The 26th Marquis Michael Des Barres, known to lovers of the classic film “To Sir With Love” as the kid wearing sunglasses, lead singer, and integral member of bands like Silverhead and Detective (the latter personally signed to Led Zeppelin’s Swan Song Records by Jimmy Page) and as an actor on American TV shows like MacGyver, Roseanne, Ellen, and — as the lead singer of mock punk band — Scum of the Earth from the original run of WKRP In Cincinnati, presents his live EP for 2020, Live At The Hi Hat.
Though some of these are in a lower key than their original recordings, Des Barres and his band The Mistakes pitch their road-warrior rangy rock tight and hard, never missing a trick. Beginning with the drum-heavy opening of Silverhead’s “Hello New York,” into a loud cover of Marvin’s Gaye’s “What’s Going On” — with no melodic relation to the original — there’s plenty of high energy coming through, even when De Barres is yelling more than singing.
A plodding, growling “Get It On” (Bang a Gong)” fares better, probably the best Des Barres vocal of this half dozen. The man certainly has had plenty of attempts at this classic, a staple of The Power Station’s set as it was, a band Des Barres fronted after Robert Palmer left. Another Silverhead tune, “16 & Savaged,” gives The Mistakes and Des Barres their best musical moments. From blistering verses and jams to a retarded chorus where the band actually manages some solid harmonies, this is the stand-out tune for me on Live At The Hi Hat.
Asking the audience if they want to dance, Des Barres and band end this EP with a lightening-sped “Good Golly Molly” into “Have Some Fun Tonight.” The Mistakes should be mentioned here. They blister loud and punk precisely behind their front man from all quarters. The band consists of Matt Starr on drums, Paul III playing bass, Erik Himel on guitar, and Loren Molinare on lead guitar. With Michael DeBarres, they present a solid nasty six tunes on Live at The Hi Hat that will surely rock anyone.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
