formed in 1962 by bassist Jody Rich, with vocalist and keyboardist Larry Tamblyn (born Lawrence A.Tamblyn, February 5, 1943, in Los Angeles), guitarist Tony Valentino (born May 24, 1941, aka Emilio Bellissimo), and drummer Benny King (aka Hernandez). In 1961, Rich and Valentino, with singer Lanny Duncan, were in a band called the Starlighters, who recorded a demo of the song, "Let's Go (Pony)," in GlendaleGlendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
with engineer Eddie Brackett; the song would go on to become a hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
for The Routers
The Routers
-Career:Formed in 1962 by Mike Gordon, the Routers recordings sometimes used session musicians in addition to the actual group with the exception of Gordon who played on most the sessions. The Routers first release in September 1962 was the guitar-driven instrumental "Let's Go ", which reached #19...
. Immediately after recording the demo, Duncan quit, and Larry Tamblyn joined. Tamblyn had previously been a solo performer, recording several 45 singles in the late 1950s and early 1960s including "Dearest", "Patty Ann", "This Is The Night", "My Bride To Be" and "Destiny" for Faro Records. He is the brother of actor Russ Tamblyn
Russ Tamblyn
Russell Irving "Russ" Tamblyn is an American film and television actor, who is arguably best known for his performance in the 1961 movie musical West Side Story as Riff, the leader of the Jets gang....
and uncle of Amber Tamblyn
Amber Tamblyn
Amber Rose Tamblyn is an American actress and poet. She first came to national attention in her role on the soap opera General Hospital as Emily Quartermaine, followed by a starring role on the prime-time series Joan of Arcadia portraying the title character...
, star of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (film)
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a 2005 American film, based on the novel The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares released by Warner Bros. Pictures. It was directed by Ken Kwapis and written by Delia Ephron.The film's production budget was $25 million...
.
The Standels band name was derived from stand ing around booking agents' offices trying to get work. In 1962, drummer Benny King (aka Hernandez) joined the group, and as "the Standels," their first major performance was in Honolulu at the Oasis club. Rich and King then left, and Tamblyn and Valentino, with two sidemen, performed their first ever show (as the Standels) in California - also in 1962 - in Fresno
Fresno
Fresno is the fifth largest city in California.Fresno may also refer to:-Places:Colombia* Fresno, TolimaSpain* Fresno, a ghost village in Nidáliga, Valle de Sedano, Burgos* Aldea del Fresno, Madrid* Fresno de la Vega, Ribera del Esla, León...
. In late 1962, bassist Gary Lane and drummer Gary Leeds
Gary Walker (musician)
Gary Walker is an American musician, who was the drummer and vocalist with both The Standells and The Walker Brothers....
, later known as Gary Walker of The Walker Brothers
The Walker Brothers
The Walker Brothers were an American 1960s and 1970s pop group, comprising Scott Engel , John Walker , and Gary Leeds...
, joined the band. In 1963, the band first used - and permanently changed its name to- "the Standells." In February 1964, these four members formed a DBA partnership in California. After the Standells signed with Liberty
Liberty Records
Liberty Records was a United States-based record label. It was started by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Al Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous revivals.-1950s:...
in 1964, Leeds left the group, and was replaced by vocalist and drummer Dick Dodd (born Joseph Richard Dodd in Hermosa Beach, California, October 27, 1945). Dodd was a former Mouseketeer who had been the original drummer for The Bel-Airs
The Bel-Airs
The Bel-Airs were an early and influential surf rock band from Southern California, active in the early 1960s.They were best known for their 1961 hit "Mr. Moto", an instrumental surf rock song that featured a flamenco inspired intro and contained a melodic piano interlude...
, known for the hit surf rock song "Mr. Moto".
In 1964, Liberty Records released three singles and an album, The Standells In Person At P.J.'s. The album was later re-issued as The Standells Live and Out of Sight. The band also appeared on The Munsters
The Munsters
The Munsters is a 1960s American family television sitcom depicting the home life of a family of monsters. It starred Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster and Yvonne De Carlo as his wife, Lily Munster. The series was a satire of both traditional monster movies and popular family entertainment of the era,...
TV show, performing "I Want to Hold Your Hand
I Want to Hold Your Hand
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and recorded in October 1963, it was the first Beatles record to be made using four-track equipment....
