The Renegades: Charge/Geronimo (American International)

I never knew American International Pictures had its own record label, too. Must've been short-lived, because this is the only thing I've seen on that label. Maybe some of you more label-wise cats can tip me off to any other releases from AIP's label. Other than that, the info's right on the label. Both sides come from AIP's 1959 obscurity "The Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow" (anyone see it?), they're both instrumentals with a lot of guitar, and they're both produced by none other than Kim Fowley, a few years before he had success producing The Murmaids' "Popsicles & Icicles."

Also, both songs were composed by one Nick Venet, who would soon become a record producer for Capitol Records, signing The Beach Boys, Bobby Darin and Glen Campbell....all within a month's time in 1961. Venet was playing music with Bruce Johnston around the time this was issued, so I'm wondering if the Renegades were just a studio band or not. At any rate, both songs do indeed rock. They're both high-speed, three-chord rockers with hot guitar and sound effects. On "Geronimo," it's gunshots and Indian war whoops. On "Charge," it's calvary bugles and galloping horse beats.

And that's that in a nutshell. Oh, I forgot to mention that "Charge" has a crazed piano solo midway through. And they both clock in at two minutes or less. After that, not much else to say.