Incredible band! I was at the Goose Lake Music Festival in 1970 where they first performed this! What a show! They still got the mojo. Bass player passed away in 2021. Bummer!
I was at the Goose Lake Pop Festival in August 1970 with friends. We ha all been drinking electric cool-aide and were stoned out of minds after watching Iggy & the Stooges whip the crowd into almost and insane out of control frenzy. Third Power followed and things settled down a bit, but we were out of our gourds, stoned. Suddenly, the band came back out for an encore and played 'The Little Drummer Boy'. I instantly recognized it as a christian song and miraculously, instantaneously, was straight sober ... clear as a bell. I told my friend Dusty, he was suddenly straight also. I said something to 8 or 10 people around us in the crowd ... all of us miraculously somehow were all sober and straight instead of stoned out of our minds. I will always remember that performance. It was life changing.
I was there too. Although I can’t say that I immediately sobered-straight up, it certainly had a spiritual effect on me and made me realize this was not just another hard rock band from Detroit - they were that - but they were something deeper and more unique than anything I had heard before. This band never got the respect they deserved and that was largely because of the record label they signed with. I only wish they hadn’t tossed in the towel so soon. That was a much tougher business than it is today. Even the mighty MC5 gave up the ghost too soon. Today, countless rock stars credit the 5 as their inspiration. What does that tell you? Detroit really had it going on. It was just a matter of time. Unfortunately, these bands had to eat too. There just wasn’t the boatloads of money floating around as there is today. Sad.
I hitchhiked to Goose Lake from Minneapolis alone at age 17. It was wonderful and it was there I first heard of Third Power! Been a fan ever since! Thanks for the memories guys!
I roadied for them many times at the Grande and at the Detroit Fairgrounds and at Goose Lake. Was in touch with Jem Targal, the bass player, exchanging tracks from our home studios, until he dropped off the air. I didn't realize he had died.. born in 1947, he was only two years older than me. What a loss. At their best Third Power could channel Cream perfectly, and had their own unique set of originals.
I was fortunate to see them on Christmas Eve 1968 at the Grande. They were opening for Iron Butterfly . The Hong Kong flu was going around and their drummer had it bad looking like he would drop over at any minute. They did a phenomenal set including the first time I heard their version of little drummer boy. For their last song they did Toad , Ginger Baker's drum solo cream song. The drummer thundered the place down with the greatest sol this side of John Bonham. From where we were we could see Iron Butterfly just off stage waiting to go on, and their drummer was staring wide eyed with his mouth hanging open. You could just see him thinking this local guy on a small gigging kit just tore me a new one. He looked afraid to try to follow him.
Those were the days of Detroit rock. Third Power,, The Frost, Amboy. Dukes, Mitch Ryder, and Bob Seger to name a few. Little Drummer Boy is my favorite Xmas song. Bob Seger's version is the best.
Incredible band!
I was at the Goose Lake Music Festival in 1970 where they first performed this! What a show!
They still got the mojo. Bass player passed away in 2021. Bummer!
I was at the Goose Lake Pop Festival in August 1970 with friends. We ha all been drinking electric cool-aide and were stoned out of minds after watching Iggy & the Stooges whip the crowd into almost and insane out of control frenzy. Third Power followed and things settled down a bit, but we were out of our gourds, stoned. Suddenly, the band came back out for an encore and played 'The Little Drummer Boy'. I instantly recognized it as a christian song and miraculously, instantaneously, was straight sober ... clear as a bell. I told my friend Dusty, he was suddenly straight also. I said something to 8 or 10 people around us in the crowd ... all of us miraculously somehow were all sober and straight instead of stoned out of our minds. I will always remember that performance. It was life changing.
I was there too. Although I can’t say that I immediately sobered-straight up, it certainly had a spiritual effect on me and made me realize this was not just another hard rock band from Detroit - they were that - but they were something deeper and more unique than anything I had heard before. This band never got the respect they deserved and that was largely because of the record label they signed with. I only wish they hadn’t tossed in the towel so soon. That was a much tougher business than it is today. Even the mighty MC5 gave up the ghost too soon. Today, countless rock stars credit the 5 as their inspiration. What does that tell you? Detroit really had it going on. It was just a matter of time. Unfortunately, these bands had to eat too. There just wasn’t the boatloads of money floating around as there is today. Sad.
I hitchhiked to Goose Lake from Minneapolis alone at age 17. It was wonderful and it was there I first heard of Third Power! Been a fan ever since! Thanks for the memories guys!
I roadied for them many times at the Grande and at the Detroit Fairgrounds and at Goose Lake. Was in touch with Jem Targal, the bass player, exchanging tracks from our home studios, until he dropped off the air. I didn't realize he had died.. born in 1947, he was only two years older than me. What a loss. At their best Third Power could channel Cream perfectly, and had their own unique set of originals.
I was fortunate to see them on Christmas Eve 1968 at the Grande. They were opening for Iron Butterfly . The Hong Kong flu was going around and their drummer had it bad looking like he would drop over at any minute. They did a phenomenal set including the first time I heard their version of little drummer boy. For their last song they did Toad , Ginger Baker's drum solo cream song. The drummer thundered the place down with the greatest sol this side of John Bonham. From where we were we could see Iron Butterfly just off stage waiting to go on, and their drummer was staring wide eyed with his mouth hanging open. You could just see him thinking this local guy on a small gigging kit just tore me a new one. He looked afraid to try to follow him.
My Buddy JEM
Many great times
Those were the days of Detroit rock. Third Power,, The Frost, Amboy. Dukes, Mitch Ryder, and Bob Seger to name a few. Little Drummer Boy is my favorite Xmas song. Bob Seger's version is the best.
Wonderful!! There's Drew. Very cool
Love it guys ... beautiful music!!!
Where's the rest of this concert? would somebody post the whole concert?
Beautiful....And my Mothers only and favorite Christmas song
Very nice
Thank you your comment just showed up
I was at Goose Lake.
Saw them play this at a concert at CMU in December 1971. Awesome. My all time favorite version of this song. Too bad they never recorded it.
John Kniffen Like Me Love me, last like 30 secs
How awesome!!
I wanna hear Persecution.
HAVE IT! I'll ask the bands permission to post it.
I'd only heard of this. Amazing