". In late 1964, they signed with Vee Jay and released two singles in 1965. Later in the year they signed with MGM
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
for one single.
The group appeared in several low budget film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s of the 1960s, including Get Yourself a College Girl
Get Yourself a College Girl
Get Yourself a College Girl is a 1964 Metrocolor film comedy in the style of a beach party movie. The plot involves a college co-ed who tries to balance her time writing songs and dealing with her publisher who tries to pursue her. It was directed by Sidney Miller and written by Robert E...
and cult classic Riot on Sunset Strip
Riot on Sunset Strip
Riot on Sunset Strip is a 1967 low-budget exploitation movie, released by American International Pictures, and filmed and released within six weeks of the actual late-1966 Sunset Strip curfew riots....
. The Standells played the part of the fictional rock group the "Love Bugs" on the television sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
Bing Crosby Show
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
in the episode "Bugged by the Love Bugs". They also appeared as themselves on the television sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
The Munsters
The Munsters
The Munsters is a 1960s American family television sitcom depicting the home life of a family of monsters. It starred Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster and Yvonne De Carlo as his wife, Lily Munster. The series was a satire of both traditional monster movies and popular family entertainment of the era,...
in the episode "Far Out Munster," wherein the band performed "Come On and Ringo" and a version of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' "I Want to Hold Your Hand
I Want to Hold Your Hand
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and recorded in October 1963, it was the first Beatles record to be made using four-track equipment....
." In addition to performing an instrumental in the background in a Ben Casey
Ben Casey
Ben Casey is an American medical drama series which ran on ABC from 1961 to 1966. The show was known for its opening titles, which consisted of a hand drawing the symbols "♂, ♀, *, †, ∞" on a chalkboard, as cast member Sam Jaffe intoned, "Man, woman, birth, death, infinity." Neurosurgeon Joseph...
episode "Three 'Lil Lambs". The Standells performed incidental music in the Connie Francis
Connie Francis
Connie Francis is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw...
movie Follow the Boys
Follow the Boys
Follow the Boys , also known as Three Cheers for the Boys, is a musical film made by Universal Pictures as an all-star cast morale booster to entertain the troops abroad and the civilians at home. The film was directed by A. Edward "Eddie" Sutherland and produced by Charles K. Feldman...
, which coincidentally co-starred Larry Tamblyn's brother Russ Tamblyn
Russ Tamblyn
Russell Irving "Russ" Tamblyn is an American film and television actor, who is arguably best known for his performance in the 1961 movie musical West Side Story as Riff, the leader of the Jets gang....
. The band also performed the title song for the movie Zebra in the Kitchen
Zebra in the Kitchen
Zebra in the Kitchen is a 1965 American family comedy film, produced and directed by Ivan Tors. The film stars Jay North in his first leading feature film role, Martin Milner, Andy Devine, and Joyce Meadows, and tells the story of a 12-year-old boy's love and compassion for the animals he finds...
. Some reports state that early versions of the band had a relatively clean image and performed only cover songs. However, early 1964 photos counter that notion, showing the Standells with long hair, making them one of the first American rock groups to adopt that style. In order to work in conservative nightclubs like PJ’s nightclub, the group members were forced to cut their shaggy locks. Like the Beatles, early rock groups did mostly cover songs in nightclubs.
In late 1965 the group - Dodd, Tamblyn, Valentino and Lane - signed with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
label Tower
Tower Records (record label)
Tower Records was a record label from 1964 to 1970. A subsidiary of Capitol Records, Tower often released music by artists who were relatively low profile in comparison to those released on the parent label, including a number of artists—such as The Standells and The Chocolate Watch Band—later...
, teaming up with producer Ed Cobb
Ed Cobb
Ed Cobb was a musician, songwriter and record producer, most notably during the 1950s and 1960s.-Career:...
. In 1966 this led to their first hit single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Dirty Water
Dirty Water
"Dirty Water" is a song first recorded by the California rock and roll band The Standells in 1966 and composed by their producer, Ed Cobb. It is considered a classic of garage rock.-Description:...
