The Rascals (initially known as The Young Rascals) were an American rock band, formed in Garfield, New Jersey, United States, in 1965.
Between 1966 and 1968 the New Jersey act embraced soul music, reaching the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 with nine singles, including the #1s "Good Lovin'" (1966), "Groovin'" (1967), and "People Got to Be Free" (1968), as well as big radio hits such as the much-covered "How Can I Be Sure?" (#4 1967) and "A Beautiful Morning" (#3 1968), plus another critical favorite "A Girl Like You" (#10 1967), becoming one of the best known examples of the blue-eyed soul genre, along with the Righteous Brothers. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
The Rascals were inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame in 2010 and also reunited in 2012 for a series of shows in New York and New Jersey. The reunion continued in 2013 with shows on Broadway.
Links to Peel[]
The Young Rascals were one of the American groups to emerge during the era of UK pirate radio, in the mid-1960s, and their hits were played on Radio London, especially their summer 1967 single "Groovin'", their biggest hit in the UK. They also visited Britain and impressed those who saw them in London clubs with their energy and musicianship.
The two tracks below were played on shows that Peel either did not host or co-hosted, but none of the band's music were played on any shows Peel hosted on his own. It seems JP was not a big fan of the group's material, even when they changed their name to the Rascals and developed a new style to appeal to the audience who bought albums rather than singles.
Shows Played[]
- 08 October 1967: How Can I Be Sure (7") Atlantic 584138
- 22 October 1967: How Can I Be Sure (7") Atlantic 584138
- 05 November 1967: How Can I Be Sure (7") Atlantic 584138
- 07 January 1968: It's Wonderful (7") Atlantic 584161
- 14 January 1968: It's Wonderful (7") Atlantic 584161
- 21 January 1968: It's Wonderful (7") Atlantic 584161