Treat Her Right
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts , United States |
| Products | Albums, live performances |
Treat Her Right was a rock ensemble originating from Boston, Massachusetts, established in 1985. The founding members consisted of Mark Sandman playing "low guitar," Billy Conway on cocktail drums, David Champagne handling guitar duties, and Jim Fitting on harmonica. In 2009, Champagne and Fitting revived the group, incorporating new musicians Steve Mayone and Billy Beard.
This band served as a forerunner to the acclaimed indie rock outfit Morphine. Music critic Ira Robbins characterized their style as "[n]ot quite a blues band, not exactly swamp trash and too stylized for basic rock'n'roll." Subsequently, The Rough Guide to Rock classified them under "punk-blues," although the "punk" label was not reflective of their sound during their initial period of activity.
Sandman encapsulated their musical philosophy: "Keep it simple at all costs. Resist the temptation to add. If you're going to do something to a song, subtract."
Career (1985–1991)
Taking their name from the 1965 Roy Head and the Traits hit "Treat Her Right," the band stood out due to its unconventional instrumentation: Sandman's "low guitar" functioned similarly to a bass guitar, while Conway opted against using a standard drum kit. Conway explained that their intention was to maintain simplicity, with all members able to carry their gear into performances in a single trip.
Their approach embraced a "back to basics" ethos, seeking to build upon the legacy of bands such as the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, yet infusing it with their distinct style. Early performances at intimate venues like The Plough and Stars in Cambridge shaped their sound; limitations led Conway to employ a cocktail drum set rather than a conventional kit, deliberately steering clear of the typical kick-snare drum pattern prevalent in rock music production.
The group self-funded their debut album, which appeared in 1986 on a modest Boston label and was subsequently released in the UK through Demon Records. After securing a contract with RCA Records, this album was reissued in the United States. Songs such as Champagne's "I Got a Gun" and Sandman's rendition of James Blood Ulmer's "Where Did All the Girls Come From?" received airplay on college radio stations. Reviewer John Dougan described the debut as "slick, intelligent, sly, and well worth your while."
Their 1989 release, Tied to the Tracks, did not achieve commercial success, resulting in RCA dropping the band despite investing more heavily in production. The third album, What's Good for You, arrived via Rounder Records in 1991 and showcased a raw, live-in-the-studio aesthetic inspired by classic blues labels like Chess Records. Shortly after this release, Treat Her Right disbanded.
Other projects and post-breakup
Following the band's dissolution, Fitting performed with groups including The The, The Coots, and Session Americana. Champagne continued his musical pursuits by collaborating with ensembles such as The Jazz Popes. Sandman launched Morphine in 1989, with Conway joining in 1993. Although Treat Her Right leaned more toward blues than Morphine did, it influenced Sandman’s subsequent work through its distinctive instrumentation—his custom three-string guitar resembled a bass—and its darker tonal qualities evident especially in his songwriting.
Sandman passed away from a heart attack while performing live with Morphine in Italy in 1999. In 2004, Sandbox: The Mark Sandman Box Set was issued, compiling material from Sandman's archives including tracks by Treat Her Right; however, Jim Fitting’s contributions were not acknowledged in the credits.
Reformation (2009–2011)
In 2009, Treat Her Right's track "Rhythm & Booze" was featured on the soundtrack for The Hangover. That same year, Hi-n-Dry released The Lost Album, which included previously unreleased recordings by Treat Her Right. The group reunited in September to mark the tenth anniversary of Sandman’s passing with a performance at the Mark Sandman Memorial Concert and subsequently resumed their musical activities. This reassembled lineup was led by Champagne and Fitting, with Steve Mayone on low guitar and Billy Beard—formerly part of Boston’s new wave band Face to Face)—handling drums. They played several shows around the Boston area until approximately 2011, after which Fitting shifted his focus toward Session Americana.
Billy, Jimmy, & Dave (2019–20)
In 2019, Champagne, Conway, and Fitting collaborated on recording a new album. Their first live appearance since Treat Her Right was planned for January 19, 2020, at Club Passim in Cambridge. However, Conway was unable to perform due to health complications, leading Larry Dersch and Jerome Deupree to fill in on drums. During the event, Fitting updated the audience that Conway had resumed treatment for cancer.
Discography
- Treat Her Right (1986)
- Tied to the Tracks (1989)
- What's Good for You (1991)
- The Anthology 1985-1990 (1998)
- The Lost Album (2009)