," which reached #11 on the Billboard charts on June 11, 1966, #8 on the Cashbox charts on July 9, 1966 and #1 on the Record World
Record World
Record World magazine was one of the three main music industry trade publications in the United States, along with Billboard and Cash Box magazines. It was founded in 1946 under the name Music Vendor, but since 1964 changed it to Record World, under the ownership of Sid Parnes and Bob Austin, both...
charts. Though the song is credited solely to Cobb, band members Dodd, Valentino and Tamblyn have claimed substantial material-of-fact song composition copyright contributions to it as well as contributing to its arrangement. According to critic Richie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger is a US author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing.-Life and writing:Having worked as a DJ at WXPN in Philadelphia, he started reviewing records for Op magazine in 1983...
,
""Dirty Water" [was] an archetypal garage rock hit with its Stones-ish riff, lecherous vocal, and combination of raunchy guitar and organ. While they never again reached the Top 40, they cut a number of strong, similar tunes in the 1966-1967 era that have belatedly been recognized as '60s punk classics. "Garage rock" may not have been a really accurate term for them in the first place, as the production on their best material was full and polished, with some imaginative touches of period psychedelia and pop."
Other popular tracks included "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White" (later covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by Washington, D.C. hardcore band Minor Threat
Minor Threat
Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1980 and disbanded in 1983. The band was relatively short-lived, but had a strong influence on the hardcore punk music scene, both stylistically and in establishing a "do it yourself" ethic for music distribution and...
and Swedish garage band The Nomads), "Why Pick on Me," "Riot on Sunset Strip," and "Try It", which was later covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by Ohio Express. Picked by Billboard Magazine to be the Standells' next hit, the song was banned by reactionary Texas radio mogul Gordon McLendon
Gordon McLendon
Gordon Barton McLendon was a radio pioneer and pirate radio broadcaster. He has been coined the Maverick of Radio. McLendon is widely credited for perfecting, with great commercial success, the Top 40 radio format during the 1950s and 1960s which was first invented by Todd Storz and for developing...
who deemed the record as having sexually-suggestive lyrics. The Standells were asked by Art Linkletter
Art Linkletter
Arthur Gordon "Art" Linkletter was a Canadian-born American radio and television personality. He was the host of House Party, which ran on CBS radio and television for 25 years, and People Are Funny, on NBC radio-TV for 19 years...
to debate with McLendon on his House Party
House party
A house party in the English-speaking world is typically a type of party where medium to large groups of people gather at the residence of the party's host. In modern usage, a house party is typically associated with teenage or young adult crowds, loud music, dancing, and the consumption of alcohol...
TV show in 1967. By most accounts, McLendon was handily defeated, but, by then, most radio stations had followed McLendon's suggestion not to play the record.
Gary Lane left the group in 1966, and was replaced by bassist Dave Burke. Bassist John Fleck (born John William Fleckenstein in Los Angeles, August 2, 1946), formerly of Love
Love (band)
Love was an American rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They were led by singer/songwriter Arthur Lee and lead guitarist Johnny Echols...
, replaced Burke in early 1967. In 1968, Dick Dodd quit the band to pursue a solo career. The Standells continued to perform with a varying line-up thereafter, briefly including guitarist Lowell George
Lowell George
Lowell Thomas George was an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, who was the main guitarist and songwriter for the rock band Little Feat.- Early years :...
who would go on to play with Little Feat
Little Feat
Little Feat is an American rock band formed by singer-songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles....
. Tamblyn left in late 1969 (until 1983), and Valentino led the band thereafter. To quote Tamblyn in the band's book biography, "Finally I could take no more and split from the group. Tony took over as the leader and carried on for several more years."
Later reformations and versions of the band
In the 1980s, Dodd and Tamblyn rejoined Valentino to perform a few shows with the likes of The FleshtonesThe Fleshtones
The Fleshtones are an American garage rock band from Queens, New York formed in 1976.- 1976-1979 :The Fleshtones were formed in 1976 in Whitestone, New York by Keith Streng and Marek Pakulski The Fleshtones are an American garage rock band from Queens, New York formed in 1976.- 1976-1979 :The...
. In the late 1980s, the Standells, with Valentino and Tamblyn, recorded and released an independent single featuring Tamblyn singing "60's Band" on the A-side and Valentino singing "Try It" for the B-side. In 1999, the Standells, featuring Dodd, Valentino, Tamblyn and bass player Peter Stuart, appeared at the Cavestomp festival in New York, and their performance was subsequently released as an album called Ban THIS!. As the title suggests, the Standells were thumbing their noses at McLendon. Between 2004 and 2007 the band was called upon to reform to make several appearances at major Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
sporting events. In 2006 the band sued Anheuser Busch for over $1 million after the company used "Dirty Water" in sports-related beer commercials without permission.
