BATAAN, JOE – DRUG STORY

HIGHLIGHTS
Here it is, for the first time on a 45, ‘Drug Story,’ the lost track by
Joe Bataan. Pure Latin soul, recorded at the peak of the artist’s
career and released 50 years later! A must-purchase for those into
Latin soul and funk. DESCRIPTION
Joe Bataan’s extensive discography was expanded in 2022 with the
release of some old recordings from the King of Latin Soul that had
never been previously published. After the success of his album “Riot!”
(1968), Bataan had easy access to a studio whenever inspiration struck
to record a new song sketch or even a complete track. Sometimes, he
would finish the recording entirely and offer it in its final version
to Fania for release. This usually worked, although on some occasions,
the song was rejected. In the case of ‘Drug Story,’ the track was
recorded without a clear final purpose, even though Bataan hoped it
would become part of an album. When the Fania executives heard the
result, they immediately rejected it, thinking it promoted drug use.
The tapes were filed away and lost in oblivion until they ended up in a
thrift store in New York. From there, they were rescued by a Latin
music specialist and later sold, eventually making their way to the
Vampisoul archives. The song was finally released in its entirety in
2022 on the LP “Drug Story” by Now Again. It features a long, slow
vocal intro that evolves into a more uptempo track with two very
distinct parts, to the point that it almost feels like two different
songs. It transports us to the best moment of Joe Bataan’s career, with
all of his classic ingredients, delivering a track as good as his most
famous songs. Bataan himself takes on the lead vocals and piano, Bobby
Rodríguez handles the flute, sax, and bass, Pete ‘Choki’ Quintero plays
the drums, and William Howes Jr. plays the electric guitar with wah-wah
effects. We thought that the song deserved to be released as a single
as well, and that its structure was perfect for each side to have a
separate identity. So here it is, for the first time on a 45, ‘Drug
Story,’ the lost track by Joe Bataan. Pure Latin soul, recorded at the
peak of the artist’s career!