That's Cool That's Trash: A History of the First Punk Era, Part 2

THE STANDELLS story convolutes through a media maze. Russ Tamblyn's brother, Larry Tamblyn, had already recorded on an East L.A. Mex-punk label when he founded the Standells in '63, adopting ex-Mousketeer Dick Dodd as a drummer. As evidenced on their first album, In Person At P.J.'s, the Standells began as an archetypal punk band (i.e. the Kingsmen), performing the standards ('Money', 'Louie Louie') for the "Watusi elite." Tangled in the Hollywood scene, the band appeared in Get Yourself a College Girl, provided music for Zebra in the Kitchen and When The Boys Meet The Girls, and were showcased on TV shows like Lloyd Thaxton and various L.A. dance parties. Yet the Standells' most famous media moment occurred on an episode of The Munsters, in which they parody the invading British by playing 'Come On  and Ringo' for impersonators of Maynard G. Krebs. Herman Munster: "I'm going to rest easier tonight knowing that the future of America is in the hands of fine young men like the Standells."