Hard Rock Road: Esoteric Collects Steppenwolf’s “Epic Years”
BUY NOW FROM AMAZON.COMWhile Steppenwolf will always be remembered for classic rock and oldies radio perennials “Born to Be Wild” and “Magic Carpet Ride,” the band was much more than just those two hits. The original iteration of the band fronted by German-Canadian singer-songwriter John Kay on Dunhill Records notched a dozen entries on the U.S. Hot 100 as well as $42 million in record sales, $7 million in concert tickets, and two Gold-certified albums. Their music spoke to the Vietnam era, addressing issues of social injustice, the environment, and PTSD before the term had been coined. Singer-guitarist Kay, keyboardist Goldy McJohn, and drummer Jerry Edmonton had stayed together through the Dunhill years with different lead guitarists and bassists, but on February 14, 1972 the trio called it quits after six studio albums. Kay recorded two well-received solo sets for Dunhill before accepting an offer to reform Steppenwolf for a European tour. He did so with the caveat that The John Kay Band would be the opening act. Guitarist Kent Henry and bassist George Biondo (both of whom had played in the final line-up of Steppenwolf) would play one set with Kay before the trio joined McJohn and Jerry Edmonton as the headlining act. The shows were met with such an enthusiastic response that the reunion led to a full-blown Steppenwolf revival. This chapter of the band’s career has been collected by Cherry Red’s Esoteric imprint as a new 3-CD box set, The Epic Years 1974-1976. It follows the 2021 release of Born to Be Wild: The Dunhill/ABC Years 1967-1971.
Before Steppenwolf returned to the recording studio, Kent Henry was replaced with Bobby Cochran, nephew of rock-and-roll legend Eddie. Jerry Edmonton and Kent Henry hadn’t gotten along, resulting in the change. The solidified lineup made appearances on television as both Steppenwolf and the solo Kay’s backing band before signing under the familiar name to the CBS-affiliated MUMS Records label, notably the home of singer-songwriter Albert Hammond. The band’s MUMS debut, Slow Flux (1974), was recorded in Kay’s studio and self-produced by the band. Though the album reflected Kay’s interest in issues of social conscience-including one pointed critique of disgraced President Richard Nixon with “Justice Don’t Be Slow”- it was musically more diverse than the band’s Dunhill albums, incorporating ballads, harmonies, and brass. All of the bandmates contributed songs, and MUMS arranged for Steppenwolf to record Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood’s “Smokey Factory Blues.” The gritty “Gang War Blues” boasted a co-writing credit from notorious L.A. scenester Kim Fowley. Edmonton’s “Straight Shootin’ Woman” was selected as the lead single, and the label’s promotional push saw that it earned a top 30 berth on the Pop chart. The strong, snarling slice of rock with propulsive horns from Don Ellis would turn out to be Steppenwolf’s final top 40 entry. In Canada, “Straight Shootin’ Woman” did even better, placing at No. 5. The album peaked just out of the top 40 of the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 47.
Steppenwolf’s newfound momentum threatened to stall with the dismissal of founding member Goldy McJohn. Kay recalled that McJohn’s increasing drug intake began to affect his performance, and Andy Chapin (an old L.A. pal and bandmate of George Biondo) was brought in as his replacement. He made his debut on 1975’s Hour of the Wolf. Only half of the album’s tracks were penned by the band, with the rest consisting of covers from the likes of Alan O’Day and Jerry Edmonton’s brother Dennis, a.k.a. Mars Bonfire. Dennis had written “Born to Be Wild” so hopes were high for his contribution, “Caroline (Are You Ready for the Outlaw World),” which also featured a saxophone solo from Tom Scott of The L.A. Express. Hour of the Wolf appeared on the Epic label proper, with MUMS’ roster having been folded into that of the larger company. Despite strong, varied material and a mix by Roy Halee (Simon and Garfunkel, Blood, Sweat and Tears), Hour of the Wolf failed to yield a hit single and didn’t get any higher than No. 155 on the Billboard 200. John Kay and George Biondo reveal in Jim Christopulos’ liner notes that Epic didn’t have much interest in inheriting the band and didn’t present promotional opportunities for it. Warner Bros. angled to pick them up, but they still had one album remaining on their contract.
1976’s Skullduggery welcomed Wayne Cook in place of Andy Chapin. The LP once again featured just four compositions with participation of the band, and no songs from John Kay. Alan O’Day supplied another song (“Train of Thought”) and the Motown songbook was even pillaged for a high-energy rock cover of “(I’m A) Road Runner.” Bobby Cochran’s ferocious title track would fit comfortably on any Steppenwolf hits collection, but Epic didn’t even give it the chance; the label declined to release a single from the album. Bobby Cochran recalls that John Kay had lost interest by the time of Skullduggery. By the time Kay returned to the group he co-founded in 1980, it was as “John Kay and Steppenwolf,” with an all-new group of younger players. The original Steppenwolf had broken up, once and for all.
Esoteric’s clamshell box set features all three albums newly remastered by Paschal Byrne. Two bonus tracks have been added: “Angeldrawers,” the non-LP B-side of “Caroline (Are You Ready for the Outlaw World),” and the mono promo single mix of “Caroline.” The three discs are housed in paper sleeves adorned with original front cover and modified back cover artwork. A 40-page booklet has the comprehensive liner notes as well as photos, memorabilia images, and lyrics to Slow Flux.
Steppenwolf’s The Epic Years 1974-1976 is out now from Cherry Red/Esoteric and can be ordered at the links below.
Steppenwolf, The Epic Years 1974-1976 (Cherry Red/Esoteric ECLEC32824, 2023) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
CD 1: Slow Flux (Mums LP PZ 33093, 1974)
- Gang War Blues
- Children of Night
- Justice Don’t Be Slow
- Get Into the Wind
- Jeraboah
- Straight Shootin’ Woman
- Smokey Factory Blues
- Morning Blue
- A Fool’s Fantasy
- Fishin’ in the Dark
CD 2: Hour of the Wolf (Epic LP PE 33583, 1975)
- Caroline (Are You Ready for the Outlaw World)
- Annie, Annie Over
- Two for the Love of One
- Just for Tonight
- Hard Rock Road
- Someone Told a Lie
- Another’s Lifetime
- Penny Pincher
- Angeldrawers (Mums single S MUM 3470, 1975)
- Caroline (Are You Ready for the Outlaw World) (Mono Promo Single) (Mums promo single MUM 3470, 1975)
CD 3: Skullduggery (Epic LP PE 34120, 1976)
- Skullduggery
- (I’m A) Road Runner
- Rock N’ Roll Song
- Train of Thought
- Life Is a Gamble
- Pass It On
- Sleep
- Lip Service
This sounds like a much better package than the one Friday Music released several years ago. Glad I passed on that one, especially with the ridiculous prices for that now out of print set on the secondary market. I won’t make that same mistake with this release. Already ordered!