GOOD THING - Tribute to Drake Levin - Paul Revere & the Raiders

• Report rights infringement
• published: 16 Oct 2009
• views: 79475

PLEASE READ THIS. Drake "The Kid" Levin was THE legendary Raiders guitarist during their glory years, joining the band when he was just 16 years old. Drake passed on July 4, 2009 after a long battle with cancer. For this tribute, I chose a song that is less obvious than the usual Drake-featured songs, but still shows his chops and sense of style. Midnight Ride is my favorite Raiders LP, but I chose "Good Thing" from Spirit of 67 for a couple of reasons. First, most people do not know that Drake played a lot of the guitar parts on Spirit of 67. His name and picture don't appear on the album cover with the band. (Rotten shame, too.) Second reason is Drake's funky lead guitar part on Good Thing, which is a great component of the song but rested more in the shadows in the earlier mixes. Good Thing was always viewed more as a vocal showcase with great harmonies and a phenomenal lead vocal by Mark Lindsay. Half sung, half preached, Lindsay's lead vocal track provided but half of the thick funky groove. The other part is Drake's lead guitar part, threading its way through the song until climaxing in a frenzied solo that sort of melts into a descending chord progression during the outro. Drake must have had fun with it since he plays every verse a little differently. I try to play it like the album version. What I find odd is that no one ever does the opening guitar parts like the record, not even the Raiders themselves. Dunno why that is, but it sounds totally different when the guitars stairstep down, mirroring the bass line note for note. Listen to a couple of live versions and you'll hear what I mean. This tribute isnt about my guitar skills, or lack thereof. It's meant to honor a cool guy who had to graciously step out of the limelight to go visit his "Uncle Sam" just as his band was establishing itself as the hottest American group around. Can you imagine? Compound that kind of disappointment with a stroke and recurring cancer in his later years. But I heard Drake took it all in stride and remained upbeat. To me, that kind of human spirit is as much Drake's legacy as the music he left us. I never got to meet him but I sent him a letter a few months before he passed and promised to honor him with a tribute video. So here it is, Drake. Mark Lindsay said that he felt Drake never got the recognition he was due. (I agree.) Lindsay advised people to go back and listen and you'd hear that unique combination of talent and intellect that always knew what and what not to play. At Drake's memorial service, Paul Revere said when they would go into the recording studio, Drake always seemed to know how to do just the right lick, and the right guitar solo, and the right chord. He always came through. My humble little video is meant to pay homage to Drake Levin's musical contribution, his legacy, and his courage. To diehard fans, he was and always will be the "Kid".and boy, could that Kid play guitar!