Doobie Brothers don't need to make a splash
By ALAN SCULLEY
For the Daily Record/Sunday News


Article Last Updated: 06/13/2008 07:47:39 AM EDT


It's been nearly 30 years since the Doobie Brothers reached a commercial peak. And it's now been 20 years since the group -- with essentially its core original lineup -- regrouped in 1987 to begin what has been an uninterrupted run of touring and recording.

For much of the time during this second coming of the Doobie Brothers, the band has flown somewhat under the radar.

While some might speculate that the Doobie Brothers miss the days when the band's songs were ruling the charts and the group was filling arenas, guitarist/singer Pat Simmons said that's not really part of the plan these days.

"For us it's not so much about making a big splash as much as coming up with something that we can be proud of and continues kind of legacy that we've set for ourselves," he said in a recent phone interview from his home in Maui. "I feel like we've put out some good, quality stuff in the past, and we've been proud of where we've been so far. So we want to make sure that it continues along those lines."

In fact, Simmons noted with a laugh, the current lineup -- which also includes guitarist/singer Tom Johnston, drummer Michael Hossack, guitarist/mulit-instrumentalist John McFee, bassist Skylark, keyboardist/singer Guy Allison, sax player Marc Russo and drummer Ed Toth -- has been intact longer than any previous Doobie Brothers unit. That, in itself, says something about how satisfied the band members are with their musical lives these days.

This kind of stability, of course, is a new twist for the Doobie Brothers. During the band's first run from 1969 to 1982, the only constant -- besides success -- was change.
The early 1970s lineup of Simmons, Johnston, Hossack, drummer John Hartman and bassist Tiran Porter, specialized in bluesy, hard rocking music.

By 1975, the group had also added a notable guitarist, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, while Hossack had been replaced by Keith Knudsen.

With Baxter in the fold, the group's sound grew more diverse and experimental, with country and R&B among the styles surfacing in the songs.

But it was the arrival of singer/keyboardist Michael McDonald following the 1975 album, "Stampede," that really transformed the band's sound -- especially after Johnston left the band in 1977 to pursue a solo career. McDonald's soul and jazz roots informed hits like "What A Fool Believes" and "Minute By Minute" that made the Doobie Brothes among the most popular bands of that period.

But by 1982, the run had ended as the group fell apart and McDonald went on to start a solo career.

Five years later, though, the group's long-time producer, Ted Templeman, convinced the band's early lineup to make a new album.

Unlike many reunited bands, the lineup of Simmons, Johnston, Hossack, Porter and Hartman, recaptured much of its early spark, turning out two solid albums, "Cycles" (1989) and "Brotherhood" (1991) and three top five rock radio singles, "The Doctor," "Dangerous" and "Need A Little Taste Of Love."

The band continued to tour each year through the 1990s, but didn't make another studio CD until "Sibling Rivalry" in 2001. It looks, though, as if Doobie Brothers fans won't have to wait a whole lot longer for more new music to surface.

Simmons said the band is working on a studio record and has already demoed a few songs with Templeman. Next up is a session with Bob Rock, who has produced for popular rock bands such as Metallica and Motley Crue.

"We've done a couple of sessions with Ted, just really getting used to each other again," Simmons said. "We hadn't done anything with Ted for such a long time. I think that's kind of the way it's going to be with Bob, too, just kind of go in and get our feet wet a little bit with each other, get to know each other and stuff. But we're looking forward to it."

In the meantime, the Doobie Brothers has a busy touring schedule for the summer (with a co-headlining run with Chicago a featured trek), and Simmons feels today's band has been delivering consistently good shows for quite some time. As always, the concerts focus on material that preceded McDonald's years in the band, as well as the three post-reunion albums.

"We always pretty much do a lot of the songs that people have come to hear, the hits and stuff," Simmons said. "That's always part of the bargain. When you're out there, people want to hear the songs that they grew up with and that they're familiar with. Then we kind of sprinkle it with songs that we like to do, basically stuff that we've done through the years that maybe they weren't hits, but they're kind of things that we've enjoyed playing. We're always kind of digging something out of the archives that we've never done before or haven't done before or we haven't done for years and years."

I like all the Doobies' stuff, but my favorite period is Michael McDonald. However, live the current Doobies might be a better ticket than a Michael McDonald show. I passed on seeing both The Doobies and Michael McDonald, stupid me.

A few years back I saw the Doobies open for Steve Miller Band (and it included Michael McDonald). Even though I've listened to them forever (first concert actually was their 'Farewell Tour' stop at ChicagoFest), it really was a revalation of hearing song after song after song that you knew every word of.

The article above: one line says it all to me: "he said in a recent phone interview from his home in Maui".

To quote my Cancer-fighting, campfire partner-in-crime: "Life is Good."

I always thought Tom Johnston was the soul of that band, although I enjoy Pat Simmons tunes. Johnston penned the most lasting classics, but simmons brings a nice, mellow change of pace to their albums.

I had free tickets to see them at a local fest back in 2001,it was gonna be my first time seeing them. Unfortunetly, it rained the entire previous day, and that morning. So much so, that the stage they were to perform on was deemed unstable because it sank into the ground. When I got there I found the show cancelled...

Jeff

"Which Doobie you be?"

I've always felt that McDonald ruined the Doobies.

I used to like McDonald's after a doobie.

(Someone had to say it.)

Dam do be do be
Dam dam da do be dam
Dam do be do be
Dam dam da do be dam

Um, Linda is it just me, or is today's avatar a bit perverse????

My favorite Doobie

Perhaps Linda should explain to us, so that we don't jump to any incorrect conclusions.

Always liked the Doobies-truly underrated guitar players to say the least. Their instrumental stuff is awesome and very tasteful. Does anyone have the box set "Long Train Runnin' 1970-2000"? It looks pretty good and I've never picked it up.
Also, the Doobies were never the same after Dee insulted Tiran Porter on What's Happening. Although Dwayne did like the "Living On The Fault Line" album. I wonder if Rerun's bootleg is still available?

Invisible Pedestrian,

I've got the box, but it doesn't contain that many rarities, its main selling point is the remastered sound.

I prefer the pre-McDonald Doobie Brothers. To me you just can't beat Long Train Running, Listen to the Music, China Grove, and South City Midnight Lady.

Didn't they actually get thier name from Sinatra's "Strangers in the Night"?
"Doobie Doobie-doo" LOL

Jeff

I think it came from their urges to partake of the doobie smoke.

Doo bie or not Doo bie. That is the ?

I imagine pot would enhance the taste of their food. Or give it taste.