Original Paul Revere & The Raiders lead guitarist Drake Levin dies of cancer at 62

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Sorry if this has already been posted...there goes another piece of my youth. R.I.P, Drake.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_44wXrFq2M-w/SS5_IXAbktI/AAAAAAAAAzE/LAN-HzXbCIA/S220/Dan+Monigold+&+Drake+1965.jpg

Paul Revere and the Raiders Lead guitar man Drake Levin dies
July 8, 10:25 PM

http://www.examiner.com/x-3283-Las-Vegas-Movie-Examiner~y2009m7d8-Paul-Revere-and-the-Raiders-Lead-guitar-man-Drake-Levin-dies

As the world mourned Michael Jackson, several other performers quietly slipped away.

The original lead guitarist for the fun 60s band, Paul Revere and the Raiders has died of cancer at 62.

Levin played guitar in the prime of the Raiders life. Their hits at this time included; "Kicks", "Hungry", and "Good Thing".

It was the 1965 hit "Just like Me', that featured Levin's double-tracked lead guitar, that made the top "500 songs that shaped rock 'n roll".

Drake Levin left the band after 4 years to start a blues band of his own.

He died on the 4th of July, which is fitting for a man who was in a band that wore revolutionary war costumes.

Paul Revere and the Raiders' Drake Levin (1946-2009)
by Ryan White, The Oregonian
Monday July 06, 2009, 1:21 PM

Word comes via email that Drake Levin, guitarist with Paul Revere and the Raiders, died yesterday at his home in San Francisco. He was 62, and had been battling throat cancer.

After the jump the full email from Roger Hart, who managed Paul Revere and the Raiders, who are in the Oregon Music Hall of Fame.

Drake Levin died this morning, just after nine AM, at home in San Francisco. He would have turn 63 in August. He and Phil Volk were part of the 'essential' Raiders group that became Television and Recording Teen Idols in the 60's, teamed with Paul Revere, Mark Lindsay and Mike Smith. Network Television was what launched them into national prominence with successive major hit records. Drake and Phil were the ones who developed the basic rhythms and choreography for the group, and Drakes' double-lead guitar piece on "Just Like Me" is a classic. No memorial arrangements are yet known, but will occur in San Francisco at some later date. His wife Sandra was with him at the end, and his closest friends had stayed in touch over the years and gave what support they could. Phil Volk spend six days with him recently, recapping their days together, and playing their old hits together for one last time. After leaving the Raiders for the last time in 1967, Drake, Phil and Mike Smith formed their group, Brotherhood, and recorded for a time for RCA Records. However, their brightest and most significant moments were as part of Paul Revere's Raiders, who overall enjoyed 12 years on the Columbia Records record label.

http://www.oregonlive.com/music/index.ssf/2009/07/paul_rever_and_the_raiders_dra.html

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. damn

damn.damn.damn. stop it already.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

2. I know.

I went through a major "Raiders" phase...even though I listened to the band throughout its entire career, when Levin left, followed by Volk, Valley & Smith, it was never the same. The original band was pure garage rock, tough and filled with attitude. Later, they went almost bubblegum.

Levin's greatest moment, in my estimation, was the "Just Like Us" album. "Midnight Ride"...which contained "Kicks"...was excellent as well, but "Just Like Us" was THE Raiders album.

[Kat45]

4. My parents took me to see them when I was around 10-12.

They were at the Hampton Beach Casino and we were on vacation up there. I still have the booklet from the concert.

RIP Drake Levin.

[GReedDiamond]

3. Sad to hear, I always dug PR and the Raiders...

...they had an edge that most others did not, at that time. The guitar sound was, obviously, a big part of that. I read a tribute to Drake Levin that a friend of mine wrote, which he posted to a Yahoo message board I'm on, I quote him here:

Drake Levin played rudimentary garage guitar, however he did something that nobody had done before him: he played double lead on a record called, "Just Like Me." Now, in 1965, this was not done. There were only 4 tracks to work with! Two years later, Arthur Lee & Love would do the same thing on their great L.P., "Forever Changes." The Eagles refined the double lead on their song, "Hotel California" in 1977, and the Irish band, Thin Lizzy, perfected it. Drake's version in '65 was sloppy and out of sync, but it sounded really cool and, well, you just can't argue with success. His guitar work on songs like "Just Like Me," "Hungry," "Steppin' out," "Kicks," and the great fuzz tone masterpiece, "The Great Airplane Strike," gave them all that hard edge. - S.J. Morris

I don't know if that analysis is entirely technically and historically accurate, but I agree with the point being made 110%.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

5. The "original" Raiders...

...the line-up that took its swan song with "Paul Revere and the Raiders Greatest Hits" in 1967...had the edge your friend writes about.

With "Revolution" and the new lineup (only Revere & Lindsay remained), that edge went away.

[GReedDiamond]

6. You are correct! sir...nt

[704wipes]

8. here's a few

Just Like Me - http://news.guitarworld.com/video/paul_revere_the_raiders_just_like_me/

Kicks - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP8G4clUJBY

Good Thing - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAiWbqEbgfs&feature=related



You really do have to overlook the 'revolutionary' outfits, but the go-go girls are pretty darn hot !!
I bet that lead singer got laid a lot.

[Swede]

7. RIP Drake Levin.

62 is way too young to go.