Leaves - Leaves Are Happening!

Primo L.A. folk-punk! Take a pinch of Byrds, add a heaping teaspoon of Love, and you've got the happening Leaves, prime movers on the Sunset Strip scene, who hit the charts with the most manic "Hey Joe" you'll ever hear. The Leaves Are Happening! collects the complete Mira recordings, including the entire Hey Joe album, plus all rare single sides, cool photos and more! Album Description

At Least They Spelled Their Name Correctly

There's one thing to be said for true One-Hit Wonders - when a CD is released of their music, usualy that lone hit is among the selections offered. That's the case here as both Hey Joe and its flipside, Funny Little World, are included. Other than that, this is yet one more band from that era which receives way too much attention from the more sanctimonious musical historians of the type which permeate outfits like Rolling Stone Magazine.

It seems these people can never quite comprehend why the masses didn't then [and indeed don't now] fall all over artists and groups THEY seem to worship out of all proportion to their accomplishments. Such as Frank Zappa, Parliament/Funkadelic, The Velvet Underground - and The Leaves. As if their screaming vocals and fuzz guitar sounds are somehow required listening.

At least the Mira label was persistent. They first released the song in 1965 as Hey Joe, Where You Gonna Go? but it went nowhere. Only after its second try did it make it to # 31 Billboard Hot 100 in June 1966. After that, nothing.

Nor did their albums exactly burn up the charts. Their first for Mira, containing the requisite mid-1960s protest songs, Bob Dylan tunes, and two versions of Hey Joe, enjoyed only mediocre success. Not even a larger label such as Capitol, who signed them in 1967 and put out another LP, could nudge them back onto the charts.

When they broke up in 1967 vocalist Robert Arlin formed a new band called The Hook, but they enjoyed even less success with their two LPs on the Uni label. Only bassist Jim Pons enjoyed further success while briefly serving as a member of The Turtles.

No doubt they had a following, especially in their native California, and for those fans still around this is probably considered a find. For chart completist collectors, however, it's only suitable for the one hit and its flipside.

At least they didn't perpetuate a spelling mistake - like Toronto's NHL team - by referring to themselves as The Leafs. July 28, 2007

hard edged folk rock

The Review by DJ, just below gets it right. If you like mid sixties rock 'n' roll, and the idea of shaking and stirring the Byrds with the Rolling Stones sounds like a good idea, (and it is), then this is for you.

The single version of "Too Many People" is a great record, as is "Hey Joe", needless to say.

DJ is also quite right about their second LP on Capitol.

The Leaves were a good but not a great band. If you're looking for a good CD from a mid sixties group and you've got the Beatles, Kinks, Stones, etc. - give The Leaves a try. You won't be sorry. June 24, 2007

"HEY JOE" correction

Contrary to popular belief, The Leaves neither wrote nor performed "Hey Joe" first. The band asked Johnny Echols of the band "LOVE" for the lyrics to the tune and he gave them the wrong words, which explains their "version." Billy Roberts actually wrote the song and the Leaves, upon hearing both The Byrds and Love's live-stage versions at clubs like The Whiskey-a-go-go and Bido Lido's in L.A., grabbed their arrangements and quickly released the track as a single, thus making theirs the "first original recorded rendition." The song is almost always accredited to Dino Valenti, but that is also a myth.
Great old band, though. February 23, 2005

The Leaves - 'Are Happening:Best Of' (Sundazed)

A nice reissue of another nearly forgotten decent garage rock band of the late '60's.Remember "Hey Joe"? Some still may not realize that Hendrix didn't originally pen that track,The Leaves actually did.The Leaves released just two lp's in their short existence,1965-67.Have to say that Sundazed did a pretty good job of assembling this compilation that contains three(3) versions of "Hey Joe".After hearing this disc,you can see that The Leaves simply were more than JUST a one song band.In fact,most of these tracks hold up quite well,I think.Some of the other tunes I thought sort of stood out were "Just A Memory","He Was A Friend Of Mine" and "You Better Move On".Should appeal to fans of Love,Buffalo Springfield,Standells and Beau Brummels. September 11, 2004

The Leaves

Stomping folk rock. Fun if you like Love's first album or the early Byrds. June 20, 2002

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