The Bag – Red Purple & Blue

The Bag were a late sixties blue-eyed soul band from the New York area that made one full length LP for Decca that incorporates enough touches of psych to get mildly sweated by people who collect that stuff. Needless to say the LP sank without a trace upon release. This song is the B-side of the “I Want You By My Side” single from the album and for me it incorporates everything that is great about late sixties soul influenced rock. The band was formerly known as the Esquires, and like many other bands of the time, cut their teeth backing soul and R&B artists that came to town. Some of these artists included Chuck Berry, Martha & The Vandellas and Mary Wells. They later moveed from Westchester County to NYC and served as a studio demo band for songwriters such as Ernie Maresca and Laurie Records. This 45 is an Australian sample press on Festival and I haven’t seen another copy down here in New Zealand, two great songs by a band that probably deserved a better fate. There is also more info and what looks to be an album download at http://danmahony.com/bag.htm

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