There's something very comfortable about their music. Even in the dead of winter, listening to the riffs and easy three part harmonies seems to invoke summer. And despite a career that has spanned close to 40 years and numerous lineup and a few stylistic changes, the Brothers have maintained an easy aura that is smooth now as it was back in their heyday. Not too shabby that got its start as the favorite bar band for a rather notorious California chapter of the Hells Angels.
The band came together as so many California bands of the late 60's, out of quest of one musician trying to hook up with another musician in the apex of the 'hippie' music scene along the West Coast. Drummer John Hartman opted to leave Falls Church, Virginia and travel to the California in hopes of meeting and working with Sly Spence for a possible Moby Grape reunion. Although it initially failed to materialize, fate, as it often does, intervened. He was introduced to singer/songwriter/guitarist Tom Johnston and they formed the band Pud.
Johnston and Hartman worked together as Pud locally in and around their San Jose, California home base. After a short time, they added bassist Dave Shogren and fellow guitarist Patrick Simmons, a very accomplished finger-style West Coast guitarist. At their heyday, Pud became a favorite band of the Hells Angels, showing up at several of their clubs on a regular basis and hosting several open jams on Sunday afternoons which were frequented by the Angels.
The band then renamed themselves 'The Doobie Brothers', an obvious nod to one of their favored indulgences. In the early days, the band cemented their reputation as a hard working and hard rocking band by touring the West Coast steadily and entertaining their ever growing fan base with a maniacal live show. The band was signed to Warners Brothers and their debut album was released in 1971. The band had tamed their sound a bit for the recording, opting to go with a more laid back, Southern California - Southern Rock influenced sound along the lines of America and CSNY.
The disc did little to establish the band nationally but was well received by their solid California fans. The band added a second drummer, Michael Hossack, and a new bassist, Tiran Porter (who replaced Shogren a few tracks into the recording of the disc) in time for their follow up disc, Toulouse Street in 1972.The band had discovered their sound; a powerful backbeat, masterful guitar work and high-intensity harmonies that melded perfectly. They scored their first major hit with 'Listen to the Music' which was followed up with the single 'Jesus Is Just Alright'. The band had become a national presence.
The band struck again quickly with the release of 1973's The Captain And Me. They amped up their laid back country soul with 'Long Train Running' and 'China Grove', again two very solid singles and certifiable hits for the band. They were mastering the ability to combine solid lyrics coupled with a killer hook, all wrapped up in a hard rocking tone. Both Toulouse Street and The Captain And Me were million sellers.
By the fourth album, drummer Keith Knudson replaced Hossack and Little Feat keyboardist Bill Payne joined the Doobies. In 1974, the band released 'What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits' and scored their first number one hit with 'Black Water' (despite the fact that the album itself had disappointing sales).
Again, the band added to their lineup. When Steely Dan shuffled their lineup, guitarist Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter and keyboardist/vocalist Michael McDonald found themselves out of work. They soon joined up with the Doobie Brothers to augment their sound as they continued on their hectic and near constant touring schedule.
The band returned to the studio in 1975 to record Stampede, which contained yet another hit in the remake of the Motown classic 'Take Me In Your Arms (And Rock Me)'. The album, much like Vices, had disappointing sales.
Shortly after the release of the album, Johnston found himself hospitalized with stomach ailments (he blamed the near constant touring schedule) and had to leave the band (although he did rejoin the band for a brief stint again in 1976).
The band released Takin' It To The Streets in 1976 and Living On The Fault Line in 1977 and it was clear that the band was stuck. McDonald had taken over the role of chief lyricist and song writer and it became apparent that a change in style was needed. By the release of 1979's Minute By Minute, that change had taken place. The heavy guitar sound that had dominated the Doobie Brothers sound since its inception had been replaced by McDonalds keyboards and a smoother, easier listening tonality. It seemed as if the only thing remaining from the original sound were the tight harmonies. 'What A Fool Believes' became the bands biggest single and it was chased up the charts by their second single from the album, 'Minute By Minute'.
As would be expected, the new sound did not sit well with all of the members of the band and an exodus of sorts was right around the bend. Shortly after the success if Minute By Minute, both Baxter and Hartman left the band and it became apparent to those who remained that the Doobie Brothers had become, in essence, a backup band for McDonald.
1980's release One Step Closer saw the Doobies as a seven piece outfit including now drummer Chet McCracken, guitarist John McFee and sax player (formerly of Moby Grape) Cornelius Bumpus. The band hit a Top 5 single with 'Real Love' but the band was limping along on name alone and after a farewell tour, the band split up.
McDonald went on to a successful solo career while the others continued to struggle trying to regain the magic that they had bottled in the 70's.
In 1988, Johnston, Hartman, Porter and Simmons reformed the Doobie Brothers with original drummer Hossack with additional percussion by Bobby Lakeland. The newly re-formed Brothers signed with Capitol Records and recorded two discs, 1989's Cycles and Brotherhood in 1991. However, the lightning was already out of the bottle and the band failed to find their audience again. (Interestingly, the band had their biggest hit in the U.K. with a 1993 radical dance floor workup of their hit 'Long Train Running')
The band tried again in 2000 when they recorded Sibling Rivalry which featured the lineup of Johnston, Hossack, Knudsen, McFee and Simmons. Although the album did not gain much notice outside of their legion of aging fans, it demonstrated that even though the band members were getting on in years, they still had something solid to offer.
Simmons, Hossack, Johnston and McFee reunited once again to release World Gone Crazy in 2010, catching airplay with a reworking of the song 'Nobody' which had had originally been recorded and released on the Doobie Brothers debut album in 1971.
This stripped down version of the Doobie Brothers are back on tour again, albeit with not quite the same never ending schedule from their early days.
Looking at the career of the Doobie Brothers, you can see the ups, the downs, the multiple lineup changes and the alterations in their course over time. But the one thing that has never changed is the love and passion they have for their music. In a 1989 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Johnston said "Over the years, I've found it's best to stick with what you know and what you can do best rather than trying to modernize it to the point where you are not yourself anymore ... we wanted to be recognizable'.
Closing in on 40 years later, it's virtually impossible to hear a Doobie Brothers track and not know immediately who you are hearing. So Mr. Johnston, I would say mission accomplished.
[FONT=Tahoma]"All I can do is be me ... whoever that is". Bob Dylan [/FONT]
