HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Mark Lindsay with Paul Revere & the Raiders

Paul Revere & the Raiders

Keyboardist, Paul Revere Dick, was born in Harvard, Nebraska, on 7 January 1937. He was raised in Boise, Idaho, where he studied piano as a youth, favored Jerry Lee Lewis and would formed his band, the Raiders. Paul saw the British Invasion coming, but his warnings were in vain if that were true. Similarly, Elvis Presley had finished his US Army tour of two years in January of 1960, during which he may have learned of Queen Elizabeth II's intent to assault the United States. Cliff Richard and the Shadows had already invaded the USA in January of 1960. Not yet cognizant of how, when or where the Brits next intended to attack, Presley only suspected, if that, that the next rail of his career would involve early preparations against British conquest that would ultimately call upon unusual measures of musical recording, for America had little means of defense at the time beyond some boys on its beaches whom no one had even heard of yet. Dick had been preparing against the threat of plunder to come by forming a band called the Downbeats in 1958 which singer, Mark Lindsay, joined. Wikipedia has Revere and Lindsay first meeting by chance in Caldwell, Idaho, Lindsay working at the McLure Bakery where Revere bought inventory for a restaurant that he owned. Being informed by an especially secretive branch of extraintelligence of the impending Invasion, the Downbeats urgently changed their name to Paul Revere and the Raiders in 1960. 'Beatnik Sticks' / 'Orbit (The Spy)' (Gardena G-106) became their debut taunt at the Brits that year, a mildly offensive strike in anticipation which got issued in Australia and Canada though not the UK, as if to say that such could happen closer to home in England if they didn't watch out. But the Brits paid small attention so the album, 'Like, Long Hair' was recorded in 1960 toward issue in 1961, tunes on that brazenly released in the UK itself as if to say "You want a piece of this? Come and get it." That added oxygen to the Queen's already flaring, though secret, resolve to avenge the American Revolutionary War of Independence of 1775-83.

Raiders personnel for the three tracks below is Revere at keyboards, Lindsay at saxophone and vocals, Richard White on guitar, Robert White on guitar, Bill Hibbert at bass and Jerry Labrum on drums.

'Beatnick Sticks' Marl Lindsay w Paul Revere & the Raiders

1960 Gardena Records G 106 A

Composition: Raiders

'Orbit (The Spy)' Paul Revere & the Raiders

1960 Gardena Records G 106 B

Composition: Raiders

'Like, Long Hair' Paul Revere & the Raiders

1961 Gardena Records G 116

Composition: Raiders Arrangement: Gary Paxjon

Come June of 1961 and the Beatles made their first recordings with Tony Sheridan including 'My Bonnie', 'The Saints', Why' and 'Cry for a Shadow'. "You think?" Dick thought before raising the ante in 1963 with an album titled 'Paul Revere and the Raiders'. That forced the Rolling Stones into immediate action, recording 'Come On' on 10 May of 1963, to which the Raiders responded with a now obscure live album titled 'Paul Revere and the Raiders'. Elizabeth could bear no more of American arrogance and invaded New York City via the Beatles on 7 February 1964. The Stones followed on the California coast on 1 June 1964 and the war was on upon land and sea until the Beatles broke up in 1970. Everybody had pretty much agreed to just get along by then, American and English musicians even performing with one another, traitorously if ask diehard Elizabeth who wouldn't listen to her treasonous generals and kept sending her worst punk bands across the Atlantic, extending the Invasion well into the seventies.

'Paul Revere & The Raiders' Album by Paul Revere & the Raiders

1963 Sande Records S-1001 Curator presenting the 1969 reissue above

Sax / vocals: Mark Lindsay Keyboards: Paul Revere

Guitar: Drake Levin Bass: Mike Holladay Drums: Mike Smith

"So what?" Dick thought dismissively upon watching the Beatles on the 'Ed Sullivan Show' in February of 1964, the Rolling Stones later that October, for he and his Raiders were to become a hugely successful band, beginning with 'Just Like Me' in latter 1965. 'Kicks', 'Hungry' and 'Good Thing' each slipped to Billboard's Top Ten in 1966. 'Him or Me What's It Gonna Be?' rose to #5 in April of 1967, after which they themselves appeared on 'Ed Sullivan' on 30 April. The Raiders rolled out a couple magic carpets in 1971 with 'Indian Reservation' and 'Birds of a Feather'. 'Indian Reservation' was the Raiders' best-selling title overall. But Dick's horse got tired after that and they began their demise. A couple reunion albums were released in 1983, 'The Great Raider Reunion' and 'Paul Revere Rides Again', but things weren't what they used to be as they continued despite their wane. A couple of obscure volumes were issued in 1985 and 1996 titled 'Generic Rock & Roll'. Two volumes of 'Ride to the Wall' were issued in the new millennium, but did little to resurrect the Raiders' name. Among the earliest veterans of the war against the British and this is how they were treated, like an old newspaper blowing down an empty street in a dusty wind.

