Them

Most rock fans correctly acknowledge Them as the vehicle that launched the career of singer/songwriter Van Morrison. A UK-based rhythm and blues outfit, the band delivered a handful of legendary mid-‘60s garage-rock classics, including “Baby Please Don’t Go,” “Gloria” and “Here Comes the Night.” Less known, perhaps, is the group’s lengthy if not terribly successful post-Morrison career. After two rather non-descript attempts at psychedelia, the band returned to its roots, recording Them in 1970 for the small Happy Tiger label. The end results are impressive. “I Keep Singing,” “You Got Me Good” and “Jo Ann” typify the group’s frantic, fuzzed-out musical assault, while “Take a Little Time” and “Nobody Cares” lean towards country-rock. The record’s second half features a trio of effective covers: Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour,” “I Am Waiting” by the Rolling Stones and the Beau Brummel’s “Just a Little” (oh, and I’m not sure you can cover yourself, but “Lonely Weekends” sounds eerily like “Gloria”). Despite a valiant effort, Them failed to catapult the group back into the limelight. The band recorded one final album—1971’s In Reality—before calling it a day for good.