Ann Arbor Garage Band: The Rationals Anthology CD
Wednesday July 8, 2009
The R&B-tinged rock music of The Rationals will undoubtedly bring on a wave of nostalgia to people who grew up in Detroit and Ann Arbor in the 1960s. The group started off as a hand full of junior high school students in Ann Arbor, who played in their parents' rec room and eventually graduated to roller rinks and teen dances. As the band evolved, however, they became known regionally for their instrumental rhythm and blues and eventually their own unique versions of popular hits, including songs from Chuck Berry and the Beatles. You might remember them from shopping malls, but they played along side Bob Seger, Iggy Popp, Al Green and the Yardbirds at venues throughout Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Windsor. In fact, they were named the most popular group in Detroit by WKNR radio in 1966.
Some of their hits include Gave My Love, I Need You, Leaving Here, Guitar Army and, most notably, a version of Respect that pre-dated Aretha Franklin's version and made it to number 92 on the Billboard charts. Their uniquely stylized Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah and Danby's Men's Stores promo, Turn On, may also bring about a fond smile.
The last few years of the 1960s had the band playing more original music and uniquely stylized versions from other artists, including the Youngbloods, Little Richard and Ray Charles, before they changed direction again in 1968 from soul music to psychedelic -- a time that was characterized as the band's "experimental phase" on lead-singer-and-guitarist Scott Morgan's website. Their first LP, cut in 1969, was their last. By the time it was released in 1970, management problems and horrible gigs in the middle of clothing racks in Sears led to the band's breakup.
The band came together for a sold-out reunion show in Ann Arbor in 1991, which led to more reunion shows. Unfortunately, the reunion shows also led to more disagreements between band members. The band is coming together again, however, at The Magic Bag on July 24th to celebrate the release of their first anthology CD, Think Rational!.
Some of their hits include Gave My Love, I Need You, Leaving Here, Guitar Army and, most notably, a version of Respect that pre-dated Aretha Franklin's version and made it to number 92 on the Billboard charts. Their uniquely stylized Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah and Danby's Men's Stores promo, Turn On, may also bring about a fond smile.
The last few years of the 1960s had the band playing more original music and uniquely stylized versions from other artists, including the Youngbloods, Little Richard and Ray Charles, before they changed direction again in 1968 from soul music to psychedelic -- a time that was characterized as the band's "experimental phase" on lead-singer-and-guitarist Scott Morgan's website. Their first LP, cut in 1969, was their last. By the time it was released in 1970, management problems and horrible gigs in the middle of clothing racks in Sears led to the band's breakup.
The band came together for a sold-out reunion show in Ann Arbor in 1991, which led to more reunion shows. Unfortunately, the reunion shows also led to more disagreements between band members. The band is coming together again, however, at The Magic Bag on July 24th to celebrate the release of their first anthology CD, Think Rational!.
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