MY PROG HERO
PATTERSON HOOD
Inspiring the wider music world…
Stitched from a jam, The Edgar Winter Group’s US chart-topping single Frankenstein set Drive-By Truckers’ Patterson Hood on his way.
Making a bolt for it: The Edgar Winter Group inspired the young Patterson Hood (inset).
GAB ARCHIVE/REDFERNS/GETTY IMAGES
PRESS/ JASON THRASHER
“The first time I heard The Edgar Winter Group was when I was probably eight years old. I was at my older cousin’s house and Frankenstein was a new single – he had just bought the 45. He put it on his record player, and the next day I went out and bought it for myself. It was one of the first records that I ever bought and I’ve still got it. I loved it and around that time, The Edgar Winter Group were on [TV show] Midnight Special and that performance just blew my mind! Edgar has albinism and when the lights hit him, it was kind of trippy; he had that ARP synthesiser on a strap around his neck so he could walk around while he was playing. Ronnie Montrose and Rick Derringer were up onstage with him rocking out. God, what a great band! It was an amazing performance and I loved it. In those days you couldn’t record the show to watch it over so I had to wait for the re-run. Frankenstein didn’t sound like anything else. And I’d really love to hear the original jam from which this was made.