The Droogs
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Rock music recordings and performances |
The Droogs were a rock band originating from Los Angeles, California, primarily active from 1972 through 1992, with the majority of their releases appearing from the mid-1980s onward.
History
Established in 1972 by Ric Albin (vocals), Roger Clay (guitar), Paul Motter (bass), and Kyle Raven (drums), The Droogs took their musical cues from 1960s garage rock and were later described as "protopunk" by Trouser Press. Throughout the 1970s, they issued six singles, which were eventually collected on the Anthology album, despite undergoing several changes in their rhythm section.
In the early 1980s, the group’s lineup solidified with David Provost (previously of Dream Syndicate) joining on bass and keyboards, alongside Jon Gerlach on drums. During the mid-1980s, The Droogs became linked to the Paisley Underground movement but found their most notable commercial success in Europe after signing with the German label Music Maniac in 1987.
Their 1996 release Atomic Garage paved the way for appearances at the 1997 Roskilde Festival, which included a live broadcast on Danish National Radio. The band was featured on Rhino’s 2005 compilation box set Children Of Nuggets, followed by the digital release Collection in 2006. In 2013, they contributed tracks to Conspiracy A-Go-Go, a JFK-themed compilation. The 2017 album Young Gun comprises ten new songs plus a rendition of the Seeds’ "Out of the Question," performed by Ric Albin, Roger Clay, Dave Provost, and Dave Klein (drums), with Klein also serving as co-producer and engineer.
Singles, EPs
- "He's Waiting"/"Light Bulb Blues" (credited to Gerry Roslie) (1973)
- "Set My Love on You" (1974)
- "Ahead of my Time" (1974)
- "Overnite Success/Last Laugh" (1975)
- "As Much As I Want" (1979)
- Heads Examined (1983) [EP/mini-album]
- "Change Is Gonna Come" (1984)
- "Only Game In Town/Garden Of My Mind" (1984)
- "Collector's Item" (1986)
- "TV Man" (1993)
- "Come Heaven or Hell" (1993)
Albums
- Stone Cold World (1984) Passport
- Kingdom Day (1987) PVC
- Mad Dog Dreams (1990) Music Maniac
- Live in Europe (1990) Music Maniac
- Want Something (1991)
- Guerrilla Love-In (1991) Music Maniac
- Atomic Garage (1997) Impossible Records
- Young Gun (2017) Plug N Socket
Compilations
- Anthology (1987) Music Maniac
- Collection (2006) Plug N Socket