Dick Dodd

A Mouseketeer on the original Mickey Mouse Club TV show, Dick Dodd went on to help pioneer the West Coast rock of the early '60s. After playing drums and singing with the Casuals, Eddie & the Showmen, and the Bel-Airs, Dodd accepted an invitation to join the L.A.-based group the Standells, replacing Gary Leeds, who changed his name to Gary Walker and found fame with the Walker Brothers. In addition to playing on the Standells' 1966 hit tribute to Boston's Charles River, "Dirty Water," he appeared with the group in the 1967 film Riot on Sunset Strip. Working with the Standells' manager, producer, and lyricist of "Dirty Water," Ed Cobb, Dodd recorded a solo album, First Evolution, in 1968. Although he released two singles -- "Fanny" b/w "Don't Be Ashamed to Call My Name" and "Guilty" b/w "Requiem" -- neither provided the hoped-for breakthrough and Dodd faded from the spotlight. Three decades later, in November 1999, Dodd reunited with former Standells keyboardist/guitarist/vocalist Larry Tamblyn and guitarist Tony Valentino to perform for the Cavestomp! series at the Westbeth Theater in New York. An album recorded during their performance, Ban This! Live from Cavestomp!, was released in 2000. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide