Now, many of you might be wondering, who was Rob Grill? And that just might have been the issue. Lack of publicity. He fronted a band, that, during its heyday, had a lot of hits but basically fell under the radar much of the time. Yet, as I had found out over the last year or so, and especially this year, many of my contemporaries loved and grew up with his music.
Grill was the lead singer and frontman for The Grass Roots, a band whose heydy indeed was during the late sixties and into the early 70's. Unlike some of the well known acts of that era, like Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Janis Joplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, you don't really hear the Grass Roots in the same sentence. They probably won't ever get into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame, but don't tell that to the people I grew up with, who have fond memories of their songs. Unlike those mentioned, they were mostly a singles machine, an AM radio powerhouse. They scored with songs written by others (although their B-sides and album cuts were written by them), but oh how those songs were memorable.
The original members of the band were Grill, drummer Rick Coonce, rhythm guitarist Warren Entner, and lead guitarist Creed Bratton. If that last name sounded familiar, yes, it's the same guy from the sitcom The Office. The band was originally known as the "13th Floor" (no relation to Roky Erickson's band The 13th Floor Elevators), and became The Grass Roots when producers Steve Barri and P.F.Sloan created the name and wanted a band to represent them (another band, The Bedouins, played as the Grass Roots and had a top 30 hit with "Where Were You When I Needed You"). But the former 13th Floor became the permanent Grass Roots and it was the Summer of Love (1967) that they hit the top 10 for the first time with "Let's Live For Today".
And hence became a love affair of sorts. In August of that year, my family, as we did every year, vacationed at the Jersey Shore's Manasquan beach. 10 years old at the time, I hung out a lot at the Manasquan Pavilion arcade playing pinball. There was a jukebox stocked with current songs of the day, and it seems that every few songs, "Let's Live for Today" would come on.
A little over a year later. they had their second (and biggest) hit, "Midnight Confessions". The fall of 1968 saw me in 7th grade, and I had spent a lot of time with my church youth group...we went on hayrides, and other excursions, including swimming at the pool at Drew University in Madison. And I heard this song quite frequently. Other classmates associated the song with Teen Club, an extra-curricular dance night sponsored by the Roselle Park school system.
In 1969 they had three big local hits, "The River is Wide", "I'd Wait a Million Years", and "Heaven Knows". The middle of these reminded me yet again of Manasquan, hearing it on the transistor radio on the beach as well as in the arcade. Just before that song came out, Creed Bratton left the band, and during the next few years where were many personnel changes, but the classic AM sound continued.
1970 was a quiet year for them, with only "Baby Hold On" getting any sort of play in the area. But in 1971 they made a big comeback, and probably my all-time favorite, "Temptation Eyes" came out, a top 15 hit. It was one of 3 top 20 hits they had that year, and they were essentially swimming against the tide. Progressive Album rock was dominating (Santana, Chicago, etc), along with the "singer-songwriter" (Carole King, James Taylor) and hard rock/heavy metal (Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath). These forms of music dominated our High School years. Yet, here were the Grass Roots, pumping out more catchy and memorable stuff. I wondered how this music would have played at that point. It didn't take long to find out.
One day, we had started our first period Speech class. An AM radio was playing (probably from Homeroom moments before) "Temptation Eyes", my classmates were filing into the building. One of them, Jeanne Malgeri was singing along to it as it winded down. That's all I needed to know. (Incidentally, when I posted that song on Facebook a few months back, Jeanne commented that it had reminded her of one of many dances that the high school had. In fact, many of them recollected those days in the same manner.
After 1971, the band's popularity declined. Their last chart hit was in 1975 ("Mamacita") and shortly after, Rob Grill was the lone original member. They split, Grill recorded a solo album in 1979, assisted by members of the then-hot Fleetwood Mac. In the 1980's he assembled a new touring Grass Roots which he continued almost to his death. The Beach Boys were well known for playing July 4th concerts at the National Mall in Washington DC, but the Grass Roots did also. They did ride the 60's nostalgia that was prevalent in the 1980's.
The band Lords of the New Church covered "Let's Live for Today" in the late 80's, Alt-rock band Blake Babies did their take on "Temptation Eyes" in 1991. Perhaps a bit too late, but the band's impact was being felt.
In the mid-2000's the band got some publicity when it was noted the The Office ensemble player Creed Bratton was once a member of the band. It was this element that made me a fan of the show (despite him having bit parts, he is hilarious as the aging head of Quality Assurance). Checking to see where Grill was, he was still on the road with the current Grass Roots, and as luck would have it, while I was on my honeymoon in 2007, my wife and I visted Disney's EPCOT center, where we stumbled on Rob Grill and his band. We listened to many of the hits and was amazed that they held up all these years.
Unfortunately, the original band never played together after 1969, and drummer Coonce also died this past February, leaving Creed and Warren Entner (who had a second career managing rock bands such as Faith No More). Creed still records, apart from The Office; "Rubber Tree" made my SoundRaves chart last year and landed at #49 in my year-end list.
Many of my friends, including Armand Cistaro, Perry DeParre and Dave Paterno posted several of their songs in tribute, after learning of Grill's death. Many others commented that they loved the band as well. Much of the current songs I select for my SoundRaves chart are based on the sound popularized by the Grass Roots and other bands of that day, much of that sound, as popularized by bands such as Avi Buffalo and Fitz & the Tantrums, is making a comeback. And I had thought back in the day, that I was the only one who was a fan...little did I know.
SOUND-RAVES 100: Score another one for Rachel Allyn as she hits #1 for the third time with her version of "Say Hello to Goodbye". The country comer, who is still trying to make it big, now ties Adele with the most #1's since I started this shindig last August. The main difference is that all three of the Brit soulstress's songs have come from her 21 album, while Rachel's has been from three sources. "Stand Still" was a cut from her 2009 EP Late Nights and Early Mornings, "Gettin' By", although also on the EP, was a remixed single version release, and "Say Hello..." is the new single. The original version of that song, by Shontelle, also advances to #37; her big hit from last year, the national top 20 "Impossible" reached #50 here on SoundRaves. Rachel will be playing at this years "Jamaroo" festival in Layton, NJ, along with several acts, including Moving Company which features Ron Pietranowicz on keyboards.
Katy Perry moves up to #2 with "Last Friday Night", breaking her own record for the highest charting song by a strictly pop artist, besting her "Firework" from earlier this year. There is a jam-up in the top part of the chart, with Fitz & the Tantrums "Dear Mr. President" having to stay at #4 despite gaining. Last weeks #1, Train's "Save Me San Francisco", drops to #3.
Two big entries into the Top 20 this week, including Plan B's "Love Goes Down", and Avi Buffalo's "How Come?"; is the second time in the upper echelon for both acts. Two other acts that have hit the top spot also enter this week: Foo Fighters follow-up to "Rope", "Walk", and The Black Eyes' "Everlasting Light".
As the year-old "Pumped Up Kicks" hits #1 on Billboard's Alternative Chart this week, (and spends its 25th week on my list), and "Houdini" bows out of the top 20, a third song by Foster the People, "Helena Beat", which is the new single, is the Top Debut and Pick of the Week, at #64. An equally exciting record, "How Much Younger" by Brilliant Colors, who hail from San Francisco, come in at #72. Also debuting are Colbie Colliat's "Brighter Than the Sun", the follow-up to her top 20 "I Do"; and new stuff from artists that were on extended hiatuses, Michelle Branch, Lenny Kravitz, and The Kooks.
The Raveonettes, whose "Apparitions" inches up to #23 will be playing in this area, Maxwells in Hoboken on August 1. This is a band you don't want to miss. Music festivals continue to abound; it was announced that Collective Soul, Southside Johnny, and the Smithereens (fresh from an appearance at Maplewoodstock) will appear at the Union County MusicFest in Clark NJ, on September 16.
Soundraves 100 for Week of July 11, 2011
This Week | Last Week | ARTIST-Title | Weeks on List |
1 | 2 |  RACHEL ALLYN "Say Hello To Goodbye" (Single Only) | 7 |
2 | 3 | Katy Perry - Last Friday Night | 5 |
3 | 1 | Train - Save Me San Francisco | 10 |
4 | 4 | Fitz and the Tantrums - Dear Mr. President | 5 |
5 | 6 | Florence + the Machine - You Got the Love | 9 |
6 | 5 | Lykke Li - Get Some | 9 |
7 | 8 | My Morning Jacket - Holdin' On to Black Metal | 8 |
8 | 7 | Adele - Rumour Has It | 12 |
9 | 16 | Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean | 9 |
10 | 29 | TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  PLAN B "Love Goes Down" Album: The Defamation of Strictland Banks | 3 |
11 | 9 | Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi-Two Against One | 14 |
12 | 23 | Avi Buffalo - How Come | 3 |
13 | 12 | The Strokes - Taken For A Fool | 9 |
14 | 10 | Adele - Rolling In the Deep | 31 |
15 | 18 | Lady Gaga - The Edge of Glory | 5 |
16 | 15 | Kate Voegele - Heart In Chains | 9 |
17 | 27 | Foo Fighters - Walk | 5 |
