The Litter
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1966 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States |
| Founder | Jim Kane, Bill Strandlof, Denny Waite, Dan Rinaldi |
| Headquarters | Minneapolis , United States |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
| Website | www |
The Litter was a psychedelic and garage rock ensemble originating from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, established in 1966. Their most notable work is the 1967 debut single, "Action Woman". During the late 1960s, the group produced three albums before disbanding. They reunited in 1990, 1992, and once more in 1998 to release a studio album that combined both new compositions and earlier recordings. All sessions recorded in Minneapolis were overseen by producer Warren Kendrick, who owned the Scotty, Warick, and Hexagon record labels.
History
The band was initially formed in 1966 by four founding members—Jim Kane, Bill Strandlof, Denny Waite, and Dan Rinaldi—who came together from two well-known Minneapolis bands: The Victors and The Tabs. After a successful audition, Tom Murray became part of the lineup. The name "The Litter" was suggested by Jim Kane and ultimately selected over other contenders such as "The Mustys".
Drawing inspiration from British Invasion groups, they laid down their first single "Action Woman" / "A Legal Matter" toward the end of 1966. The track "Action Woman" has since been regarded as a staple of garage rock. Prior to releasing their debut album Distortions in mid-1967, lead guitarist Bill Strandlof was succeeded by Tom Caplan. Although Distortions mostly featured cover songs, it later gained classic status and was reissued during the resurgence of garage rock.
By 1968, The Litter's sound transitioned more into psychedelic rock. Their sophomore album $100 Fine included original tracks alongside covers influenced by British rock. While it did not achieve national chart success, it climbed to number 10 on the Twin Cities charts. Producer Warren Kendrick utilized his distinctive flanging technique—later recognized as a hallmark of psychedelic music—on their rendition of Procol Harum's "Kaleidoscope." That same year, the band made a brief appearance in the movie Medium Cool, although their performance’s audio was replaced with The Mothers of Invention’s "Flower Punk." Despite receiving offers from Elektra Records and Columbia Records, The Litter declined these contracts, which limited their exposure on a national scale.
In 1969, The Litter signed with major label ABC Records. Their third album Emerge marked their highest commercial achievement by reaching number 175 on the Billboard 200. This album featured a heavier rock sound and did not include Caplan or Waite during recording sessions. The group dissolved in 1972.
Following this period, The Litter occasionally toured with varying members and issued new material in 1998.
In 2020, Tom Murray spearheaded a refreshed lineup that included Larry Wiegand from Crow to release Future of the Past. Additionally, Tom “Zippy” Caplan contributed lead guitar parts on several tracks.
Personnel
- Jim Kane – bass guitar, moog synthesizer (1966–1970 & 1990)
- Tom Murray – drums (1966–1972 & 1992; born Cleveland, Ohio, 1948)
- Dan Rinaldi – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1966–1972 & 1992; Minneapolis, May 1, 1945 – June 5, 2015)
- Bill Strandlof – lead guitar (1966–1967; St Paul, Minnesota, 1946 – March 4, 1995)
- Denny Waite – organ, lead vocals, harmonica (1966–1968, 1990–1992, 1995–2012; born St Paul, April 14, 1948)
- Tom 'Zippy' Caplan – lead guitar (1967–1968 & 1990–1992; born St Paul, August 18, 1946; departed to form White Lightning in 1968)
- Lonnie Knight – lead guitar and vocals (1968)
- Mark Gallagher – vocals (1968–1970 & 1992; March 17, 1948 – February 24, 2009)
- Ray Melina – lead guitar (1968–1970)
- Sean Jones – lead guitar (1970; aka Jack Stanley Jones; October 9, 1948 – February 13, 2011)
- Jon Sutphen – bass (1970)
- Casey Macpherson – vocals (1971–1972)
- Mike Rowe – bass (1971–1972)
- John King – lead guitar (1971–1972)
- Woody Woodrich – bass (1970)
- Mick Stanhope – vocals (1992)
- Bob Hood – keyboards and rhythm guitar (1992)
- Rick Ottum – bass and backing vocals (1992)
- Joe Scanlan – drums and percussion (1998–2005)
- Doug Hassman – rhythm and lead guitar (2005–2007)
- Kenny Carson – rhythm guitar and bass (from 2005 and since 2012)
Line-ups
| 1966–Summer 1967 | Summer 1967–Mid 1968 | Mid–Late 1968 | Late 1968–1970 |
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| 1970 | Late 1970–1971 | 1971–1972 | 1972–1990 |
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Group disbanded |
| 1990 | 1991 | 1993–1998 | 1998–Aug.1999 |
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Additional studio participants:
Denny Waite*, harmonica and synthesizer |
Group disbanded | valign=top |
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| Aug.1999–Present |- |
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Singles
- Action Woman backed with A Legal Matter (Scotty 803G-6710), released January 1967
- Somebody Help Me paired with I'm a Man (Warick 9445–6711), 1967
- Action Woman coupled with Whatcha Gonna Do About It (Warick 6712), 1967
- Silly People alongside Feeling (Probe 461), 1968
- Blue Ice with On Our Minds (Probe 467), 1969
Albums
- Distortions (Warick WM-671-A), issued in 1967
- $100 Fine (Hexagon 681-S), released in 1968
- Emerge (Probe 4504-S), 1968 release
- Re-Emerge (Arf! Arf! AA-080), issued in 1999
Compilation Appearances
- Rare Tracks (Eva 12013), released in 1983
- "Action Woman":
- Featured on Pebbles, Volume 1 (LP-1979; CD-1992)
- Included in Songs We Taught the Fuzztones (1993)
- Part of the box set Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968 (1998)
- Appears on Garage Rock Classics (2004)
- Included in the five-CD collection Trash Box
- "I'm A Man":
- Present on Pebbles, Volume 2 (LP)
- Also on Pebbles, Volume 3 (CD – ESD Records)
- "Hey Joe":
- Found on The Scotty Story (CD)
- "7 Up Commercial":
- Included in The Scotty Story (CD)
Live Albums
- Live at Mirage 1990 (Arf! Arf! AA-79), released in 1998