The Mojo Men
The Mojo Men in 1967
Background information
Also known asSly and the Mojo Men, The Mojo, Mojo
OriginSan Francisco, California, United States
Genres
Years active1965–1969
LabelsAutumn, Warner Bros/Reprise, GRT Records
Past membersJim Alaimo
Paul Curcio
Don Metchick
Bob Carhart
Dennis DeCarr (Dennis Potokar)
Jan Errico
Sly Stone

The Mojo Men was an American rock band based in San Francisco. Formed in 1965, the group underwent several name and personnel changes until their 1969 breakup. Their highest-charting Billboard Hot 100 single was a cover of Buffalo Springfield's "Sit Down, I Think I Love You", which peaked at number 36 in 1967.

History

Singer/bassist Jim Alaimo (né James Charles Alamio; 1938–1992), guitarist Paul Curcio, drummer Dennis DeCarr (Potokar), and keyboardist Don Metchick were bandmates in Florida who moved to San Francisco in 1964 to form a new band.[1] There they met Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone, then a record producer at Autumn Records for acts such as The Beau Brummels and The Vejtables. Stewart and the band recorded a few songs under the name Sly and the Mojo Men but Stewart, unsatisfied with the results, chose not to release them.[2][3] He continued working with the band as a songwriter and producer on "Dance with Me" (1965), the Mojo Men's first song to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and "She's My Baby" (1966).[4]

DeCarr (Potokar) left the group in 1966 and was replaced by drummer/vocalist Jan Errico, formerly of the Vejtables.[5] The Mojo Men then moved from Autumn to Reprise Records, where the band's earlier British Invasion-influenced garage rock style evolved into pop/folk rock.[6] In 1967, the band released a Baroque cover version of Buffalo Springfield's "Sit Down, I Think I Love You". Written by Stephen Stills and arranged by Van Dyke Parks, the song became the Mojo Men's first and only top 40 single.[4][5] Metchick left the band in 1968, and the remaining trio shortened their name to The Mojo, and then just Mojo, before they released their lone studio album, Mojo Magic, on GRT Records.[7] The group disbanded in 1969.[4][5]

"Sit Down, I Think I Love You" was included on the seminal 1972 Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968 garage rock compilation album.[8] Sundazed Records released three Mojo Men compilation albums between 1995 and 2003, and in 2008 Big Beat Records released the compilation Not Too Old to Start Cryin': The Lost 1966 Masters. The band's single "She's My Baby" was sampled on Kanye West's "Hell of a Life", a song from his 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.[9]

Curcio founded the Music America Studios in Rochester, New York, and produced Kill 'Em All, Metallica's debut studio album (1983). He died on September 10, 2018, at age 74.[10]

Discography

Studio album

Year Album details
1968 Mojo Magic
  • Label: General Recorded Tape

Compilation albums

Year Album details
1995 Whys Ain't Supposed To Be
1995 Sit Down... It's The Mojo Men
  • Label: Sundazed
2003 There Goes My Mind
  • Label: Sundazed
2008 Not Too Old to Start Cryin': The Lost 1966 Masters

Singles

Year Song Peak chart positions
U.S. Billboard[11] U.S. Cashbox CAN
[12]
1965 "Off the Hook"
 — — —
"Dance with Me"
 61 98[13] 23
1966 "She's My Baby"
 — — —
1967 "Sit Down, I Think I Love You"
 36 39[14] 26
"Me About You"
 83 93[15] 70
1968 "What Ever Happened To Happy"
 — — —
"New York City"
 — — —
"Should I Cry"
 — — —
"Don't Be Cruel"
 — — —
1969 "I Can't Let Go"
 — — —
"Candle to Burn"
 — — —
"Everyday Love"
 — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

References

  1. ^ Joynson, Vernon (1997). Fuzz, Acid and Flowers: A Comprehensive Guide to American Garage, Psychedelic and Hippie Rock (1964–75) (4th ed.). Glasgow: Borderline Productions. p. 210. ISBN 978-1-899855-06-3.
  2. ^ Fong-Torres, Ben (1999). Not Fade Away: A Backstage Pass to 20 Years of Rock & Roll. San Francisco: Backbeat Books. p. 23. ISBN 978-0879305901.
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1989). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (4th ed.). New York: Billboard Books. p. 292. ISBN 978-0823075270.
  4. ^ a b c Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music (1st ed.). London: Virgin Books. p. 312. ISBN 978-0753501498.
  5. ^ a b c Unterberger, Richie. "The Mojo Men – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  6. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "'Sit Down...It's the Mojo Men' – Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  7. ^ Uncredited, Profile of The Mojo; Bad Cat Records. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  8. ^ O'Connor, Rob (July 9, 2009). "25 Garage Rock Heroes". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  9. ^ Harvilla, Rob (November 18, 2010). "Download All The Songs Sampled On Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy". The Village Voice. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  10. ^ Reyes-Kulkarni, Saby (September 27, 2018). "Paul Curcio, Producer of Metallica's 'Kill 'Em All' Debut, Dies at 74". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  11. ^ "The Mojo Men – 'Billboard' Singles". AllMusic. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  12. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Canada:
    • "Dance with Me": "Top Singles". RPM. 4 (16). December 13, 1965. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
    • "Sit Down, I Think I Love You": "Top Singles". RPM. 7 (6). April 8, 1967. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
    • "Me About You": "Top Singles". RPM. 7 (16). June 17, 1967. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
  13. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 11/06/65". Cashbox Magazine, Inc. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  14. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 04/08/67". Cashbox Magazine, Inc. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  15. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 06/10/67". Cashbox Magazine, Inc. Retrieved July 14, 2012.

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