The SQUIRRELS (USA)

SING THE HITS OF JOHNNY KIDD AND THE PIRATES/FIVE VIRGINS
-LP
1986 (Popllama)


Re-Up!


"If the staff of Mad Magazine — back when it was good — set out to make a fershlugginer indie-rock record, this would be it. Potrzebie! One side of the brilliant 1986 outing covers pre-Beatles classics (intentionally overlooking the best-known, "Shakin' All Over" and "Please Don't Touch") by Johnny Kidd and The Pirates. The flip, performed by a mixture of musicians dubbed the New Age Urban Squirrels, attacks representatives of the later '60s (e.g., "Hair" and "Spirit in the Sky"), which they devolve into cocktail lounge laxative sleaze." - Scott Schinder / Ira Robbins


"The Squirrels are as crazy as a one eyed tick on a rabid coondog! And Rob Morgan is a demented genius idiot savant charlatan jester if I ever saw one. MY KINDA BAND...could be the biggest thing outta Seattle since The Kingsmen, Jimi Hendrix, and Heart put TOGETHER!!!!!" - Mojo Nixon


"On a REEEEEALLY good night, The Squirrels are probably the most entertaining band on Earth for my money (but since I generally don't have to pay to see them, the point is moot). They're friends so I have to say this. I would anyway. They are a guilty pleasure and I thrive on guilt. What can I say?
THE SQUIRRELS IS GOD!" - Roy A. Loney


"Another group recognized by Spin magazine columnist Andrea Enthal from a list of 1,000 Best/Worst Band Names in 1986, the New Age Urban Squirrels had more names than members. Actually, every new group line up had a new name, all with Squirrels in them somewhere.
Led by certifiable maniac Rob Morgan, the Squirrels (in all of its permutations) read like a who's who of the Seattle scene in the mid to late 80's. The first recording had Rob backed up by the three guys who made up the Young Fresh Fellows, but later recordings had members of the Posies, the Tubes, Roy Loney, ReStyles and more." - Rich Webb


"TO MANY LONGTIME Seattle scenesters, Rob "Captain" Morgan is a local institution. Others would argue that he belongs in one...

Whether they call themselves New Age Urban Squirrels; Crosby, Squirrels & Nate; or just plain the Squirrels, Morgan's madcap collective are part of a glorious tradition of rock 'n' roll pranksters, from Alice to Zappa, taking memorable moments from our musical history and slapping them across the kisser with a healthy dose of surrealist high spirits...

Obsessed with rock's history but blessedly free of any semblance of reverence, Morgan and his merry band of Squirrels are a genuine rarity in these ironic, iconic times: dyed-in-the-wool rule-breaking originals. Long may they rave." - Michael Krugman


"Jumping into his sporadic album career with an entertaining bang, Morgan fully unleashed his hilariously talented vision on the world with this sort-of split release. Billed as two separate outfits -- Ernest Anyway and the Mighty (Mighty) Squirrels on the one hand, The New Age Urban Squirrels on the other -- Morgan and company showed how in the right hands humor and ability can recombine into something fantastic. As the title indicates, the first side consists of nothing but covers of songs from the legendary early British rockers; that Morgan knows his super boss rock is demonstrated by the fact that the Pirates' biggest hit, "Shakin' All Over," in fact isn't included. Instead it's six other cuts that get the treatment, including the wonderfully weird passion of "Hungry for Love" and fine choices like "I Hate Gettin' up in the Morning" and "Restless." Morgan's own delicious half-croon/half-rocker vocals are in full effect, while the Squirrels (here including Young Fresh Fellows like Tad Hutchison and Scott McCaughey) treat everything with the appropriate sass and fire, when not tripping out completely, as the quavery guitars and vocal yelps on "Growl" show. On the flip, Morgan leads another set of Squirrels, including longtime collaborators Eric Erickson and Joey Kline, though a ridiculously wonderful set of sixties covers hither and yon. Highlights are a devolved loungey version of "Spirit in the Sky" that throws in references to the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and the Beatles' "Taxman," a version of "Hair" that has to be heard to be believed, and a romp through the Jerry Reed trash-AM standby "Amos Moses" by way of Led Zeppelin. Kline contributes a nutty original himself, the country & western tragedy "Me and Roger (The Cowboy and the Kid)." Morgan's sense of parodic design is in full flower: the Mighty (Mighty) Squirrels appear in appropriate pirate garb, while the New Age Urban Squirrels grace the front cover à la the John Lennon/Yoko Ono effort Two Virgins, without a stitch on." - Ned Raggett

ERNEST ANYWAY & THE MIGHTY, MIGHTY SQUIRRELS

ROB MORGAN- Vocals
SCOTT McCAUGHEY- Bass, Vocals
TAD HUTCHISON- Drums
JIMBO SANGSTER- Lead Guitar
CHUCK CARROLL- Lead Guitar

NEW AGE URBAN SQUIRRELS

ROB- Lead Vocals
TAD- Drums
ERIC ERICKSON- Lead Guitar, Vocals
JOEY KLINE- Guitar, Vocals
CRAIG FERGUSON- Bass, Vocals (the "Mystery Bassist")

"Sing The Hits" TRACKLIST:
01 I Hate Getting Up In The Morning
02 Hungry For Love
03 Growl
04 I'll Never Get Over You
05 Never Learn To Love
06 Restless

"Five Virgins" TRACKLIST:
01 Amos Moses
02 My Babe
03 Sweet Young Thing
04 Hair
05 Me & Roger
06 Spirit In The Sky


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