In Memory of Drake Levin of Paul Revere and The Raiders

Drake Levin is pictured at the far right in this photograph of Paul Revere and The Raiders.



Danny Monigold and Drake Levin in 1965. Drake Levin is pictured on the right.


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It is with deep sadness that I found out yesterday through my good friend Bob Wence of The E-Types about the passing of Drake Levin. He was a Guitarist with Paul Revere and The Raiders. Drake you will be dearly missed in the world of Music. Your Music touched the world and you will live on through your Music forever.

My deepest heart felt sympathies and condolences to The Levin Family for their loss.

Now for the Biography of Drake Levin:

Drake Maxwell Levinshefski (August 17, 1946 – July 4, 2009) was an American musician who performed under the stage name Drake Levin. He was best known as the guitarist for Paul Revere & the Raiders.

In 1966, Levin was forced to leave the performing version of the Raiders when he was called up for the draft. To avoid this he joined the National Guard instead. This enabled him to record with the group during his time off. The fact that this was done is an indication of how well Levin stood in with Revere, as well as his popularity with the fans and the worth of his playing, because producer Terry Melcher wasn't above bringing in session players whenever he felt it necessary. Subsequently, after Phil Volk and Mike "Smitty" Smith left the band, Levin reteamed with them in Brotherhood, a promising trio signed to RCA that never got its full chance to be heard, owing to the members' lingering contractual obligations to Columbia Records from their Raiders work.

He subsequently demonstrated his worth as a guitarist by working with Ananda Shankar, Emitt Rhodes, and Lee Michaels, among other artists. He has also participated in reunions of various ex-members of the Raiders, and worked with his friend Phil Volk on several occasions.

After a long battle with cancer, Drake Levin passed away July 4, 2009 at his home in San Francisco, with his wife Sandra at his side. He was 62.

Four New Songs Added To The E-Types Playlist

Dear Fans of The E-Types:

The following songs have been added to the Playlist.

1. "All I've Got Left To Do",
2. "I Remember When I Loved Her"
3. "Big City"
4. "All I've Got Left To Do"
5. "Violet"
6. "Torture and Ecstasy"

Enjoy, sit back, relax and enjoy the lovely Music of The E-Types!! A huge thank you and a round of applause for Bob Wence and The E-Types. Bob Wence has such a beautiful singing voice and is an excellent rythmn Guitarist. I admire him very much.

Love and Peace,

Tina M.

The E-Types Biography

Left to Right...Don, Danny, Bob, Reggie & Jody (standing) The photo was on our first 45..on the Link Record Label. Later is was released on Dot Records. The Photo was taken in 1965 at the San Juan Baptista Mission in California.


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Now for the Biography of The E-Types!! (Thank you to Beverly Paterson)

San Francisco will forever by remembered as the City that basked in Psychedelic fog during the sixties, but journey down south a hundred miles or so and ask the residents of the farming Community Salinas what they recall most about the era, and there's a mighty good chance a high percentage of them with reply "The Music of the E-Types". Made up of Lead Singer and Rhythmn Guitarist Bob Wence, lead guitarist Don Shephard, Bassist Danny Monigold, Keyboardist Jody Wence and Drummer Reggie Shaffer, the legendary band testified to be hot stuff the moment they arrived on the scene, driving local audiences into a wild frenzy via their accomplished blend of Byrdisian Folk Rock and Merseybeat fashioned power pop.

Like so many bands of their generation, the E-Types encountered massive regional Fame, but they were never granted the opportunity to be heard outside their terrority. Had the band been properly promoted, there's no doubt their singles would
have stormed the airwaves far and wide! Beginning in the Spring of 1966 with the beautifully breezy "I Can't Do It" backed by "Long Before" an equally catchy slice of melodious garage pop, the E-Types became increasingly more assured with each disc they issued. The band's second record "She Moves Me," stood as a bubbly rocker, while the flipside "Love of The Loved" was an emotional treatment of an obscure John Lennon and Paul McCartney composition.

Though the E-Types were not shy went it came to tackling raw punk - and anyone who as fortunate enough to have seen the band LIVE can attest to their remarkable interpretations of Yardbirds tunes - their forte' clearly remained in the harmony department, fostered by vocals so spotless and impeccable.

The band's third single, "Put The Clock Back On The Wall," reared its head in 1967, and accurately captured the crazy hazy mood of the year. Devised of trippy lyrics scrawled by the ace songwriting team of Alan Gordon and Gary Bonner (The Turtles, Petula Clark, and the Lovin' Spoonful), the psychedelic pop classic bristled with tight orchestration, circled by the E-Types' signature pitch of right on choruses.

The band's final record ("Big City/"Back To Me") was released that Autumn. Cut of a feathery folk pop cloth, both songs were perceptively softer than any of the E-Types' previous endeavors.

In 1968, the band felt they had run out of gas and elected to call it quits. Alongside the four singles they released, the E-Types recorded a slew of material that never saw the light of day - until now that is! Sundazed Records (home of just about every under appreciated sixties pop, garage, and psychedelic band imaginable) in New York is getting ready to unleash a CD filled with nuggets, duly titled "Introducing The E-Types". On top of featuring a handful of demos that should have been issues as singles, the amazing record also involves live tracks, so timeless they're destined to send chills up your spine.

Written by: Beverly Paterson

PUT THE CLOCK BACK ON THE WALL - VIDEO

"Put The Clock Back On The Wall" - Available at Rhino.com!

The song was featured in a 1968 movie titled "Blonde On A Bum Trip" and was filmed in New York City.

Released in 1966 - The E-Types most popular song!

Bob Wence Interview with Barry Brown - Part I and II

PART I



PART II