Undoubtedly the most exciting mid sixties garage album to be recently discovered in the genre, is that by The Horde from North Carolina. The existence of this self produced album came to collectors' ears and eyes only about a year ago. It was recorded more or less accidently in early 1967, released in a micro quantity of only 25 copies and among the local US garage albums of the decade it is one of the few eclectic examples with all the ingredients that makes it outstanding compared with the usual prep-school albums of the time. It contains a blend of exciting originals and well chosen, inspired covers, played in a raw, crude and frantic style. If ever it were true that the over-used assertion that a band's cover versions measured up to the originals, then it is true of The Horde. Why?
These five 19-20 year old students from all over the United States did not only blaze a trail for 60s rock in then conservative North Carolina, they also had a general attitude that finds its origins in the young people's mindset of the mid-sixties that put them outside of the local mainstream and gained them a sort of regional underground popularity.
Break-A-Way has now reissued this original sought after LP with four bonus tracks taken from an unreleased 1967 EP along with a detailed twelve-page booklet which gives the complete history of the band and loads of rare pictures. "Press Buttons Firmly" to find out why the Horde LP is not only rare, but also deserves to be called, "one of the sharpest local garage punk albums of the Sixties".
CD Liner Notes
Tracks
1. Troubles (Elizabeth Locke) - 2:15
2. Cuttin' Out Time (Elizabeth Locke) - 2:27
3. Press Buttons Firmly (Doug Haggar, Bob Simons, Jake Devonshire) - 1:46
4. My Flash On You (Arthur Lee) - 3:10
5. Steve's Song (Steve Katz) - 4:12
6. I Can't Keep From Crying (Blind Willie Johnson) - 3:42
7. Tell Me (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) - 3:59
8. 7 And 7 IS (Arthur Lee) - 1:58
9. Smokestack Lightnin' (Chester Burnette) - 5:11
10.Gloria (Van Morrison) - 3:50
11.No Need To Wonder Why (Bob Simons, Steve Denenberg) - 2:59
12.Press Buttons Firmly (Doug Haggar, Bob Simons, Steve Denenberg) - 2:14
13.Frog Street (Doug Haggar, Bob Simons, Steve Denenberg) - 2:11
14.VD's Thing (Richard Van Dusen, Jake Devonshire, Mike McMillen, Doug Haggar, Bob Simons, Steve Denenberg) - 3:11
Tracks 1-10 produced by the band at JCP Studio in Raleigh, N.C. 01/1967
Bonus Tracks 11-14 produced by Bill Cash at Copeland Sound, Greensboro, N.C. 05/1967
The Horde
*Doug Haggar - Organ, Vocals
*Steve Denenberg – Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Bob Simons - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Mike McMillen - Bass
*Jake Devonshire - Drums, Vocals
*Richard Van Dusen - Bass
