Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

modrock wrote:... And Johnny Rivers, well he was more of lounge lizard doing covers on his ES-335 than a serious musician ...only my personal opinion of course...

Gary F ( modrock )

Don't be so quick to sell Johnny Rivers short. He made some good dance records and played a mean guitar (he also helped finance the Monterey Pop Festival with John Phillips in 1967). There's an interesting side story to "Secret Agent Man". American TV picked up Patrick McGoohan's series "Danger Man" and used the name "Secret Agent" for the American market, which was how Johnny's record came about. Patrick liked the song, but was especially taken with the line, "They've given you a number/and taken away your name". This served as a springboard for Patrick's ideas for probably the greatest TV series of the 1960's; The Prisoner.

Yes, sorry, I could've used a better description of Johnny Rivers. He originally released records from his live act at the 'Whiskey A Go Go' on Sunset that I found a bit contrived, but he developed into a fine song writer and musicain in his own right.
I'm not one of his biggest fans, but I could've chosen less harsh words to describe him and his work as an artist.

Thanks to all who took part Four Tops won easily over 95% of the vote