Aired on Treasure Island Oldies – December 1, 2024

In the mid-60s, one of the more popular Canadian blues rock bands was the Sparrows who experienced a key change in personnel when guitarist and singer/songwriter, John Kay, joined the group.

The group made its way to California in late 1966, playing alongside groups like the Doors and the Steve Miller Band, dropping the “s” at the end of their name to become the Sparrow.

In late 1967, the Sparrow again changed their name, this time to Steppenwolf, inspired by German writer Hermann Hesse’s novel of the same name. Two years later, their third charted release gained prominence by appearing on the soundtrack for a 1969 counterculture cult film.

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Back in 1969, it was rare to see accurate portrayals of young people in film. But that changed forever with the release of Easy Rider, an exploration of social issues and tensions surrounding a growing liberal youth movement in the U.S. during the 60s. That included hippies, drug use, and communal lifestyle.

Easy Rider’s director Dennis Hopper said at the time, “At every love-in across the country young people were smoking grass and dropping acid, while back home audiences were watching Doris Day and Rock Hudson.”

Until the independently made Easy Rider graced the big screen, it was also rare for young people to hear current music they loved on a film soundtrack—especially rock music.

And that’s where Steppenwolf comes in. Their 1968 debut record went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and soon became an anthem for the counterculture and for those who rode motorcycles. AllMusic’s Hal Horowitz described it best as “a roaring anthem of turbo-charged riff rock” and “a timeless radio classic as well as a slice of 60s revolt that at once defines Steppenwolf’s sound and provided them with their shot at AM immortality.”

In 2018, the song was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a new category for single releases.

Sometimes recognized as the first heavy metal song, its second-verse lyric “heavy metal thunder” marks the first use of this term in rock music, even though it is referencing a motorcycle, not a musical style.

Easy Rider was a profit-making movie that hit 60s counterculture with a shock of recognition. With it, the rock soundtrack album came of age and gave the music industry an additional income stream.

The younger generation resonated with the movie and the soundtrack, with many adopting a behavior that showed they were “Born To Be Wild.”

YouTube listing of the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMbATaj7Il8

This “Moments In Time” story is yet another example of a “golden oldie” or forgotten favorite that earned its place in the evolution of Rock & Roll.