Formed from the ashes of beat group the Sparrows, and taking their name from a Hermann Hesse novel, Steppenwolf forever changed the course of popular music as one of the propagators of heavy metal. During their original incarnation (1967-1972) they released eight albums on the ABC Dunhill label (remastered and collected here as Magic Carpet Ride) all of which stand as testament to their continuing influence.
CD One: Steppenwolf (1968)
Years of relentless touring had rendered Steppenwolf a tight unit meaning that when they scored a record deal they were riled up and ready to go. Marching in lock step with bands like Vanilla Fudge and Blue Cheer there’s was a testosterone fuelled sound; muscular and punchy that provided a nice antidote to the prevailing hippy-dippy, flower power music that cluttered the charts. Awash with Hammond organ opening track, a cover Don Covey’s ‘Sookie Sookie’ is a hard-hitting number that got the band some airplay on soul stations, and that crossover appeal would characterise their early career. In fact, the best tracks on this debut are the work of outside hands; Willie Dixon’s ‘Hootchie Kootchie Man’, Hoyt Axtom’s ‘The Pusher’ and, of course, ‘Born To Be Wild’ (written by ex-member Mars Bonfire). It was this last track, the third single from Steppenwolf, that finally broke the band and although it’s been covered by a multitude of artists, this version remains the best.
Of the original cuts ‘Your Wall’s Too High’ and ‘The Ostrich’ stand apart along with the appropriation of every cool move Chuck Berry made on the racy ‘Berry Rides Again’. Vocalist John Kay proved himself the band’s main lyricist, and while he’s still honing his craft he shows a promise that would blossom on future releases. Seven bonus tracks are added, mono versions from single releases, and they sound markedly different from the versions that appeared on Steppenwolf. Guitar based tracks like ‘Born To Be Wild’ and ‘Everybody’s Next One’ sound far more urgent and direct. However, the slower tracks (‘Take What You Need’, ‘The Pusher’) end up sounding flat and one-dimensional.
The success of this album is often credited to its association with counter-cultural film Easy Rider and while it didn’t do any harm Steppenwolf had already made inroads into American consciousness. Perfectly capturing that moment when the hippy dream turned into a bad acid nightmare, Steppenwolf remains one of the era’s key releases.
CD Two: The Second (1968)
Released barely nine months after their debut album, Steppenwolf’s sophomore effort (imaginatively titled The Second) showed a great development. More expansive than its predecessor this record incorporated elements of hard rock, psychedelia and blues. Opening with another Mars Bonfire number (‘Faster Than The Speed Of Life’) The Second fairly races out of the blocks but, rather strangely, features the vocals of drummer Jerry Edmonton. He doesn’t have the same kind of panache as John Kay but the strength of the song carries it over the line. Normal service is resumed for the harmonica-heavy ‘Tighten Up Your Wig’ and the Eastern-flavoured ‘Spiritual Fantasy’ which find Kay’s throaty rasp taking centre stage.
This time around the original tracks are just as strong as the covers, perhaps even more so, with ‘Don’t Step On The Grass, Sam’ evidencing both a lyrical and musical development. The album’s only single, ‘Magic Carpet Ride’, was a massive hit (reaching number three on the Billboard chart), however, the extended album version trumps the mono single cut (available here as a bonus track). The Second’s greatest triumph was the album’s B-side which, after ‘Magic Carpet Ride, connected all the tracks into one long musical suite and played tight-but-loose, it’s a hypnotic suite into which to lose yourself. Also included as a bonus track is the single version of ‘Spiritual Fantasy’ which, along with the excellent remastering, makes this disc the definite version of The Second.
Steppenwolf fans are divided between this album and the debut as to which is the best but The Second just shades it by the quality of songs.
CD Three: At Your Birthday Party (1969)
Released in March 1969 At Your Birthday Party found change in the Steppenwolf camp with ex-Sparrows bassist Nick St. Nicholas now in the fold. Informed by the Vietnam war the band’s third studio outing was an angry affair and it got off to an explosive start with the bombastic ‘Don’t Cry’. It finds all the needles in the red and foot firmly on the distortion pedal and proves itself to be something of a speaker-melter. Overall, At Your Birthday Party evidences a band coming of age and finding their own signature sound. Introducing elements of funk ‘Chicken Wolf’ is indicative of the bands desire to experiment. Of course, it didn’t always work with the soppy ballad ‘Lovely Meter’ being a misstep and the country infused ‘Round And Down’ only half working.
Aided by two strong singles ‘Rock Me’ and ‘Never Too Late’, At Your Birthday Party entered the Billboard Top Ten (their last album to reach such a pinnacle). Moving away from psychedelia in favour of a more straightforward rock sound this record is more accessible than its predecessors yet in taking such a turn the band have lost a little of their magic. Subsequently it works best when the band get a bit creative such as on ‘Cat Killer’ or ‘Mango Juice’ (two tracks which, incidently, are instrumentals) while it occasionally veers into mediocre on ‘God Fearing Man’ and ‘Happy Birthday’.
Their third album to be released in the space of 14 months, it seems Steppenwolf were suffering a bit of burn out when At Your Birthday Party was conceived. While not a bad album we can only surmise what the band could have achieved were they given more time.
CD Four: Early Steppenwolf (1969)
The title of this album is a little misleading. Recorded at the famous Matrix club in San Francisco on 14th May 1967 it was actually performed by the Sparrows. An early version of Steppenwolf they comprised of John Kay, Jerry Edmonton and organist Goldy McJohn (who would play on Steppenwolf) along with future bassist St. Nicholas and Mars Bonfire (brother of Jerry Edmonton and composer of ‘Born To Be Wild’). Released in 1969 Early Steppenwolf is an intriguing glimpse into the band’s genesis. Very much an album of two halves the original A-side comprised of two originals plus energetic covers ‘For My Baby’ (Howlin’ Wolf), ‘I’m Going Upstairs’ (John Lee Hooker) and ‘Corina, Corina’ (Bo Carter).
Depending on your musical tastes the 21 and a ½ minute musical workout that is ‘The Pusher’ is either psychedelic heaven or an exercise in self-indulgence. After plenty of noodling from all the instruments ‘The Pusher’ doesn’t burst into life until the 15-minute mark. Taking up the whole B-side of the original vinyl it’s probably a listen once only event for all but the most ardent fan. However, taking the album as a whole Steppenwolf deliver a solid set that showed early promise that would soon blossom.
CD Five: Monster (1969)
By the time that Monster hit the streets America was teetering on a precipice; student riots, civil unrest and the Mason Family murders all conspired to create a feeling of society in chaos. It was into this zeitgeist that Steppenwolf tapped and Monster amps up the political angle introduced on At Your Birthday Party. ‘Monster/Suicide/America’ is the opening salvo and is distinctly progressive in nature, made up of three different passages it deconstructs the American Dream, removing its veneer to reveal something less than savoury. If there were any doubts to Steppenwolf’s alliances, then ‘Draft Resister’ should blow them out the water.
The fatigue that plagued their previous studio album also raises its head here. Monster tends to lumber along at a similar pace and there’s no standout cut like ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ to shake it from its slumber. ‘Power Play’ (an old Sparrows track from ‘67) makes a return (albeit reworked) and its inclusion suggests the band had reached a creative dead end. Nevertheless, Monster is not a bad album and there’s flashes of their former brilliance with the lively instrumental ‘Fag’ being a highlight along with ‘What Would You Do (If I Did That To You)’ but overall Monster falls short of the high standard Steppenwolf set.
CD Six: Steppenwolf Live (1970)
Steppenwolf kicked off the new decade in style and Steppenwolf Live steadied an unruly ship. How far this was an actual “live” album has been open to much debate; at least three tracks were studio offerings with crowd noise dubbed on (‘Hey Lawdy Mama’, ‘Twisted’, Corina, Corina) but whatever its authenticity there’s no denying the raw power that Steppenwolf display here. The rhythm section of Edmonton and St. Nicholas lock in exceptionally tightly and make each beat of ‘Monster’ a well-timed punch.
This album reads like a “greatest hits” set but saves the best until last (side 4 of the original double LP). The shift from the studio version of ‘Hey Lawdy Mama’ to the live ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ is quite jarring but ‘The Pusher’ sounds simply sublime and McJohn’s organ washes over the recording like waves to the shore. Of course, only ‘Born To Be Wild’ could close a Steppenwolf show and it does a good job of bringing the curtain down with Kay’s and Larry Byrom’s guitars dualling exceptionally well. While the validity of Steppenwolf Live maybe in doubt there’s no question regarding the strength of the songs. New fans would do well starting here while lifers will appreciate the new facets that these elongated versions reveal.
CD Seven: Steppenwolf 7 (1970)
1970 found more changes in the Steppenwolf camp, this time George Biondo replacing St. Nicholas on bass but musically it’s more of the same. Steppenwolf 7 is the sound of a band in their comfort zone. First track ‘Ball Crusher’ is sold enough, and sounds more contemporary than previous tunes, but there’s no spark to turn it into a ‘Born To Be Wild’, or even a ‘Rock Me’. Biondo makes his present felt by penning and singing on ‘Fat Jack’, it’s rich and chocolatey, and with a touch of The Faces, grooves along with a funky beat and a few more of these tunes wouldn’t have gone amiss and the following ‘Renegade’ (with Kay back on vocals) sounds one dimensional after this lively number
You have to admire bands who give their fans exactly what they want but Steppenwolf seem inextricably tethered to their past. They again revisit the blues with a cover of the standard ‘Forty Days And Forty Nights’ and pay another visit to the Hoyt Axton songbook to cover ‘Snowblind Friend’. Strangely, it’s these reinterpretations of classic tunes that are the best tracks on a largely forgettable album and it seems that Steppenwolf were running out of steam. However, amongst the bonus tracks is included the excellent single only release ‘Screaming Night Hog’.
