The Cherry People

The story of this band covers the transition from Washington DC sensations the English Setters (bubble gum pop) to the harder rocking Cherry People. This CD captures the band from 1969 to 1976 when the band split.
The band initially built a strong fan base in the Washington area before touring nationally with Ted Nugent and Edgar Winter and the band worked tirelessly sometimes performing seven nights a week. Although they had a recording deal with MGM distributed heritage Records, success eluded them.

Comprised of Doug Grimes on lead vocals and Chris Grimes on vocals and guitar, the rest of the Cherry gang consisted Rick Benick (vocals and lead guitar), Andre Sokol (bass) and Barry Brandt (vocals and drums). A rather hot-looking bunch they were too, judging from the sleeve.

Quite why success eluded them is somewhat beyond me, for this CD holds many a great tune, ranging from the more harmony-dominated melodious to hard n edgy rock sounds.
Title track ‘Whoopin’ & aWhoppin’ (try repeating it real fast while intoxicated) is a heavy guitar-driven piece of work, with echoes of Hendrix and Winter ringing through. In contrast, ‘Do You Need Me?’ has a stonkin’ bluesy undercurrent and fades with a roaring high-octave ending.

‘Superman’ is easily one of the best tracks on the album and why this never became a hit, well, it’s a crime! Catchy from the first few riffs with an even catchier melody and a great backing chorus filled with smouldering soul, it hasn’t stopped playing on my stereo since I first put it on!
The decidedly harder ‘You Say To Me’ keeps on noodling away on it’s various guitars and bass, with extended solos of the former (but firmly held together by the latter) and keeps changing the speed from fierce to dreamy-rock.

On almost every album, there’s always the odd one out and it’s no different here: ‘Misty Mountains’ kicks off with an extended instrumental foreplay, but fails to reach its climax – instead drifting from almost pompous to slightly new-age rock / chorus to, well, quite a multi-layered arrangement. Just like too many cooks spoil the broth, this one is simply too all over the place in structure to ever hit the right nerve.
Abandoning the misty mountains, it’s on to Georgia with ‘Georgia Girl’ and what an inspiring girl she must have been! Once again a fantastic tune and great backing chorus interspersed with impressive riff work make this one another winner.

The Cherry People had a truly great vocalist in Doug Grimes and that’s evident on all tracks, but on none so as on ‘Livin’ Ain’t Easy’ – powerful, penetrating voice and a song that almost touches on soulful Motown with sizzling and contrasting guitar riffs.

We’re back in hardcore guitar heaven with ‘Iowa’ and closing track ‘It’s You’ is the one song I have heard before on the radio. All songs are released on CD for the first time. Get it, and CRANK IT UP!!