The Guess Who and Foghat at Black Bear Casino?

Last week I was curiously wandering the Black Bear Casino website when somthing caught my eye: The Guess Who and Foghat coming May 7!! Holy shit. The Guess Who are an awesome 70's canadian rock band, and hey why not hear 'Slow Ride' live as an opening act. It looked like Black Bear was finally making it up to me for replacing Chuck Berry with Chubby Checker last November playing with Little Richard (actually I shouldnt be mad at Black Bear, we all know the blame really lays on Chuck Berry; that money grubbing bastard) until I did a little research. Let's check the facts Jack.

The Guess Who
Original Lineup(1965):
Chad Allan, Randy Bachman, Jim Kale, Garry Peterson, Bob Ashley
Classic Lineup(1966-70):
Randy Bachman, Burton Cummings, Jim Kale, Garry Peterson
Lineup(Today):
Derek Sharp, Jim Kale, Laurie MacKenzie, Garry Peterson, Leonard Shaw

Just glancing at the aboved lineups, you think to yourself well we're ok, Jim Kale and Garry Peterson are original and classic lineup members still in the band. Yeah, but here's the bad news, Jim Kale is the bass player and Garry Peterson is the drummer. That's cool and I guess the rhyme section on classic hits like 'American Woman' 'These Eyes' 'No Sugar Tonite' and 'No Time' will sound authentic, but guess who's missing from today's lineup? Randy Bachman, lead guitarist, and Burton Cummings, lead vocals and keyboard, who together co-wrote all the groups chart topping numbers leading them to being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1987. A true reunion did take place from 2000-03, but now Cummings and Bachman have both moved on from the group. Both men are renowned artist outside of the Guess Who, especially loved in Canada, and Bachman is alos a member of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, the group that gave us such Classic Rock Hits as 'Aint See Nothing Yet' and 'Taking Care of Buisness.' Derek Sharp joined The Guess Who in 2008, Laurie MacKenzie in 2006, and Leonard Shaw in 1990 rouding out Kale and Peterson's new lineup. Hmmmmm is this the Guess Who than? Let's try Foghat before answering.

Foghat
Original Lineup (1968-75)Dave Peverett, Rod Price, Tony Stevens, Roger Earl
Peak Years (1976-1981) Dave Peverett, Rod Price, Craig MacGregor, Roger Earl
Todays Lineup: Charlie Huhn, Bryan Bassett, Craig MacGregor, Roger Earl

Again, things dont appear too bad on paper. It seems that several key members of Foghat are still with the group, playing 'Slow Ride' across the great American nostalgia concert scene, but sadly the facts hurt this illusion. Like today's Guess Who, Foghat's retained originals are the drummer and the bassist. Dam. Apparently the ride for Foghat died in 1984 when the hits ran out, but they were reserected by drummer Roger Earl with a new lineup two years later. Lead vocalist Dave Peverett, also formed his own Foghat band for American tour duty in the late 80s. The two rival touring Foghats were mercifully morphed back into the original lineup on the advise of legandary producer Rick Rubin(WTF) in 1993; releasing a comback album and touring until 2000. Since than, Dave Peverett, rhyme guitarist and lead vocalist, and Rod Price, lead guitarist, have both died and original bassist Tony Stevens has left the group to from his own band (replaced by his original replacement Craig MacGregor). Replacements Charlie Huhn, formerly of Ted Nuguent's band, joined as lead vocalist and rhyme guitarist and Bryan Bassett as the new lead guitarist in 2000. Should we still can this Foghat?


The answer to both bands legitimacies is an apathetic "No." These are simply glorified cover bands with the financial advantage of having the original band's name, and a couple original members. As good as the remaining bassists and drummers for both bands proably are, they are not essential enough to consitute being their former bands. Would you consider Ringo Starr and George Harrison, touring with two fill-ins, as the Beatles? I dont think so. I'm not saying dont go to Black Bear for this show, it might be great especially if you're hunger for some live cuts of classic tunes, but dont think you really saw the Guess Who. Or Foghat.

*Foghat Bonus*
Technically two Foghats exist again.(Help us Rick Rubin) After leaving the group in 2005, Tony Stevens formed his own band Foghat band simply named Slow Ride; playing covers, original material, and Foghat classics. The group also features Eddie Zyne the former drummer of Dave Peverett's Foghat. The funny thing about the Slow Ride band though, is that Tony Stevens was not in Foghat when they recorded the 1975 hit, and neither was his replacement Craig MacGregor. Instead the band's producer, Nick Jameson, played on the track and the entire album Fool for the City. Such deception out there in the classic rock world.