Dunwich signed the Shadows of Knight to a record deal, and in the spring of 1966, they released their first single, a cover of Van Morrison's 'Gloria' that captured the swagger of Them's original recording while slightly bowdlerizing the lyrics ('She come into my room' was changed to 'She call out my name,' which made a big difference in radio airplay). This song is off of the first album by The Shadows of Knight entitled 'Gloria' The Shadows of Knight are still playing live shows today! To find out about their shows, and even more exciting news.

Gloria is the first album by the Shadows of Knight, released in 1966 on Dunwich Records 666. The Shadows of Knight are primarily known for their hit version of the Van Morrison penned Them band's 'Gloria', but the band today is regarded as one of the original punk bands.

The band's association with 'Gloria' has caused some to miscategorize them as one-hit wonders.^[2] One reviewer points out that their first album, and its follow-up, Back Door Men, represent far greater diversity: '(The Gloria album) positively rocks with a raw energy of a band straight out of the teen clubs, playing with a total abandon and an energy level that seems to explode out of the speakers. Equal parts Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, Who, and snotty little Chicago-suburb bad boys, the Shadows of Knight could easily put the torch to Chess blues classics, which make up the majority of the songs included here. Their wild takes on 'I Just Want to Make Love to You,' 'Oh Yeah,' and 'I Got My Mojo Working' rank right up there with any British Invasion band's version from the same time period.'^[3]

Background[edit]

The band released the Gloria album in the summer of 1966, after releasing 'Gloria' as a single backed by 'Darkside' in December 1965. The single charted at #10 according to Billboard. Later in the year, 'Oh Yeah' was released from the same album as a single backed by 'Light Bulb Blues', and charted as high as #39. The album liner notes credit the album as 'Produced for Dunwich Records' instead of crediting a specific producer.^[4]

Track listing[edit]

1. 'Gloria' (Van Morrison) – 2:34
2. 'Light Bulb Blues' (Jerry McGeorge, James Alan Sohns) – 2:32
3. 'I Got My Mojo Working' (McKinley Morganfield) – 3:28
4. 'Darkside' (Warren Rogers, James Alan Sohns) – 2:00
5. 'Boom Boom' (John Lee Hooker) – 2:28
6. 'Let It Rock' (Chuck Berry) – 1:52
7. 'Oh Yeah' (Ellas McDaniel) – 2:45
8. 'It Always Happens That Way' (Rogers, Sohns) – 1:52
9. 'You Can't Judge a Book by Looking at the Cover' (Willie Dixon) – 2:37
10. '(I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man' (Dixon) – 3:52
11. 'I Just Want to Make Love to You' (Dixon) – 3:49

Bonus tracks on LP and CD reissue, 1998[edit]

12. 'Oh Yeah' (alternate version); (McDaniel) – 2:45
13. 'I Got My Mojo Working' (alternate version); (Morganfield) – 3:14
14. 'Someone Like Me' (single release not on original album); (David MacDowell, Rich Novak) – 2:18

Personnel[edit]

Musicians[edit]

• Jim Sohns – vocals
• Warren Rogers – lead guitar, backing vocals
• Jerry McGeorge – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Joe Kelley – bass guitar
• Tom Schiffour – drums

Technical[edit]

• Bob Kidder – engineer
• Jerry DeClercq – mastering
• Ron Fratell – art direction

Chart performance[edit]

Album[edit]

Singles[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^Allmusic review
2. ^They are not so categorized in the List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States.
3. ^Cub Koda, Review of Gloria album; www.allmusic.com.
4. ^Liner notes
5. ^'Billboard 200 - Shadows of Knight'. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
6. ^'Billboard Hot 100 - Shadows of Knight'. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
7. ^'Billboard Hot 100 - The Shadows of Knight'. Retrieved January 30, 2018.