'Just Like Me' Paul Revere & the Raiders

1965 Columbia 4-43461 (unknown video synced)

Vocals: Mark Lindsay Keyboards: Paul Revere

Guitar: Drake Levin Bass: Philip Volk Drums: Mike Smith

Composition: Rick Dey / Rich Brown

'Kicks' Paul Revere & the Raiders

1966 Columbia 4-43556 (unknown video synced)

Vocals: Mark Lindsay Keyboards: Paul Revere

Guitar: Jim Valley Bass: Philip Volk Drums: Mike Smith

Composition: Barry Mann / Cynthia Weil

'Hungry' Paul Revere & the Raiders

1966 Columbia 4-43678 (unknown video synced)

Vocals: Mark Lindsay Keyboards: Paul Revere

Guitar: Jim Valley Bass: Philip Volk Drums: Mike Smith

Composition: Barry Mann / Cynthia Weil

'Good Thing' Paul Revere & the Raiders

1966 Columbia 4-43907 (unknown 1967 video synced)

Vocals: Mark Lindsay Keyboards: Paul Revere

Guitar: Jim Valley Bass: Philip Volk Drums: Mike Smith

Composition: Terry Melcher (producer) / Lindsay

'Him or Me' Paul Revere & the Raiders Television

30 April 1967 'Ed Sullivan Show' Probably synced w 1966 issue (Columbia 4-44094)

Vocals: Mark Lindsay Keyboards: Paul Revere

Guitar: Jim Valley Bass: Philip Volk Drums: Mike Smith

Composition: Terry Melcher (producer) / Lindsay

'Let Me' Paul Revere & the Raiders Television (Europe)

3 July 1969 Venue unknown

Vocals: Mark Lindsay Keyboards: Paul Revere

Guitar: Freddy Weller Bass: Keith Allison Drums: Joe Correrro

Composition: Lindsay

'Silver Bird' Mark Lindsay

1970 From the album 'Silver Bird' on Columbia C 30111

Composition: Kenny Young / Artie Butler

'Indian Reservation' Paul Revere & the Raiders

1971 Album: Columbia C 30768 Single: Columbia 4-45332

Vocals: Mark Lindsay Keyboards: Paul Revere

Guitar: Freddy Weller Bass: Keith Allison Drums: Joe Correrro

Composition: John D. Loudermilk

'Birds of a Feather' Paul Revere & the Raiders Television

1971 Venue unknown Synced

On album: Columbia C 30768 Single: Columbia 13-33200

Vocals: Mark Lindsay Keyboards: Paul Revere

Guitar: Freddy Weller Bass: Keith Allison Drums: Joe Correrro

Composition: Joe South

'Mamacita' Mark Lindsay

1975 Columbia 3-10081

Composition: Barry Mann / Cynthia Weil

'Sing Your Own Song' Mark Lindsay

1976 Greedy Records G-106

Composition: Mark Lindsay / Perry Botkin Jr.

'Steppin' Out' Paul Revere & the Raiders Television

1985 at Harrah's in Reno NV See the album 'Generic Rock & Roll'

Vocals: Carl Driggs Keyboards: Paul Revere / Danny Krause

Guitar: Doug Heath Bass: Ron Foos Drums: Omar Martinez

Composition: Paul Revere / Mark Lindsay

Concert Paul Revere & the Raiders Television

1989 at Nashville Center Stage 'Classic Rock with Wolfman Jack' by TNN

Vocals: Carl Driggs Keyboards: Paul Revere / Danny Krause

Guitar: Doug Heath Bass: Ron Foos Drums: Omar Martinez

'Arizona' Mark Lindsay Television

1994 Live in St. Charles IL

Composition: Kenny Young

'Kicks' Paul Revere & the Raiders

1996 From the album 'Generic Rock 2' aka 'Live NOT'

Vocals: Carl Driggs Keyboards: Paul Revere / Danny Krause

Guitar: Doug Heath / Jamie Revere (son) Bass: Ron Foos Drums: Omar Martinez

Composition: Barry Mann / Cynthia Weil

'Ride to the Wall' Album by Paul Revere & the Raiders

2001 Rhino Records RWF 1005

Vocals: Carl Driggs Keyboards: Paul Revere / Danny Krause

Piano: Paul Campanaro on 'Rolling Thunder' (track 2)

Guitar: Doug Heath / Jamie Revere (son) Bass: Ron Foos Drums: Omar Martinez

Epcot Flower Power Festival Paul Revere & the Raiders Concert

6 April 2014 at America Gardens Theatre in Lake Buena Vista FL

Vocals: Darren Dowler Keyboards: Paul Revere / Danny Krause

Guitar: Doug Heath / Jamie Revere (son) Bass: Ron Foos Drums: Tommy Scheckel

As for Raiders personnel, Leon Russell had early contributed piano while on tour back in 1960. Members of the band during their heydays were Drake Levin at guitar, Phil Volk on bass and Mike Smith at drums. Levin saw replacement in 1966 by Jim Valley. Upon the group's demise in the early seventies Lindsay left in 1975 for a solo career. Dick remained with the Raiders until his death of cancer on October 4, 2014 [obit]. Dick was the last original member of the group, having given his final performance in 2014 at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, Illinois. Eight years later the Raiders gave their last performance at the same venue on 3 April 2022. That featured three long-standing Raiders who had been with the band since the seventies: Doug Heath (guitar), Ron Foos (bass) and Danny Krause (keyboards). Tommy Scheckel provided drums to Darren Dowler's vocals. Jamie Revere, son of Paul, contributed guitar.