Soul Inc. must have been a righteous way to spend a Saturday night in 1967. What could be better than a band which switched effortlessly between straight-up garage rock, classic rhythm & blues and grooves inspired by Booker T. & the MG's? Twin guitars, horns, a kicking rhythm section -- that's some sexy music, and more than one shotgun marriage must have had its beginnings after a Soul Inc. gig.
Three decades later, one of Louisville's best bands is getting a second listen thanks to Gear Fab Records, a Florida-based label that specializes in re-releasing obscure rock 'n' roll. The music holds up surprisingly well, and some of it sounds remarkably fresh. Marvin Maxwell, Wayne Young, Jim Settle, Frank Bugbee and Jimmie Orten should be proud.
Many of the group's best-known songs are here, including its biggest hit, "I Belong To Nobody," and its strangest, "Stronger Than Dirt." Sure, some of it sounds dated, especially "60 Miles High" (you do the math), but the strong aggressive performances are consistently fun.
The story behind this record's existence is almost as good as the music.
Earlier this year, it was brought to Maxwell's attention that Soul Inc. singles were hot sellers on the European rock-geek circuit. The 45s had even been bootlegged on compilation CDs of American garage rock. Some people would have seen a lawsuit, but Maxwell and a friend, Walker Ed Amick, saw a cool opportunity: If the world still wanted Soul Inc., then they'd give it Soul Inc.
Some internet searching led them to Gear Fab, and some basement searching at Louisville's Allen-Martin Productions uncovered 60 Soul Inc. tracks recorded in the 1960's, many of which had never been heard. They also found a lot of other bands, some of which were forgotten before they even started.
Gear Fab was ecstatic and now plans to release several volumes of the Louisville Music Series. This is the first, and it's essential for any complete set of Louisville music history. Buddy, it's stronger than dirt.