The Beau Brummels – The Best of the Beau Brummels 1964-1968

In general, I’m surprised when anyone else is interested in the music I’m interested in. Okay, not The Beatles. But the Beau Brummels? Who else, in 1981, wanted to hear “Laugh Laugh” or “Don’t Talk To Strangers”? Who else knew there was later Beau Brummels material on albums like “Bradley’s Barn,” which produced the wonderful “Deep Water”? Other than my roommate and my girlfriend (we call her spousal unit, nowadays), I couldn’t imagine anyone else was in any way interested in The Beau Brummels.

And yet, just a year or so after I had picked up those first two Beau Brummels albums, which are a little bit beat up, Rhino Records, magical house of re-releases, put out a clean, beautiful collection of Beau Brummels music. I don’t know who else that was for, but I was grateful for it. Still am. So thanks, Rhino!

About the time I got into those first two Beau Brummels records, my roommate picked up an amazing little collection called “The 1969 Warner/Reprise Songbook.” It was the first of their “loss leader” series, intended to promote their roster by including songs by some of their best known acts (like Frank Zappa and Jimi Hendrix) along with the more obscure (like Wild Man Fischer). And on that collection was “Deep Water,” which hinted at something much better to come from the later Beau Brummels. Have a listen: