The Kingsnakes

Live At The Old Waldorf June 5, 1981

(Liberation Hall)

It doesn't seem so long ago, that West Coast rockabillies, blues practioners, and rip-and-sritch punks rubbed shoulders in turbulent nightspots and on independent labels. A scruffy subculture emerged. The Blasters, James Harman, and Dead Kennedys were but three of the pivotal assemblage. Count the Kingsnakes, too, in that number. Guitarist James Ferrell and drummer Danny Mihm both hailed from the Flamin' Groovies, and would go on to join forces with another ex-Groovie, Roy Loney, in the Phantom Movers. 

On this date, they opened for pomped icon Robert Gordon. And though the Kingsnakes weren't destined for celebrity writ large, they nevertheless acquitted themselves admirably with standard constructions fired by in-marrow ebullience. It was a magical moment best recalled, if one weren't on hand, by archival recordings such as this.

Recommended: "Rock 'n' Roll House," "You Never Can Tell," "Walking By Myself," "Not Nice," "Look Out Mabel," "Good Rockin' City," "More," "Get Up"

Video: "Good Rockin' City"

Liberation Hall