The Rascals

The Rascals, along with the Righteous Brothers, Mitch Ryder, and precious few others, were the pinnacle of 60s blue-eyed soul. The Rascals talents, however, would have to rate above their rivals, if for nothing else than the simple fact that they, unlike many other blue-eyed soulsters, penned much of their own material. They also proved more adept at changing with the fast-moving times, drawing much of their inspiration from British Invasion bands, psychedelic rock, gospel, and even a bit of jazz and Latin music. They were at their best on classic singles like Good Lovin, How Can I Be Sure, Groovin, and People Got to Be Free. When they tried to stretch their talents beyond the impositions of the three-minute 45, they couldnt pull it off, a failure which — along with crucial personnel losses — effectively finished the band as a major force by the 1970s.