THE ROBBS – ’Bittersweet’ / ’End Of The Week’ (Mercury 72641) Jan 1967
The Robbs | Bittersweet | (Mercury) 1967 | I was doing a bit of internet surfing the other day and learnt that Dee Robb from The Robbs died in February 2008. It’s always sad for me when I read that 60s songwriters/musicians die. Fortunately their music will survive a lot longer.
Dee Robb was the lead singer and chief songwriter of Milwaukee band The Robbs. It turned out that The Robbs may have been one of the unluckiest bands of the mid to late 60s.
Although their 45s charted locally they never succeeded in achieving national acclaim because almost every one of their releases only reached the ’bubbling’ under section of The Billboard chart.
’Bittersweet’ was The Robbs third Mercury 45. On this disc the services of hot production team P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri were given control to perhaps push the band to the next level. After all, their songs had been big hits for The Grass Roots, The Turtles and The Searchers. Maybe none bigger than ’Eve Of Destruction’ made popular by Barry McGuire.
’Bittersweet’ is a magical folk-rock tune notable for it’s catchy chorus and pleasant Robbs harmonies. Surprisingly this song has only really ever been digitally compiled on my series of comps. Check it out on Cavestones #20.
A recent search on the Searchin’ For Shakes database reveals that The Robbs have no comp action apart from a cassette only release put out by Strange Things magazine back in 1990 . . . On this they introduced ’Bittersweet’ – I doubt if this cassette is around any more.
End of the week
The flip of this 45 is a Dee Robb original titled ’End Of The Week’, this time around they go for a surf pop approach, similar in style to The Beach Boys’ more obscure surf moments. This song is non LP so well worth you getting a copy.
line-up:
David Donaldson (aka Dee Robb) guitar/vocals
Robert Donaldson (aka Bruce Robb) organ
George Donaldson (aka Joe Robb) guitar
Craig Krampf (aka Craig Robb) drums
Reader comments:
Bass duties was usually done by session players from Hollywood notably Larry Knetchel or Joe Osborn. I used to see them perform at an Appleton beer bar, The Quarry, in the 60s. They were amazing. If I remember right they’d come out and do some warm up stuff then come back for a couple sets.
Dee, on a Rickenbacker (sometimes 12 string), Craig on the drums, Bruce on double base drums, and Joe on an amazing wooden organ (might have Bruce and Joe mixed up).
Super musicians and great sound!! Great lighting. Cool clothing. One set they’d wear motorcycle chain belts that they had gotten from the Milwaukee Outlaws. They were incredible in their original persona, before they got homogenized by big-time.
(Original review 31/05/08)
More about The Robbs on Monocled Alchemist
Here Are The Raving Robbs! | Flip | December 1966
Hello out there, this is Bruce Robb of The Robbs, and I’m here to say a few things about my brother, Joe Robb. Joe stands 5’7″ tall, tips the scale at 155 lbs., has brown hair and brown eyes. Joe has what you might call the built in James Bond image. He’s very spontaneous about things, easy going, and dreams of being the first astronaut to the moon.
He’s not too serious and always ready for fun and games. He’s fairly impatient when it comes to his music. Like the rest of us, Joe really lives for music and is usually somewhere with his guitar in his spare time.
He likes all water sports, and his newest trick— the skateboard which he’s gotten rather excellent on. He likes explosives, and collects all types of weapons. He also enjoys reading science fiction and dating, (not necessarily in that order).
Joe is also what you may term a health fiend. He loves to eat and is very serious about his weight lifting and body-building courses. A party goer at the drop of a hat—Joe is a real fun loving guy.
Hi Gang, this is Craig Robb and I’d like to tell you about Dee Robb. Dee is 5’9″, weighs 155 lbs., has red hair and blue eyes. I guess you could call Dee the “old man of the group”. Since he is the oldest, he gets the respect from us that he demands as a leader. Dee is looked up to for decisions.
He is the songwriter for the group and since we would like to record original material in the future. Dee’s main thought is music which he is really serious about. He has a great sense of humour, sparkling personality, and so wrapped up in show business that sometimes a little temperamental.
He enjoys water skiing, surfing, sleeping, cars, and motorcycles. And like the rest of us enjoys dating whenever he can. Dee is the one who keeps us under control, and if we get out of line, he’s the first to put his foot down. He’s really a great guy and one of the best I’ve ever known.
The Robbs | Bittersweet | (Mercury) 1967
It’s me—Joe Robb with some information for you about my brother Bruce Robb. Bruce is 5’10” tall, weighs a mean 165 lbs., has black hair and brown eyes. Bruce is very happy-go-lucky and very assured as he knows what he wants. And whatever he wants, he goes after.
Bruce is the youngest member of the group and the family for that matter and holds up rather well with all our jokes about his being the ‘baby’ of the family. He really digs all of the groups fans, likes to surf, and is my co-partner in crime on the skateboard.
He has a very rare hobby and that is experimenting with coloured lights. Like the rest of us, he enjoys eating and he lists milk as his favourite food. He s also a sun worshipper and spends many hours by the pool with the California sun. Likeable, pleasant, and funny, Bruce has one worry which always sets us off. He always worries whether or not they’ll complete the Toledo Turnpike!
Hi: This is Dee Robb speaking and I’d like to tell you a little about our Robb cousin Craig Robb. Craig stands 5’11”, weighs 158 lbs. and has blond hair and blue eyes. Craig is the drummer for the Robbs and very dedicated to his music and the group.
Craig expresses a lot of his thoughts through poetry and was the winner of the poet of the year award at Marquette University. He has a large record collection and is extremely fond of the fans our group has. He’s quite serious about physical fitness and concerned with social problems in the world.
Craig is very easy going, seldom moody, always sincere, and a great all around guy, likeable the first time you meet him. He likes music and spends most of his spare time listening to music and playing it. He likes to eat and his favourite food is spaghetti and meatballs. Very conscientious, and always looking ahead, his main concern, above everything else, is the group.
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