LOUIE LOUIE: Me Gotta Go Now [Paperback]

Dick Peterson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 4, 2005

Worldwide, scores of millions of people recognize the opening strains of 'Louie Louie' the instant they hear them. Whether listening to The Kingsmen blasting away on the radio or CD or tape or watching actors performing in countless movies like Animal House or Mr. Holland's Opus or Dave, people of all ages and backgrounds break into smiles the moment that primal riff first tickles their ears. On a multitude of levels, 'Louie Louie' has embedded itself deep within our collective consciousness and become a permanent element of our cultural identity. Yet few know the true story behind this legendary recording and its aftermath."Since The Kingsmen's release of "Louie Louie" in 1963, a controversy over the questionable lyrics remains unresolved. Untold millions of copies have been sold and well over 1,000 cover versions have been recorded, giving the recording iconic status while crowning the band the "fathers of garage rock" and bestowing The Kingsmen with the title of "America's Party Band".Forty years ago, as a member of The Kingsmen, I lived through, or perhaps I should say "survived", the original pandemonium that surrounded the song. Back then, following an extensive FBI investigation personally directed by J. Edgar Hoover, a federal judge found that our version of the song was "unintelligible at any speed." His declaration gave the youth of America the nebulosity necessary for the growth of the rumors and accusations that helped create the legend of "Louie Louie".Herein the humorous, sometimes unbelievable, details of what really happened to The Kingsmen and "Louie Louie" are revealed for the first time. The never-ending controversy that lies at the heart of this tale is more than just once-upon-a-time history; the legend, the mystery, the wonder of "Louie Louie" live on today.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Born in the Pacific Northwest, Dick Peterson grew up in quaint, picturesque Gig Harbor, Washington, where early on he developed a passion for classical music and a curiosity for Jazz. Moving to Portland as a high school student, at 17 the author joined a local rock-'n'-roll band, The Kingsmen, and soon found himself in the middle of one of the most famous incidents in the history of rock music: the controversy surrounding the alleged dirty lyrics of "Louie Louie." Today, more than 40 years later, he continues to perform with The Kingsmen.He has held positions with Chapel Music, Capitol Records and Avco Embassy Records and acted as musical producer for television specials on ABC, PBS, NBC and CBS. He studied music production under Lamont Dozier and worked under his employ for three years. He has worked with artists like The Pointer Sisters, Mac Davis, Dionne Warwick, Lionel Richie, Dolly Parton, Andre Crouch and Billy Davis; as a performer, he has appeared with The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Ricky Nelson and a host of other legendary music figures. As a songwriter, he has been recorded by artists such as Kenny Rogers, Laura Branigan, Bill Medley and Peter Allen. Winner of the Ginga Musical Festival and a member of the Northwest Music Association Hall of Fame, Mr. Peterson is featured in the Northwest Passage exhibit at EMP in Seattle. He has appeared on The Today Show, American Bandstand, Where The Action Is, Shindig, Hullabaloo, and The Wolfman Jack Show as well as on numerous shows on MTV. He also appeared with Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon in the Beach Party movie How To Stuff A Wild Bikini. 1998 brought an end to nine years of precedent-setting litigation in which he won, for The Kingsmen, the rights to and ownership of all of the Kingsmen master recordings, including "Louie Louie."

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (November 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1420856103
• ISBN-13: 978-1420856101
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,293,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Age of Innocence, February 3, 2006

By 

Jeff Hale (Corvallis, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: LOUIE LOUIE: Me Gotta Go Now (Paperback)

Dick Peterson has given us a glimpse of the end of the age of innocence is this light and personal reflection. In a heart-felt and laugh-out-loud funny way, Peterson has opened a window into the days of carefree frat parties and screaming teens. The Kingsmen became the quintessential college party band in the mid 1960's due to a series of mistakes and miscalculations. The unintelligible lyrics of "Louie Louie" made the band one of the hottest musical sensations. They took the stage with the great touring and recording bands of their time including the Stones, Beach Boys, and Dick and Dee Dee. They also had the F.B.I. and J. Edgar Hoover looking over their shoulder at every turn. This simple time was about to become more complicated.

Peterson wonderfully weaves his personal sojourn of music and friendship into a romping road trip with the boys of the band. The reader is treated to a look at a five naïve boys from Portland, on their first road trip-a trip that would end with the band playing over 500 dates in one year. The band often followed the old music performance circuits and the author links the Kingsmen to a long line of touring acts that regularly played dance halls, skating rinks, and college campuses. Peterson and company is thrilled by the crowds, the freedom, practical jokes, the fans, and of course, the girls. However, the book is not all sweetness and light. The author tells of the trials and tribulations of the group and the conflicts between band members. The pressures of the road, the F.B.I., and competing visions of the band, challenged their dedication to one other.

"Louie Louie" provides a look at America at a time before the death of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King would steal our innocence and harden Americans for the cultural wars of the late 1960's. The Band's reign came to an end with the British invasion and the cultural shift brought on by the Vietnam War. However, like so many other bands, the Kingsmen didn't fall into obscurity. Their version of "Louie Louie" stands alone as one of the most recognized songs of all time and the Kingsmen can still be seen performing around the nation from time-to-time. Peterson shows the value of enduring friendships and returns us to a carefree time when anything was possible.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun read about the early history of the Kingsmen, July 1, 2007

By 

Michael D. Hintze (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: LOUIE LOUIE: Me Gotta Go Now (Paperback)

Dick Peterson's book chronicls the early history of the Kingsmen (in particular 1963 and 1964), and the central role that they played in the history of the song, Louie Louie. Although Dick wasn't part of the band when Louie Louie was recorded, he joined very shortly thereafter, and does a good job of providing the back-story from before he joined. The insights regarding the FBI's investigation of Louie Louie are particularly interesting. And he tells a lot of fun stories along the way

For those interested in the fascinating history of Louie Louie, this book serves as a nice companion to Dave Marsh's book Louie Louie: The History and Mythology of the World's Most Famous Rock 'n Roll Song; Including the Full Details of Its Torture and Persecution at the Hands ... Introducing for the First Time Anywhere, the.

Perhaps the editing of the book could have been a bit tighter. But overall, it was well worth it and very enjoyable. I highly recommend it.

3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not that great, June 10, 2007

By 

G. Smith (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: LOUIE LOUIE: Me Gotta Go Now (Paperback)

this book was written by the "Master of the obvious" After the 1st five pages you could skip each page and still get it.