The Rockin' Ramrods
| The Rockin’ Ramrods | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Genres | Garage rock, rock and roll, surf rock, protopunk |
| Years active | 1963-1971 |
| Labels | Explosive, Bon-Bon, Plymouth, Southern Sound, Claridge |
| Associated acts | Puff |
| Past members |
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The Rockin’ Ramrods were an American garage rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, who were active in the 1960s and early 1970s. Along with The Barbarians, the Remains and the Lost, they were one of the most popular acts in the Boston area. While they did not achieve national success, their work is today well-regarded by garage rock collectors and enthusiasts. They are perhaps best remembered for the 1964 protopunk anthem "She Lied." Though best known as the Rockin’ Ramrods, they recorded under other names. They recorded one single as the GTO’s. In 1968, Ronn Campisi left to form Puff who recorded one album, but the Rockin' Ramords subsequently reformed as the Ramrods, but with a different lineup, and released an album in 1971.
The group was founded in 1962 as the Ramrods Four by Boston residents Bill Linnane and Vin Campisi. They began as a surf rock unit who played primarily instrumentals, eventually modifying their name to the Rockin' Ramrods. Their original lineup consisted of Bill Linnane guitar and keyboards, Vin Campisi on guitar, Bob Blake on bass, and Butch Holmes on drums, but in 1963 Vin Campisi's brother Ronn replaced Blake on bass and Bob Henderson became the group's drummer. Both Ronn Campisi and Henderson would become important fixtures in the group over the next several years. The Rockin' Ramrods released their first single "Jungle Call" b/w "Indian Giver" on Explosive Records in late 1963.
In 1964 as instrumental groups lost favor after the onset of the Beatles and the British Invasion, the Rockin' Ramrods switched to the practice of using vocals in most of their songs. Guitarist Ronn Campisi began to handle most of the band's lead vocals, although other group members, such drummer Bob Henderson would also sing leads and backups. In April of that year, the band cut a single featuring the grinding protopunk of "She Lied," written by Bill Linane and Ronn Campisi, for Bon-Bon Records, backed with "The Girl Can’t Help It." Guitarist and keyboardist Linnane was largely responsible for the group's hard-driving early sound, but in 1965 with his departure, the band began to evolve in different stylistic directions. He was replaced by Scott Curtis on keyboards.
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