"The feeling
remains... 
Even after 
the glitter fades"

Stevie Nicks

 

 

The Groupies

 Click to enlarge

Clockwise from front:
Cooker (Norman Desrosiers)_- Vocals, harmonica
Pete Hendleman - Lead guitar
Bobby Cortez - Drums
Gordon (Gordie) McLaren - Bass
Ronnie Peters - Guitar
Steve Venet (not pictured) - producer

      The Groupies were from New York City--bad boys with a hard musical edge-- bluesier than the Rolling Stones, who could have been considered pretty, standing next to the Groupies.  They were scruffy and arrogant and had been spoiled rotten by Ahmet Ertegan, president then, of Atlantic Records.

At one time, the Groupies were the number two band in New York--the Rascals being number one. This is unusual because the Groupies did not have a hit record. Their reputation was built solely on their live performances.  Everybody, including Ahmet, figured they had a big career ahead, but the Groupies kept screwing up. One of the worst screw-ups, was when they were scheduled for a concert appearance in Philadelphia.  The Groupies cashed in the plane tickets and flew to Los Angeles instead. That may have been the straw that broke Ahmet's backing. The Groupies, however, were only sixteen and seventeen years old, and had no handle on responsibility.

The following magazine articles 
confirm their stature:

                     Magazine Articles         
     

          
             Cooker             Kenny Polichek filled in                                                                 

Jammin' with 
Chris Etheridge
and Chuck Blackwell

Recently someone discovered several songs that were 
recorded on the beach in 1968, on the internet. 
You can download and have a listen at:  
http://www.dslextreme.com/~nhopper/Groupies.html

              Cooker eventually took off in a solo career. His album, Bout Time, sold fairly well.  He also had two hit singles which climbed up the charts on the east and west coasts, but he never became known in the central regions.  "Try, Try, to Fall in Love" was a single that has been recorded by many other artists such as Rick Nelson and the Dillards. I know there was a time when "Try, Try..." seemed to be the theme song of L.A. They were playing it constantly and every DJ was scrambling for an interview with Cooker--including Wolfman Jack.    
 

   Photo shoot            Playlist           Groupies' limo

Kim Fowley introducing the Groupies at Fantasy Fair:
http://www.dslextreme.com/~nhopper/Groupies.html

Bumper Sticker

                                    
Harvest Time
                         
Significant Comment

Interview With Cooker