Same name, different spelling. Initially billed as the Jesters, this Mankato, Minnesota band earned a hefty helping of local applause prior to making their presence known in select areas about the country.
Released in the fall of 1964, “Run Run Run” (Soma Records) sailed straight to the top of the charts in cities like New York, Minnesota and Los Angeles, but climbed only as high as No. 44 nationally.
Written by singer and guitarist Dale Menten, “Run Run Run” is a classic teen punk kiss-off song. Airy vocals, projecting a sense of detachment, taunt and threaten the cheating girl, who was never loved in the first place anyway. Throbbing drums, partnered with surf-salted guitars, bubbling with reverb, fully support the cause, while the rhythms are punchy and the harmonies shine with a ghostly glare.
The Gestures soon issued another great single, “Candlelight”/”Don’t Mess Around,” but it stiffed on the vine and the band broke up shortly thereafter.
Catchy and original, “Run Run Run” rests tall on the mantle as an effective demonstration of the transition between swinging instrumental oriented rock and the burgeoning British Invasion sounds of the day.
[amazon_enhanced asin=”B000003GZ6″ container=”” container_class=”” price=”All” background_color=”FFFFFF” link_color=”000000″ text_color=”0000FF” /]
- Why Aerosmith Finally Broke Through With ‘Get Your Wings’ - March 5, 2024
- How ‘The Birds, the Bees and the Monkees’ Blew Away Their Pre-Fab Image - April 10, 2023
- Steve Howe Made a Colorful, Quite Surprising Debut With Tomorrow - February 20, 2023
