Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band were an English-based soul band, active from 1965 to 1968. The Ram Jam Band were formed around 1964 by Pete Gage and Geoff Pullum. Before taking on Geno Washington, whom Pete knew from performing the Bentwaters USAF Base, they had Jamaican Blue Beat singer by the name of Errol Dixon front the band as they embarked on the London club circuit. Pete approached Geno to finance his demobbing to the States and to return to front the band as it seemed essential to have an American to perform US soul rather than the West Indian alternatives in London at that time.
Ram Jam were an East Coast Rock quartet led by Bill Bartlett, the lead guitarist of psychedelic/bubblegum group The Lemon Pipers. Ram Jam's biggest hit, "Black Betty", which reached the Billboard Top 20 in 1977, was an intense, power Rock version of a song written by black folksinger Leadbelly. ''Golden Classics'' is the CD reissue of Ram Jam's self-titled album with 'I Should Have Known' as a bonus track. 'I Should Have Known' was first released as the b-side to the 'Black Betty' single in June 1977.
"Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram" is the second and final album by the band Ram Jam in 1978. Re-released in 2006 on Rock Candy Records. A new strain of heavy metal music is summoned forth on Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Ram, as the band raises the volume to deathly destructive decibels and peels off chain after chain of flashy riffs captained by speed and purpose. Intimidating vocals, booming with hunger, coupled with a ferocious energy skirting on the edge of punk, further lock the material tight.
This Dutch blues band was formed in the Hague around 1967, becoming a regular outfit from 1969. The early line-up included Bjorn Toll (vocals), John Lagrand (harmonica), Ted Oberg (guitar), Ruud Fransen (bass) and Niek Dijkhuys (drums) but although the name remained wholesale changes soon took place, bringing in a new singer, Nicko Christiansen, and new bass and drums, Peter Kleinjan and Beer Klaasse, the latter pair being swiftly replaced by Gerard Strutbaum and Cesar Zuiderwijk, while keyboard player Henk Smitskamp was added…