Don't Look Back: The Remains

The Remains were Boston's first great rock n' roll band.  In the mid 60s when the British Invasion bands like The Beatles, Stones, Animals and Kinks were releasing hit after R&B-inspired hit, The Remains were Boston's answer.  The singles were tough and gritty, less like the sugary Motown-inspired early Beatles hits and more like Eric Burdon's Animals - as far as I'm concerned "Don't Look Back" is a classic that should have propelled the band to stardom.

While The Remains had a hit with "Diddy Wah Diddy" and even garnered national attention with a performance on the Ed Sullivan show and opening slot for The Beatles on their final tour.  However, by the time The Beatles, Kinks and Stones started to mature, polish their sound and experiment with psychedelia, The Remains had called it quits. 

Now the band that has been described as "America's Lost Band" will be honored as Hall Of Fame inductees at the Boston Music Awards on December 5.  They will also perform at the event (tickets available here).  A well deserved and overdue honor for a band that never saw the success they deserved.  In the words of Jon Landau, "they were how you told a stranger about rock'n'roll."

The Remains - Don't Look Back by visible voice 

Bruce Springsteen - Diddy Wah Diddy live at Fenway Park