After a show at the Cannery Casino and Hotel
Cannery Casino and Hotel
Cannery Casino and Hotel is a locals casino located in North Las Vegas, Nevada on and is a joint venture between Millennium Management Group and Oaktree Capital Management. The casino is operated by Cannery Casino Resorts...
in Las Vegas in May 2009, Tamblyn formed a version of the band with former bassist John Fleck and with himself (rather than Dodd) on vocals. Since then, there has been an ongoing dispute regarding use of the band name. Tamblyn has alleged: "I was able to prove to the U.S. Patent office that I created the name, and by doing so it was protected retroactively to 1962. At one time, other bands posed as The Standells, and even former members were secretly trying to put together deals as The Standells....By protecting the name, we have been able to legally shut down every one of those sites that posed as the Standells and also prevented other groups from using the name."
Tamblyn and Fleck's line-up went on to make appearances at Los Angeles venues Amoeba Records, Echoplex
Echoplex
The Echoplex is a tape delay effect, first made in 1959. Designed by Mike Battle, the Echoplex set a standard for the effect in the 1960s and was used by some of the most notable guitar players of the era; original Echoplexes are highly sought after....
and the Whisky a Go Go
Whisky a Go Go
The Whisky a Go Go is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard, on the Sunset Strip.-History:...
. In 2010 they toured in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, performing in several countries. In 2011, Tamblyn raised $8,800 on Kickstarter
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is an online threshold pledge system for funding creative projects. Kickstarter has funded a diverse array of endeavors, ranging from indie film and music to journalism, solar energy technology and food-related projects.-Model:...
towards the cost of recording a new album for his version of the band. One of the new members, Adam Marsland, left the group in 2011.
Boston
Despite the references to Boston and the Charles RiverCharles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
in "Dirty Water," the Standells are not from Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Ed Cobb wrote the song after a visit to Boston, during which he was robbed on a bridge over the Charles River. None of the Standells had been to Boston before the song was released.
In 1997, "Dirty Water" was decreed the "official victory anthem" of the Red Sox, and is played after every home victory won by the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. Also, in 1997 two Boston area music-related chain stores celebrated their joint 25th anniversary by assembling over 1500 guitarists, plus a handful of singers and drummers, to perform "Dirty Water" for over 76 minutes at the Hatch Shell
Hatch Shell
The Edward A. Hatch Memorial Shell is an outdoor concert venue adjacent to the Charles River Esplanade near downtown Boston....
adjacent to the Charles River. At short notice, at the invitation of the Red Sox, The Standells played "Dirty Water" before the second game of the 2004 World Series
2004 World Series
The 2004 World Series was the Major League Baseball championship series for the 2004 season. It was the 100th World Series and featured the American League champions, the Boston Red Sox, against the National League champions, the St. Louis Cardinals...
at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
. The band played at Fenway Park again in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, the Standells performed the National Anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
at the first game of the 2007 American League Division Series
2007 American League Division Series
-Cleveland Indians vs. New York Yankees:-Game 1, October 3:Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsIn Game 1, Boston starter Josh Beckett threw a complete-game shut out, allowing the Red Sox to win the opener...
, also at Fenway Park.
In 2007 the original group members were deemed honorary citizens of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
by official decree by the Massachusetts State legislature.
The song is now played not only at Red Sox games, but also those of the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, and the Northeastern Huskies' hockey games.
Chart singles
| Year | Title | U.S. Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | "Dirty Water Dirty Water "Dirty Water" is a song first recorded by the California rock and roll band The Standells in 1966 and composed by their producer, Ed Cobb. It is considered a classic of garage rock.-Description:... " |
11 |
| "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White" | 43 | |
| "Why Pick On Me" | 54 | |
| 1967 | "Can't Help But Love You" | 78 |
Albums
- The Standells In Person At P.J.'s. 1964
- Dirty Water 1966
- Why Pick On Me Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White 1966
- The Hot Ones! 1967
- Try It 1967
- Riot on Sunset Strip (sound track from the movie of the same name) 1967
- Rarities 1984
- LIve and Out of Sight (The Standells in Person at P.J.'s with two bonus songs) 1966, 1990
- Ban This! (1999 live recordings) 2000
- The Live Ones (1967 live recordings) 2001