Poobah: Let Me In 1972

 

Poobah are a rock band from Youngstown, Ohio, U.S., which was founded in 1972 by Jim Gustafson.

The band played classic 70s rock or simply rock. Especially the first record Let Me in is a rare collector's item. Prices between $300 and $900 for an original are not uncommon. Poobah released a total of 14 albums from 1972 to 2020. The band gained more popularity through the use of their songs in the television series Graves and the Hollywood film Josie.
                             

Jim Gustafson was the guitarist and singer in the band Daze Endz in 1967. In 1968, at the age of 15, he

recorded his first record, the single "What Can I Do?" / "Knock On Wood". He wrote and sang the songs and played electric guitar. Phil Jones, later founding member of Poobah, played bass on the recording.
                                  

From 1969 to 1972, Gustafson was the guitarist and singer in the band Biggy Rat. His second single,

"Look Inside Yourself / I'm A Woman" was produced in Memphis Tennessee by Billy Cox, the bassist with the recently deceased Jimi Hendrix. Other members of the band were Scott Hunter, Gary Dipasquale, Shirliann Shank, later Steve Rohrbaugh and Frank Amedia. Biggyrat support Cheech & Chong, Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper, Sugarloaf and others.
                             

After Gustafson left Biggy Rat, he formed the hard rock trio Poobah with bassist Phil Jones and

drummer Glenn Wiseman. The band's name derived from the nickname of a feared girl at Gustafson's school. In 1972, Gustafson used a small inheritance from his grandmother to record the album Let Me In in Peppermint Studio, Youngstown, Ohio. The album had great success on local radio stations. The first pressing of 500 copies, sold out in one day by National Record Mart.
                                         

After disputes with Gustafson, Wiseman left the band in 1973 and was replaced by sixteen-year-old Steve Schwelling. Wiseman later returned to the band, but soon left again and was replaced by Nick

Gligor. The new line-up was working on the next album while they did tours and shows with Ted Nugent, Canned Heat, Alice Cooper, ZZ Top, Blue Öyster Cult, Spirit, Uriah Heep, Mitch Ryder, Glass Harp, The Godz, Foghat, Tim Curry, Judas Priest, Sean Lennon, Les Claypool, Eddie Money, James Gang, Cheech & Chong, Brownsville Station, Mark Lindsay, Trent Reznor (9 Inch Nails), Mark Chatfield, Sugarloaf and others. In 1974, Nick Gligor and guitarist Pat O'Horo left Poobah, to form their own band.
                                      

New members were drummer Gene Procopio and keyboardist Ken Smetzer, who added Hammond organ to the sound of Poobah. The band also made several appearances on television during this period.

The album U.S. Rock was recorded in 1976 with the record company A.E.I. Records. Camelot Music Distribution, who had already sold their entire stock of Poobah records, pre-ordered 5,000 copies of the new album. Poobah, preoccupied with touring, noticed too late that A.E.I. Records was in financial trouble. As a result of the bankruptcy of their record company, Poobah disbanded in 1978. Jim Gustafson played in other bands, but no records were released in that time.

It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine (Interview) HERE

                                         

Poobah – Let Me In
Label: Ripple Music – RIP CD005
Format:    CD, Album, Reissue, Special Edition, Special Collectors Edition
Land: US   
Genre: Rock
Style: Hard Rock

TRAXS

                              

01. Mr. Destroyer    6:01
02. Enjoy What You Have    6:10
03. Live To Work    2:55
04. Bowleen    6:05
05. Rock N' Roll    3:48
06. Let Me In    6:41

BONUS TRACKS           

07. Here's The Band    0:20
08. Make A Man Outta You    7:12
09. Upside Down Highway    3:42
10. Walk Of The Bug    2:51
11. Blooey Gooey    1:07
12. Going To Rock City    2:51
13. Smoke    3:14
14. Mr Destroyer (Live Rehearsal)    5:19
15. Passion For Freedom    2:08
16. Aww, Not Now    2:44
17. Bowleen (Radio/45 RPM Version)    3:31
18. I’m Crazy, You’re Crazy    3:46

MP3 @ 320 Size: 175 MB
Flac  Size: 562 MB