The history of the Flamin’ Groovies dates back to 1965, when the band made its debut as the Chosen Few in their hometown of San Francisco, California. After changing their name and releasing a self-produced 10-inch album titled Sneakers, which sold an impressive number of copies, the band caught the attention of Columbia Records, who signed them and released their first full-length album, Supersnazz, on the Epic label. The next two albums were released on the Kama Sutra label: Flamingo and Teenage Head, now considered a classic.

Singer Roy Loney then left the band and guitarist Cyril Jordan moved the band to England, with Chris Wilson (formerly of Loose Gravel) taking over as leader. They continued in their direct, guitar-driven rock ‘n’ roll style, but this time with a more pronounced influence from the 1960s than the 1950s. In the early 1970s, they recorded several singles for United Artists at the legendary Rockfield Studios in Wales, under the guidance of producer Dave Edmunds. In 1976, they signed with Sire Records, which released three true power pop gems: Shake Some Action, Flamin’ Groovies Now, and Jumpin’ In The Night.

Another lineup change occurred over the next decade when Wilson moved to England and joined the Barracudas. The Groovies continued their career throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, touring Australia and Europe, releasing a high-quality but little-known album entitled Rock Juice, before finally calling it quits. Jordan formed a new band called Magic Christian, while Wilson released solo albums in Europe.

In 2013, Jordan, Wilson, and founding member and bassist George Alexander reunited for the first time since 1981. They were joined by drummer Victor Penalosa, who faithfully replicates the style of the classic recordings while adding his own personal touch. The quartet entered the studio to record new material and complete some long-lost recordings. They recently toured Japan, Australia, London, and the United States, and performed at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Fans were delighted with what they called a “dream set list,” including original songs that the band had never performed live before.