The first single by the Pleasure Seekers came out in 1964 on Hideout Records – which was associated with a popular Detroit nightclub called the Hideout – and is truly remarkable. At that time, Suzi Quatro was only 15, and Patti Quatro was 17. I first heard the excellent “A” side, “Never Thought You’d Leave Me” – one of my all-time favorite 1960’s songs by anyone – on Highs in the Mid-Sixties, Volume 6, and it has been anthologized several more times. At an earlier time or in another context, the Pleasure Seekers might have been a “girl group”, with strong harmony vocals. But they are a band, not a vocal group, and this gives the song a completely different sound.
I didn’t hear the “B” side, “What a Way to Die” of the first Pleasure Seekers single until I picked up a retrospective of the Hideout Records label, called Friday at the Hideout. The theme of this song is incredible: The singer seems intent on drinking herself to death with beer (however unlikely that would be in practice).
Several fine rock bands are featured on the Friday at the Hideout CD; one of them, Doug Brown and the Omens released a promotional flexidisc in support of the candidacy of Republican Senator Robert P. Griffin during his first Senate campaign in 1966. The song, “Give Bob the Ball” – which championed his “youth and experience” – is included on this CD under the name “Youth and Experience”.
(October 2013)
