A Modest Tribute to Drake Levin
Today in America it’s Independence Day. It’s also the second anniversary of the passing of guitar hero Drake Levin. He came to fame as the lead guitarist for Paul Revere and the Raiders, but when he left that group he formed a new trio called Brotherhood, with fellow ex-Raiders Phil “Fang” Volk and Michael “Smitty” Smith.
I’ve written a detailed story on Brotherhood, drawing on many hours of interviews with a long list of people. That feature will be in an upcoming print issue of Ugly Things. In my research for the feature, many people – band members, roadies, friends, family and fans – helped me out by providing photos from their personal collections. Many of those will be in print for the first time ever when the story runs.
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About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.