CD Eight: For Ladies Only (1971)
Releasing six studio albums in three years is a pretty impressive haul and For Ladies Only proved a fitting swansong for Steppenwolf’s original tenure. More change came in the shape of new guitarist Kent Henry (previously of Blues Image) and he moved the band in a decidedly progressive direction. A concept album revolving around the theme of feminism, the noble idea behind For Ladies Only wasn’t helped by the sexist sleeve or corny lyrics but musically it found the band getting back on track. Opening with the nine-minute title cut ‘For Ladies Only’ features lots of proggy time changes but it’s powered forth by that Steppenwolf beat and it’s a combination that works rather well. ‘Shackles And Chains’ comes drenched in Americana and Kent Henry makes his presence felt with some nifty slide guitar.
There are no cover versions on this release (if we don’t count the Mars Bonfire compositions, but he was always an honorary member) and subsequently For Ladies Only has a more unified feel than previous records. Steppenwolf would split after this release and you get the feeling that John Kay had one eye on his solo career as his raspy vocals are absent from three of the ten tracks but there’s plenty of gems on offer such as ‘Sparkle Eyes’, a hard-hitting ‘Ride With Me’ and the groovy instrumental ‘Black Pit’. Three bonus cuts are added including an exclusive ‘For Madmen Only’ and the single version of the title track which becomes much snappier in its shortened form.
Gaining a smash hit with ‘Born To Be Wild’ was both a blessing and a curse for Steppenwolf. It bestowed upon them worldwide attention, but it also overshadowed their other work but, as this lavish box set illustrates, they were always about so much more. Containing some of the best music from the ‘60s counterculture Magic Carpet Ride – The ABC/Dunhill Years 1967-1971 is an essential purchase.
- Reviewed by Peter Dennis.
- Magic Carpet Ride – The ABC Dunhill Years 1967-1971 is released via Cherry Red Records on 19th November 2021
- Official Website
Track Listing:
Disc One: Steppenwolf (1968)
- Sookie Sookie
- Everybody’s Next One
- Berry Rides Again
- Hootchie Cootchie Man
- Born To Be Wild
- Your Wall’s To High
- Desperation
- The Pusher
- A Girl I Knew
- Take What You Need
- The Ostrich
Bonus Tracks:
- Sookie Sookie *
- Born To Be Wild *
- Everybody’s Next One *
- Take What You Need *
- A Girl I Knew *
- The Ostrich *
- The Pusher *
- Berry Rides Again *
* Mono Single Version
CD Two: The Second (1968)
- Faster Than The Speed Of Life
- Tighten Up Your Wig
- None Of Your Doing
- Spiritual Fantasy
- Don’t Step On The Grass, Sam
- 28
- Magic Carpet Ride
- Disappointment Number (Unknown)
- Lost And Found By Trial And Error
- Hodge, Podge, Strained Through A Leslie
- Resurrection
- Reflections
Bonus Tracks:
- Magic Carpet Ride *
- Spiritual Fantasy *
* Mono Single Version
CD Three: At Your Birthday Party (1969)
- Don’t Cry
- Chicken Wolf
- Lovely Meter
- Round And Down
- It’s Never Too Late
- Sleeping Dreaming
- Jupiter Child
- She’ll Be Better
- Cat Killer
- Rock Me
- God Fearing Man
- Mango Juice
- Happy Birthday
Bonus Tracks:
- Rock Me *
- Jupiter Child *
- It’s Never Too Late *
- Happy Birthday *
* Mono Single Version
CD Four: Early Steppenwolf (1969, Recorded at The Matrix, 1967)
- Power Play
- Howlin’ For My Baby
- I’m Going Upstairs
- Corina, Corina
- Tighten Up Your Wig
- The Pusher
CD Five: Monster
- Monster/Suicide/America
- Draft Resister
- Power Play
- Move Over
- Fag
- What Would You Do (If I Did That To You)
- From Here To There Eventually
Bonus Tracks:
- Monster *
- Move Over **
- Power Play **
* Single Version
** Mono Single Version
CD Six: Steppenwolf Live (1970)
- Sookie Sookie
- Don’t Step On The Grass, Sam
- Tighten Up Your Wig
- Monster
- Draft Resister
- Power Play
- Corina, Corina
- Twisted
- From Here To There Eventually
- Hey Lawdy Mama
- Magic Carpet Ride
- The Pusher
- Born To Be Wild
Bonus Tracks:
- Hey Lawdy Mama *
- Twisted *
- Corina, Corina *
* Mono Single Version
CD Seven: Steppenwolf 7 (1970)
- Ball Crusher
- Forty Days And Forty Nights
- Fat Jack
- Renegade
- Foggy Mental Breakdown
- Snowblind Friend
- Who Needs Ya
- Earschplittenloudenboomer
- Hippo Stomp
Bonus Tracks:
- Screaming Night Hog *
- Snow Blind Friend *
- Hippo Stomp *
* Mono Single Version
CD Eight: For Ladies Only (1971)
- For Ladies Only
- I’m Asking
- Shackles And Chains
- Tenderness
- The Night Time’s For You
- Jaded Strumpet
- Sparkle Eyes
- Black Pit
- Ride With Me
- In Hopes Of A Garden
Bonus Tracks:
- For Madmen Only
- For Ladies Only *
- Ride With Me **
* Single Version
** Mono Single Version
