Mogan David And His Winos –Savage Young Winos

Please welcome scribe and curator extraordinaire Collin to Purepop with his review of this artifact that I hadn’t taken out of its sleeve for at least 25 years…God it's FUN. Hopefully Collin will be submitting more reviews, which will be great as I only have so many words in my vocabulary…

Mogan David And His Winos –Savage Young Winos –Kosher Records KOSR-001 (1973 US)

"Proto-punk and general good taste fans should definitely try and track this one down”

It's Harold Bronson, the guy who founded Rhino Records, leading a gang of school-pals (all with great names like 'Cute Dan' and 'Speed Freak Paul') through a side and one more of excellente giz-rock of the oily 1970's vintage. Saturday Night Pogo owners should instantly recognize the Winos brand as their Beauty Queen (reecoded circa '73) is probably - no, definitely - the best track on said sad slab o' wax. Lethal levels of ineptitude are reached and somehow hitched to unbelievable lines of melodicism!!! Street Baby is The Real Kids seven years early, Party Games is more psychedelic than the Leopards picking a fight with Poobah and Nose Job has lyrics stolen from MAD Magazine - recorded on George Carlin's portable tape machine no less! Side two is live and kinda blows (plus it's all covers - though there is a surprise bluezz bonus track!).

The packaging is Live-At-Leeds-lavish beyond all reason - especially given its limited nature - with the sordid history of the band all typed out on the back-side of the gatefold (three members quit to devote more time to working on their hot rods only to miss out on Nose Job becoming the semester hit of the UCLA campus bookstore). Funny inserts, comics, contests, failed music theory papers and clippings are all an extra-tall glass of glee and refreshingly round out this bubbly belly-washer of an LP. Can still find dis 'un for not too much money (got mine for a ten spot) and it's all over (the U.S.) given that it was sold mainly through the pages of Phonograph Record and other period TB sheets.

Has Chris Stigliano done a Winos tribute issue of Black To Comm yet - if not, somebody should tell him! Sure to be a hit amongst Low Numbers fans, especially since most of 'em were Winos before graduating to chic, L.A. modernity.

To sum up:The name of the band is Mogan David & His Winos, The name of the record is Savage Young Winos, available on Kosher Records


Click below for edits of Beauty Queen, Street Baby and the bonus track (comes after The Berkowitz Blues)