Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs

What with everybody these days sinking their teeth into dandruff groups like Kenny and the Kasuals, the Music Machine, the 13th Floor Elevators, the Chocolate Watchband, the Sonics, the Shadows of Knight, and on down the list (sorry if I left out your favorites), it's only logical that the name Sam the Sham should crop up every now and then within collectors" circles. Not that he's esoteric, mind you. In fact, the booger had two million selling records in just one year — "Wooly Bully" and "Li'l Red Riding Hood." But for some reason people simply got tired of hearing Sam and his Pharoahs rehashing the same old riff. So he passed into obscurity, and most of his albums can now be obtained in bargain bins for around 47 cents per.

To fully appreciate Sam and his music, tho, you have to be familiar with tacos, greasy whores, and tequila. I mean, Sam the Sham's real name is Domingo Samudio, and you could probably assume as much just from looking at his face. Nevertheless, it's a good name. Now this Domingo ringworm was bom in Dallas. Dallas is perhaps the roughest looking city in America, and you can't even cross a street there without getting shot at. It's the perfect hangout for crazies of all sorts. Domingo grew up in this type of environment, but he avoided all the hailstones and pitfalls (primarily because his brain was jelly). He even went so far as to enroll in Arlington State College, but I expect he was much too stupid for that route. So eventually he purchased a Farfisa organ and got some gigs together and spoured the garbage heaps for some incompetent musicians. And he hit the jackpot, too!! One member was a TV wrestler and another was a butcher and the third sucker played football and I think the fourth dude was actually an undertaker. It don't matter none nohow. The important thing to remember is that they were all morons, and none of em had any musical background before.