18 | 26 | The Black Keys - Everlasting Light | 5 |
19 | 20 | Fleet Foxes - Battery Kinzie | 9 |
20 | 13 | Cage the Elephant - Around My Head | 11 |
21 | 11 | Death Cab for Cutie - You are A Tourist | 14 |
22 | 22 | Ray Lamontagne & the Pariah Dogs - Repo Man | 8 |
23 | 24 | The Raveonettes - Apparitions | 7 |
24 | 33 | Portugal the Man - Got It All | 5 |
25 | 14 | The Wombats - Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves) | 13 |
26 | 39 | Best Coast - Something In The Way | 4 |
27 | 30 | Neon Trees - Your Surrender | 12 |
28 | 28 | Cold War Kids - Skip the Charades | 9 |
29 | 21 | Adele - Someone Like You | 12 |
30 | 32 | Drive-By Truckers - Everybody Needs Love | 11 |
31 | 36 | Coldplay - Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall | 6 |
32 | 17 | Foster the People - Houdini | 11 |
33 | 19 | Lady Gaga - Judas | 10 |
34 | 63 | MOVER OF THE WEEK  ADELE "Set Fire to the Rain" Album: 21 | 2 |
35 | 25 | Dom - Living In America | 14 |
36 | 42 | Paramore - Monster | 6 |
37 | 43 | Shontelle - Say Hello to Goodbye | 7 |
38 | 34 | Rachel Allyn - Gettin' By | 26 |
39 | 35 | Peter Bjorn & John - Dig A Little Deeper | 9 |
40 | 40 | Christina Perri - Arms | 8 |
41 | 41 | The Kills - Future Starts Slow | 7 |
42 | 31 | The Vaccines - Post Break-up Sex | 18 |
43 | 46 | Gomez - Options | 7 |
44 | 49 | The Lonely Forest - We Sing In Time | 4 |
45 | 38 | Sam Roberts Band - The Last Crusade | 8 |
46 | 47 | Arcade Fire - Month of May | 9 |
47 | 37 | Florence + the Machine - Dog Days are Over | 19 |
48 | 44 | Ke$ha - Blow | 8 |
49 | 56 | We Are Augustines - Chapel Song | 4 |
50 | 54 | Zac Brown Band f Jimmy Buffet - Knee Deep | 10 |
51 | 55 | Kenny Chesney f. Grace Potter - You & Tequila | 6 |
52 | 45 | Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks | 25 |
53 | 53 | Scotty McCreery - I Love You This Big | 7 |
54 | 52 | Flogging Molly - Revolution | 6 |
55 | 58 | Arctic Monkeys - Don't Sit Down "Cause I Moved Your Chair | 7 |
56 | 59 | Brett Dennon - Comeback Kid | 5 |
57 | 48 | Ben Harper - Rock n' Roll is Free | 14 |
58 | 61 | Rise Against - Make It Stop | 5 |
59 | 67 | KT Tunstall - Glamour Puss | 3 |
60 | 92 | Cee Lo Green - Bright Lights, Bigger City | 2 |
61 | 65 | Sleeper Agent - Get It Daddy | 3 |
62 | 66 | Wild Flag - Romance | 3 |
63 | 88 | Generationals - Ten Twenty Ten | 2 |
64 | ---- | TOP DEBUT:  FOSTER THE PEOPLE "Helena Beat" Album: Torches | 1 |
65 | 62 | Noah & the Whale - L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. | 8 |
66 | 64 | Kings of Leon - Back Down South | 5 |
67 | 71 | Givers - Up Up Up | 5 |
68 | 60 | Scars on 45 - Give Me Something | 21 |
69 | 68 | Sublime with Rome - Panic | 7 |
70 | 72 | Linkin Park - Iridescent | 4 |
71 | 89 | Young the Giant - Cough Syrup | 2 |
72 | ---- | Brilliant Colors - How Much Younger | 1 |
73 | 76 | The Naked and Famous - Punching In A Dream | 4 |
74 | 50 | Middle Brother - Me Me Me | 11 |
75 | 77 | Yacht - Dystopia | 3 |
76 | 51 | Chk Chik Chick - Wannagain Wannagain | 16 |
77 | 57 | The Raveonettes - Recharge and Revolt | 15 |
78 | 74 | 311 - Sunset in July | 6 |
79 | 70 | Fitz and the Tantrums - Money Grabber | 32 |
80 | 82 | The Head and the Heart - Lost In My Mind | 3 |
81 | 73 | Los Lonely Boys - Fly Away | 12 |
82 | ---- | Beastie Boys - Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win | 1 |
83 | 80 | 10 Years - Fix Me | 6 |
84 | ---- | The Kooks - Junk of the Heart | 1 |
85 | ---- | Michelle Branch - Loud Music | 1 |
86 | 87 | Hot Chelle Rae - Tonight Tonight | 4 |
87 | 99 | Bon Iver - Calgary | 2 |
88 | ---- | Lenny Kravitz - Stand | 1 |
89 | 69 | Brother - Darling Buds of May | 13 |
90 | 75 | Austra - Beat and the Pulse | 9 |
91 | 86 | Taylor Swift - The Story of Us | 5 |
92 | 91 | The Band Perry - If I Die Young | 2 |
93 | 98 | Mat Kearney - Hey Mama | 2 |
94 | ---- | Goo Goo Dolls - All That You Are | 1 |
95 | 94 | The Belle Brigade - Losers | 4 |
96 | ---- | Colbie Calliat - Brighter Than the Sun | 1 |
97 | 90 | Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - Paris(ooh lala) | 22 |
98 | 78 | Mt. Desolation - Bitter Pill | 22 |
99 | 81 | Boxer Rebellion - The Runner | 9 |
100 | 84 | Leila - Hush Little Baby | 21 |
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