Cowsills

Everybody knows The Partridge Family was based on The Cowsills, right? Just as The Monkees on The Beatles. Unfortunately for The Cowsills, they appeared on the scene just as to be seen smiling in promotional pics was viewed as uncool---scowling was the correct pose. And to have your mom in the group?! They also sported high school haircuts (for you younger dudes, there was a dress code in those days; your hair couldn’t touch your ears or your shirt collar), and sang a song which seemed to mock the long hair which was pretty much required in Rock ’n’ Roll at the time. Very uncool.

Susan Cowsill has had an interesting post-Cowsills career. She hooked up with Dwight Twilley in the late-70’s, and they have had an on/off relationship ever since (I could tell you stories ;-) . She was part of a great group in the 90’s, The Continental Drifters, who made three good albums. Other CD members included Vicki Peterson of The Bangles, Peter Holsapple of The dB’s (to whom Susan was for a time married), Mark Walton of The Dream Syndicate (a real *ssh*le---I speak from first-hand knowledge), and drummer/singer Carlo Nuccio, who played on Tori Amos’ first album. He’s really, really good. They were an excellent live group, I saw them quite a few times.

Originally the Cowsills drummer (and later it’s bassist), Barry drowned in New Orleans in 2005 (Hurricane Katrina), and lead singer Bill followed him a year later. After having relocated to Canada, Bill fronted The Blue Shadows, an Alt-Country band. I have two of their albums, which are good. Drummer/singer John Cowsill is currently a member of The Beach Boys road band.