The ’70s aren’t over for these funky bands

It is said of the ’60s that if you can remember them, you probably weren’t there. That doesn’t apply to the ’70s, since the soundtrack from that decade is not only still playing, but quite often it is being recreated by the original artists on stages all across the globe.

The ’60s represented a period of experimentation and rebellion, but much of the upheaval had settled by the mid to late ’70s. What resulted was a musical landscape that was as diverse and eclectic as it was joyful. The decade of the ’70s wasn’t about following a strict blues-rock path or a radio-friendly pop formula. It was about welcoming whatever unique musical expression stepped forward and clamored to be heard.

It was an album-oriented decade that include hard rock, disco, funk, soul, R&B, folk and country, Latin rhythms and much more. The ’70s might not have included as many tie-dyed shirts, beads and bare feet as the ’60s, but it was definitely dressed to boogie for any occasion.

And the beauty of the ’70s music explosion is that some of the most beloved artists are still at it. Many of the acts that made their reputations in the 1970s are being embraced today both by their original fan bases, and by recent converts. 

Here is a look at just a handful of the more notable acts from the ’70s that are still delighting crowds. They don’t mind playing the old hits, because they’re still getting the kind of warm and spirited receptions that they received when the songs were first played. And they’re still having a blast doing it.

Average White Band
Not only were they white, they were also Scottish. The Average White Band was formed in 1971 in Dundee, Scotland. It relied on horns that blew jazz, funk and soul at a time when the prevailing sound coming out of the United Kingdom was raspy British blues from guitar gods like Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck, and later synthesizer rock and glam.

“We were six Scottish guys who shared the same accents and starting playing music based on the kind of music we grew up listening to, which was soul music,” said Onnie McIntyre, one of the original members of the band who is still on board today.

“We started doing clubs. The first couple of gigs, there were a few reluctant claps after a few songs. But by the end of the set the whole place was cheering. Then we felt we were on to something and felt there was an audience for it.”

The band is probably best known for the 1975 single, “Pick Up The Pieces,” which reached No. 1 in the U.S. “That was pre-disco,” McIntyre said. “I think we helped to herald in the era of dance music.”

The Average White Band has undergone some personnel changes, but still boasts two original members in McIntyre and Alan Gorrie. Today they’re still touring and still packing them in. “This is the best lineup that we’ve had that I can remember,” McIntyre said.

Of course, they’ve had to make adjustments. “I remember when I was in a band when I was 18,” said McIntyre, who now lives in the New York. “We would drive to London for a couple of gigs, then drive back. When you’re younger you can do that kind of thing.

“The hardest jaunts now are the 6 a.m. lobby calls on the way to Europe. But you plan accordingly. You always try to have a night off occasionally. We find a good restaurant and have a couple of bottles of wine with dinner. Your comfort level has to adjust.”

Three Dog Night
Danny Hutton said it’s a simple answer, really: The secret to longevity in the music business is having good songs.

Video   ‘Joy to the World’ Three Dog Night performs their chart-topping 1971 hit. msnbc tv

“It’s about having songs that have a long shelf life, that don’t really date much,” said Hutton, one of the original members of Three Dog Night. “The songs that we did were about emotions, about people.”

Three Dog Night certainly had its share of songs that connected with mass audiences. In the ’70s, they included “Eli’s Coming,” “Joy to the World,” “Easy to be Hard” and “Mama Told Me Not to Come.” By late 1975, the band had sold almost 50 million records.

After the ’70s, the band experienced periods of inactivity, burnout and personnel changes. But since 1986 it has been touring extensively, and continues to do so.

“We do between 60 and 80 shows a year,” Hutton said, “which is really comfortable. We’ve been to places we never thought we’d go and have had some happy surprises. About a month ago we went to New Hampshire and performed at a NASCAR event. I’d never been to a NASCAR race. We performed for 105,000 people, all of them singing along to ‘Joy to the World.’”

Nowadays Hutton and another founding member, Cory Wells, are together along with original keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon and guitarist Michael Allsup. Paul Kingery on bass and Pat Bautz on drums are also on hand.

Experience has taught the members of Three Dog Night how to pace themselves. The group has three sets of equipment stationed around the country. Band members fly to the concert venue, then fly home. “I usually leave on Thursday, and I’m home on Sunday for dinner,” Hutton said.

The most gratifying part, said Hutton, is knowing that all kinds of people, from Vietnam veterans to little children, still groove to the music of Three Dog Night in 2009. “I was at Whole Foods the other day,” Hutton recalled, “and they were playing, ‘Mama Told Me Not To Come.’”

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