The Remains formed in 1964 at Boston University, where all four members were first-year students living in the same dorm in Kenmore Square. Comprising singer/guitarist Barry Tashian, keyboardist Bill Briggs, drummer Chip Damiani and bassist Vern Miller, they began playing r&b and rock'n'roll covers, as well as some Tashian originals, at a tavern across the square from their dorm, and soon fans were lining up from Kenmore Square to Fenway Park to see them. The band became a popular live act throughout New England, and after signing with Epic Records they enjoyed local hits with a catchy Tashian original, 'Why Do I Cry', and their hard-driving version of the Bo Diddley/Willie Dixon classic 'Diddy Wah Diddy'. In 1965 they relocated to New York City, and then after about a year they moved on to California, where they recorded a self-titled album, and released the soulful, hard-rocking single 'Don't Look Back. In 1966 came the opportunity which might have broken the band nationally, but proved instead to be their last hurrah, when they were offered a three-week stint as an opening act for the Beatles, on what would turn out to be the Fab Four's final tour. Immediately before the tour, Damiani quit the band, to be replaced by future Mountain drummer N.D. Smart, which meant that the band had to play a major tour with a new drummer who didn't have the same feel that they were used to, and so when the tour was over the band broke up in late 1966, and Epic finally released their debut album to little fanfare. Years later, however, it is now recognised as a classic of its genre, packed with great songs from Tashian, and boasting exciting, fiery performances. Luckily they recorded enough material during the album's sessions to release some non-album singles during 1965 and 1966, and if we take those songs and add in some of those other session recordings there are actually enough tracks available to make up a creditable second album, which could have been released as a posthumous tribute to them, after they'd broken up in 1966.
Track listing
01 Me Right Now
02 I Can't Get Away From You
03 Ain't That Her
04 Like A Rolling Stone
05 When I Want To Know
06 But I Ain't Got You
07 Mercy, Mercy
08 Baby I Believe In You
09 I'm A Man
10 My Babe
11 I'm Talking About You
12 Gonna Move
13 All Good Things
