Posted on 11/30/2013 10:18:23 AM PST by a fool in paradise
Lead singer and drummer for the ’60s garage rockers the Standells, has passed away. He was 68 years old.
Dodd, who came to fame via the Standells’ big hit, ‘Dirty Water’ in 1966, had been battling stage four cancer. His illness was only recently announced via his Facebook page, and a Go Fund Me page was set up. A posting recently stated, “The doctors have found two places in Dick’s brain. Right now, they aren’t going to worry about it. The tumor in his esophagus will be treated with chemo directly into the tumor. He won’t be able to eat, so he will have a feeding tube. His spirits, however, remain upbeat.”
Though they only had one Top 40 hit, the Standells have long been considered gararge rock royalty among fans with countless classics like ‘Why Pick On Me?,’ ‘Try It,’ ‘Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White’ and the theme song from the movie ‘Riot On Sunset Strip,’ in which the band appeared. Despite the ‘Boston, you’re my home’ lyrics in ‘Dirty Water,’ Dodd was California born-and-bred. He was an original member of surf rockers the Bel-Airs, and as a child, was a Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeer.
‘Dirty Water,’ which hit No. 11 on the Billboard charts in the summer of 1966 has had a long life outside of the band, and been covered by countless acts. It has become the official victory song of the Boston Red Sox due to its references to the city, and the band has actually performed at several Red Sox games.
The Sandals...
They were an L.A. band, the song was written by Ed Cobb (who produced the band and also was behind The Chocolate Watchband).
any relation to The Mickey Mouse Club’s Jimmie Dodd? I’m guessing his son ??
Dick Dodd was a mouseketeer.
http://www.originalmmc.com/dickie.html
Dick was a first season replacement Mouseketeer, hired for his dancing and musical talents. He was one of the few true amateurs that first year, but stayed with the show for only six months. He later became a member of the surf band, the Bel Airs, then joined the Standells, a sixties garage band whose best-known hit was Dirty Water, as lead singer and drummer...
...Dick kept up with his drumming, playing with local garage band The Casuals as a teenager. He joined up with Paul Johnson and Eddie Bertrand in a South Bay band The Belairs, which had already recorded and released the first surf song Mr. Moto in 1961. The band played at their own club in Redondo Beach, but broke up around 1963. Dick also had an occasional acting gig; during 1962 he appeared in Bye Bye Birdie with Ann Margaret.
Dick then hooked up with a house band from PJ’s club on Sunset Strip in early 1964. The band, called the Standells, had just lost it’s drummer, and needed a new one, fast, to record their first album. Dick joined Larry Tamblyn, Tony Valentino, and Gary Lane in recording the album. Dick also sang lead on the song Help Yourself, as it turned out, the album’s only hit. From then on, Dick replaced Larry Tamblyn as lead singer.
The Standells performed on quite a few television shows in the mid-sixties, including Shindig, Ben Casey, The Munsters, and The Bing Crosby Show among others. For The Mike Douglas Show the host asked Dick Dodd to sing a few bars of the Mickey Mouse Club Alma Mater, which Dick gamely did....
Good song, I was in the 8th grade when it was getting air time.
Why, Bing was certainly a hip cat, unlike that... well, we won’t name ‘im!
Much simpler times...weren’t they? :)
He wasn’t no BC Rich or Bohnam. Much less the guy from Def Leopard with 1 arm. Mediocre at best.
RIP.
Yeah, I’m a dick.
Which of those guys sang lead vocal while drumming?
BC Rich ? Bohnam ?
BC Rich is a guitar grand . You mean Buddy Rich . And it’s Bonham .
brand
“Dirty Water”..what a great song. RIP, Mr. Dodd.
RIP.
“Dirty Water” is on the iPod...hubs is from RI.
He was right about one thing - he is a dick .
Of course you are correct. Posting after too many Holiday Scotch is not good.
Happy Holidays! :)
Not sure either did, but Ringo did, and I would never classify him as a great drummer.
Just my opinion, which is really not worth much.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.