Dr. Wests Medicine Show and Junk Band


Band members               Related acts

- Jack Carrington - vocals, guitar, percussion (1966-67)
- Evan Engber - drums, percussion (1966-67)
- Norman Greenbaum - vocals, guitar (1966-67)
- Bonnie Wallach - vocals, guitar (1966-67)

 

 

- Norman Greenbaum (solo efforts) 

 

 

 


 

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  The Eggplant That Ate Chicago

Company: Go Go

Catalog: 22 17 002

Year: 1967

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: minor corner wear

Available: 1

Price: $35.00

 

Having played Boston's folk circuit for several years while attending Boston University, 1966 found singer/guitarist Norman Greenbaum deciding to form his own jug band. Recruiting guitarists Jack Carrington and Bonnie Wallach as well as drummer Evan Engber, the quartet quickly attracted local attention as 'Dr. West's Medicine Show and Junk Band'. Playing material similar to early Lovin' Spoonful, their stage show incorporated multi-media, including makeup, between song medicine show spiels and psychedlic light shows. 

Signed by the small Go Go label (cool company logo),1967's "The Eggplant That Ate Chicago" teamed the band with producer Tony Marner. With Greenbaum penning the virtually all their material, the album featured an oddball hybrid of jug music (the title track), mixed with outright wierdness (check out the title track and the autobiographical "Weird") and proto-psychedlic lyrics ("How Lew Sin Aint" - aka "hallucenate"). To be honest, the album's way different and simply hard to aptly describe. All acoustic (with a penchant for kazoos), be forewarned that it's not a classic rock album. Released as a single the title track b/w "You Can't Fight City Hall Blues" (Go Go catalog number 00100) hit the top-100. The success did little to keep the band's momentum going and by the end of the year they'd called it quits with Greenbaum subsequently reemerging as a solo act (see separate entry). It's equally interesting in that, even though it's rare (we've seen three copies in our collecting days), it has yet to attain much recognition in collector's circles. As such, it's still a reasonable buy. (By the way, the track listing shown on the liner notes doesn't match the actual playing order.)

"The Eggplant That Ate Chicago" track listing:
1.) Patent Medicine (Norman Greenbaum) - 
2.) Summer Love Song (Norman Greenbaum) - 
3.) How Lew Sin Ate (Norman Greenbaum - Bonnie Wallach) -
4.) Dominating Baby (Norman Greenbaum) - 
5.) Look At Her Now (Norman Greenbaum) - 
6.) The Eggplant That Ate Chicago (Norman Greenbaum) - 
7.) Modern Day Fish (Norman Greenbaum) - 
8.) Nora (Norman Greenbaum) - 
9.) The Old Frut Peddler (Norman Greenbaum) - 
10.) Weird (Norman Greenbaum) - 

Rating: **** ( 4 stars)

Title:  Euphoria! The Best of Dr. West's Medicine Show & Junk Band

Company: Sundazed

Catalog: 11070

Year: 1998

Grade (cover/record): --

Comments: --

Available: --

Price: --

 

Gawd only knows why, but in 1998 the Sundazed label released "Euphoria! The Best of Dr. West's Medicine Show & Junk Band". A comprehensive 25 track compilation, the set included all of the band's 1967 album plus various singles and eight previously unreleased tracks. To be honest, the materials surprisingly impressive, Greenbaum and company showing an ability to cover a broad spectrum of styles, including psychedelia ("Jigsaw") Dylan-styled ballads ("Lady Rain") and conventional rock (""). 

"Euphoria! The Best of Dr. West's Medicine Show & Junk Band" track listing
1. Eggplant That Ate Chicago (Norman Greenbaum) - 
2. You Can't Fight City Hall Blues (Norman Greenbaum) - 
3. Weird (Norman Greenbaum) - 
4. Patent Medicine (Norman Greenbaum) - 
5. Summer Love Song (Norman Greenbaum) - 
6. How Lew Sin Ate (Norman Greenbaum - Bonnie Wallach) - 
7. Nora (Norman Greenbaum) - 
8. Look at Her Now (Norman Greenbaum) - 
9. Modern Day Fish (Norman Greenbaum) - 
10. Old Fruit Peddler (Norman Greenbaum) - 
11. Dominating Baby (Norman Greenbaum) - 
12. Eleanor Rigby (instrumental) (John Lennon - Paul McCartney) - 
13. Bullets la Verne (Norman Greenbaum - Kane) - 
15. Jigsaw (Norman Greenbaum) - 
16. Girl with the Oom Pah Pah Pah (Norman Greenbaum) - 
17. Grandma's Blues (Norman Greenbaum) - 
18. Gondoliers Shakespeares, Overseers, Playboys and Bums (Norman Greenbaum) - 
19. Daddy I Know (Norman Greenbaum) - 
20. You Can Fly (Kane) - 
21. Circus Left Town Today (Norman Greenbaum) - 
22. Nothing Changes (Norman Greenbaum) - 
23. Lady Rain (Norman Greenbaum) - 
24. Little White Pills (Norman Greenbaum) - 
25. Euphoria (Norman Greenbaum) - 

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