Back Door Men is the second album by The Shadows of Knight. Both this album and its predecessor, Gloria, were released in 1966 and are considered to be seminal garage band albums. As noted by one reviewer, 'The original LP version of this album, the second by the legendary white Chicago garage punk/blues outfit, was one of the most sought-after artifacts of mid-'60s punk rock. Back Door Men was a loud, feedback-laden, sneering piece of rock & roll defiance, mixing raunchy anthems to teenage lust (Gospel Zone', 'Bad Little Woman'), covers of Chicago blues classics (Willie Dixon's 'Spoonful', Jimmy Reed's 'Peepin' and Hidin'), raga rock ('The Behemoth'), folk-rock ('Hey Joe', 'Three for Love', 'I'll Make You Sorry'), and a blues-punk grab off of commercial Top 40 ('Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day'), all on one 12' platter. What makes the record even more startling is that every one of these tracks, however far afield they go from one another, works.'.^[1]

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Background[edit]

Back Door Men was recorded at Universal Recording Studio in Chicago IL, in late 1966. The album was recorded as a quick follow-up to the Shadows of Night # 10 debut release Gloria. By the time of this recording, Warren Rogers and Joe Kelley had traded instruments and David Wolinski had been added on keyboards. 'Bad Little Woman', a cover of the Belfast band The Wheels, backed by 'Gospel Zone' was released as the first single, but only charted as high as # 91. A second single, 'I'm Gonna Make You Mine', a non-album cut backed by 'I'll Make You Sorry' did only slightly better at # 90. A third single at that time, 'Willie Jean'/'The Behemoth' did not chart. As with their first album, production was credited as 'Produced for Dunwich Records' instead of crediting a specific producer.^[2] The original album incorrectly lists Dino Valenti as the composer for 'Hey Joe'.

Track listing[edit]

1. 'Bad Little Woman' (Herbie Armstrong, Victor Catling, Rod Demick, Brian Rosbotham, Tito Tinsley) – 2:37
2. 'Gospel Zone' (Tom Schiffour) – 3:19
3. 'The Behemoth' (Harry Pye) – 2:34
4. 'Three for Love' (Joe Kelly) – 3:11
5. 'Hey Joe' (Billy Roberts) – 5:42
6. 'I'll Make You Sorry' (Kelly) – 2:42
7. 'Peepin' and Hidin' (Jimmy Reed) - 3:01
8. 'Tomorrow's Going to Be Another Day' (Tommy Boyce) – 2:23
9. 'New York Bullseye' (Pye) – 2:43
10. 'High Blood Pressure' (Huey 'Piano' Smith, Johnny Vincent) – 3:38
11. 'Spoonful' (Willie Dixon) – 2:57

Bonus tracks on LP and CD reissue, 1998[edit]

12. 'Gospel Zone' (single version) (Schiffour) – 3:20
13. 'Willie Jean' (single) (Traditional; arranged by Harry Pye) – 2:50
14. 'I'm Gonna Make You Mine' (single) (William Carr, Carl D'Errico, Carole Bayer Sager) – 2:30^[3]

Personnel[edit]

Musicians[edit]

• David 'Hawk' Wolinski – organ, piano, keyboards
• Joe Kelly – guitar, harmonica, harp
• Jerry McGeorge – guitar, rhythm guitar, feedback
• Warren Rogers – bass guitar
• Tom Schiffour – drums
• Jim Sohns – maracas, marimba, tambourine, vocals

Technical[edit]

• Bob Kidder – engineer
• Bob Irwin – mastering
• Rich Russell – package design
• Clark Besch – graphic design, photography
• Steve Besch – graphic design, photography
• Paul Hippensteel – graphic design, photography
• Jeff Jarema – graphic design, photography
• Tim Livingston – project manager

Chart performances[edit]

Single[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abBruce Eder. 'Back Door Men - Shadows of Knight Songs, Reviews, Credits'. AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
2. ^Liner notes
3. ^'The Shadows Of Knight - Back Door Men (CD, Album)'. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
4. ^'Billboard Hot 100 - The Shadows of Knight'. Retrieved January 30, 2018.