Wednesday 2 November 2016

Roogalator - "Danny Adler - The Roogalator Years" (1977)


One of the great forgotten Pub Rock bands were Roogalator, featuring errant american-born muso Danny Adler. 
Formed in 1972, and Playing a type of smoothly performed tight funk; they formed a bridge between the terrible country rock of Brinsley Schwarz and the R&B of Dr.Feelgood.
By all accounts they were a hot proposition in a live environment, and rumour has it that pub rock monsters, The Sex Pistols, refused to go on stage after Roogalator at one of their earlier gigs. It was easy to be intimidated by the shear musicality of Danny Adler and the boys, even if you were in one of the most intimidating groups of all time.They could have been The Average White Band, but they had short hair and more than just two good tracks in the can.
From their bio: "They knew that time was passing them by. Dexterous funk wasn't "in" anymore.The punks stole Roogalator's 
thunder,and Costello stole Adler's geek in glasses persona."(As well as playing a Fender Jazzmaster.)

This compilation features tracks recorded in 1977 for their sole (not Soul) album "Play it by Ear", and their three singles for three different labels.

Tracklist:

1 Zero Hero (Do It 7" 1978) 3:07
2 Tasty 4:18
3 Cincinnati Fatback 5:59
4 Water 2:58
5 Sweet Mama Kundilini 2:56
6 Sock It To My Pocket 3:50
7 All Aboard!! 4:54
8 Humanitation 4:59
9 Change 5:06

10 Cincinnati Fatback (Stiff b-side 1976) 6:19
11 Tasty (2) 4:44
12 Water (2) 2:59
13 Love And The Single Girl (Virgin 7" 1977) 3:09
14 All Aboard (Stiff 7" 1976) 5:46

12 comments:

FiveGunsWest said...

Fuck dude! I can't believe I'm seeing this. Thanks so damned much for this post. I saw them in London ages ago and they were unbelievable. I've had Zero Hero from the Hope & Anchor lp........this is going straight on the I-pod. You rool da skool bro

Jonny Zchivago said...

I also find it hard to understand how forgotten,and unrepresented on record this group is/was.

Fernando said...

Hi JZ,

about this: "rumour has it that pub rock monsters, The Sex Pistols, refused to go on stage after Roogalator at one of their earlier gigs"

It would make sense since the gig they played together was the Pistols' second one in Nov. 7th, 1975 (their first was just the previous day) they were still very clumsy with their instruments by their own accounts and their repertoire had like 5 songs or less. Glen Matlock was a big Roogalator fan, and he speaks very well of them in his Teenage Sex Pistol book.

An interesting anecdote is that those pub rock monsters, ha ha, borrowed part of their equipment to Roogalator. Because the Pistols had this class A equipment thanks to Steve Jones "the crook"'s activities...

Thank you very much for the post. I've read about Roogalator for ages but never heard them until now :D

Saludos,

Fernando :)

Jonny Zchivago said...

Yes, well you know rumours, so much better than the truth.
I also suspect the legend that Steve Jones stole all this high-line equipment from The Spiders from Mars, is somewhat exaggerated for both Rock Myth purposes,street cred, and to cover up the fact that they had some financial backing from Maclaren. They were an advert for his business initially after all?
Yep,the Pistols were indeed Pub Rock in designer clothing....if it wasn't for the Clothing they would have been nothing more than a more impolite Eddie and the Hot Rods.
Roogalator's music has definitely aged better anyway.

dee_seejay said...

Works for me in a Steely Dan kind of way (among other things). Just found out they did 12 tunes for John Peel..

Danny Adler's still releasing music - latest is called Gaslight Angels. Haven't heard it but maybe have a look around for it. cheers Jonny.

Jonny Zchivago said...

Yes Adler (thats german for 'Eagle'), still records stuff, but its more at the Jazz end of the spectrum. Not too big a fan of Jazz guitar myself....unless its Derek Bailey of course.
Would like to hear those 12 peel session tracks, if anyone has them out there.

dee_seejay said...

I had a look and the only place they seem to have put them is streaming on *crucifix sign* spotify/deezer.
All three sessions together with Peel introductions etc.

LYSERGICFUNK said...

Hi Jonny Zchivago, Re Up is possible?
Thanks in advance
LF

Jonny Zchivago said...

Hi Lysergic,
The download is ok....its mediafire, so try it at least twice to get past the amazon ad's, then it should be ok.
JZ

LYSERGICFUNK said...

You're right man, thanks again!

Anonymous said...

In a more just world these guys would be famous and Dire Straits would be complete unknowns. Oh well, life and the music industry are unfair.

Unknown said...

I have a reel of Roogalator on tape somewhere, recorded from the desk on a Scottish tour mid 1970s. Had I Adler's address I'd send it to him.