The name of the band was adopted from the character in Hesse's novel and was logical for John Kay, the leader and singer, caught up in the whole postwar angst I used the name for my catamaran of the time and it really was a beast to sail two-up on trapeze.
The Canadian band burst onto the scene with the major hit Born to be Wild, plus many will recall Magic Carpet Ride from a bit later. All the kids in our circle were wowed by those but I preferred the slower, more serious, raunch-tracks, something a real Steppenwolf might prefer in the Hesse mode - these three are in that mode.
I'd suggest that John Kay was also of that mind as he certainly sang the rockier tracks with gusto but he just seemed to reserve his sense of angst for these numbers, the one I've left out in this style is The Pusher.
This is probably where my love of slower, driving, loud, heavy songs, with melody, developed and the question of melody became critical to me - without it, it's just some punk screaming at the microphone - for what? Clearly some males get off on that type of thing so they have their reward. Similar thing with jazz - someone makes strangled sounds out of a saxophone and calls it hot jazz ... yawn. Give me 20s jazz any time.
There were, however, some question marks around John Kay and his almost caricatured psychodelia of the time, the very essence of 60s narcissism, plus the drugs got to the band, they fought like women and broke up, twice in that early period. So while they pushed boundaries, they also imploded just as with Hendrix, Morrison and Joplin. I don't consider this band hard rock by any means, just heavy in tone, with strangled vocals - for me, it just hits the spot. For you, odds are it may well not.
Two interesting snippets for me - firstly that he met and married a girl Jutta Maue in 1965, before the band took off, they had one child, he is still with her today. Obviously crazy for each other. Secondly that he has a home in West Vancouver, which I know, as well as North Van and to a lesser extent, Kitsilano. West Van is where the money is, on the north side of English Bay.
ReplyDeleteAs a cat who has played biker bars for 40 years plus, you just can't beat Steppenwolf. It fills the tip jars. 'Play 'The Pusher Man' and you can fuck my girlfriend!' Thanks for the offer, realio trulio, but she can come onstage and use that spare mic stage left! NOT my fault that she decided to do it topless! Getcher motor runnin would stop any fights. Fuuuuuck.
ReplyDeleteRobbo:
ReplyDeleteJohn Kay had a tough childhood in WW2 and straight after - listen to "Renegade" - which sets him apart from many perpetual children of the microphone.
Certainly did - the eyesight thing was very much part of it, he wasn't being super cool, he had to have those shades, he had his chance and fought through, then he found that woman in 1965 who kept him on track while all around him imploded. Fascinating story and there's one this morning as well coming up if I can ever get it written.
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