For a band to not only last nearly 40 years together but keep scaling more imposing heights, it’s going to need a sense of purpose. In the case of The Woggles, the seasoned garage rockers approach that milestone with a renewed rallying cry to move ever forward!
The Woggles now feature a two-guitar attack of Graham Day (The Prisoners, Solar Flares, Thee Mighty Caesars) and Shane Pringle (Tiger! Tiger!, Bad Spell), with Shane switching to saxophone for some songs.
The band is touring in support of their rarities compilation Stop Take A Minute out on Steven Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records label. The title track is a recent “Coolest Song in the World” both on Van Zandt’s Siriusxm Channel and his syndicated over the air radio program. The balance of the album features b-sides and unreleased tracks that include contributions from Steven Van Zandt (Little Steven), Keith Streng (Fleshtones) Peter Greenberg (Barrence Whitfield & The Savages/Lyres/DMZ), and Pat Beers (The Schizophonics).
“The band is not as much an institution as a way of life,” says frontman “The Professor” Mighty Manfred. “The main thing is to keep swimming, cause the shark has got to keep moving.”
The band continues to feature the sock-it-to-them rhythm section of bassist Buzz Hagstrom and drummer Dan Eletxro, both also sometime members of savage English rockers Graham Day & The Gaolers.
“Alan Freed once said that ‘Rock and roll is a river of music that has absorbed many streams,’” quotes Manfred. “The Woggles drink from its many tributaries, from early rock and roll and R&B to ’60s garage rock, British Invasion, ’60s soul and forward.”
Fusing pure rock and soul from vintage sources into their own singular sound, The Woggles lay it down hard and loud but with more majesty than recklessness. Their beats and riffs are as strident as Manfred’s swagger and strut onstage. Having played in the past with Johnny Cash, Link Wray, The Zombies and nearly every garage rock group worth its salt, as Meredith Ochs wisely advised on NPR All Songs Considered: “Go see a Woggles show. It will change your life.”