Wednesday, September 23, 2026

I'd Rather Be Having Fun

 A quick one today, as I've got a routine ophthalmologist appointment this morning.

William Truckaway sang lead in the Sopwith Camel. They lasted about a year. Reformed in 1971, but without William, who made a solo album instead.

I knew this song from the Warners Loss Leader, "The Whole Burbank Catalog" from 1972. The fact that it was once licensed by Taco Bell didn't put me off.

On a whim I picked up a near mint copy of his album "Breakaway" on discogs recently. It's really good and sits very nicely next to The Beach Boys "Surf's Up".



Some of the players backing him up on the album are The Stovall Sisters (Joyce, Lillian, and Netta)-gospel hand percussion and vocal stylings, Russell Dashiell-lead guitar, Doug Killmer-bass, and former Sopwith Camel bandmate Norm Mayell-drums. All of whom can also be heard on Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit In The Sky".

Enjoy!

-Sandy Cilantro

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6 comments:

  1. steve simelsSeptember 23, 2026 at 5:58 AM

    Huge fan of the Camel. Without question, the most underrated of the San Francisco bands.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. steve simelsSeptember 23, 2026 at 8:16 AM

      Did I say underrated? https://powerpop.blogspot.com/2022/06/records-id-forgotten-existed-let-alone_20.html

      Delete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 23, 2026 at 8:25 AM

    Should’ve been a sunshine pop classic. Perhaps a better stage name would have helped.

    - Paul in DK

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    Replies
    1. buzzbabyjesusSeptember 23, 2026 at 10:15 AM

      That's his stage name. He was born William Sievers.

      Delete
  3. Noel MSeptember 23, 2026 at 11:48 AM

    Fascinating! It's Beach Boys for sure - and "Spirit In The Sky", wow, yeah! - with a bit of a preview of Stereolab's sound decades later.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousSeptember 23, 2026 at 12:12 PM

    Their first three 45s were billed as Sopwith "Camel." Strange.

    bob in IL

    ReplyDelete