Formed in the fall of 1960, Mike & The Ravens are that most unique of species, i.e. a living example of garage band americanus - a pre-Beatles rock'n'roll group that still fields their original lineup. The youths - Mike Brassard on vocals, the twin guitar attack of brothers Bo Blodgett on lead and younger sibling Steve on rhythm, Brian Lyford on bass and Peter Young on drums - signed to Empire Records in the spring of 1962. The band issued three 45s over the ensuing months. Unlike their peers, Mike & The Ravens recorded only original material penned by either Mike Brassard or Steve Blodgett. Those 7' singles now fetch hundreds of dollars on eBay. Teenage shenanigans struck on Labor Day Weekend 1962. At midnight, Steve Blodgett, Brian Lyford and Peter Young broke into the Stowe Community Church in Vermont and played a rock'n'roll LP over the steeple PA. The evil sounds were heard for miles around. The three musicians were jailed and the band came to an abrupt end. Reformed in 2007, Mike & The Ravens have had a most unlikely comeback. Their first full length album - 'Noisy Boys! The Saxony Sessions' - was hailed by no less a luminary than Chuck Eddy, senior editor at 'Billboard' and author of the seminal 'Stairway To Hell,' who named the recording to his Top 100 Albums of 2008. The band quickly issued a sophomore effort, 'No Place For Pretty,' which met with the same amount of critical praise. This vinyl 45 - their first since Empire Records issued their last 7' in 1962 - is now out on Twang! Records out of Germany. That single consists of 'Greyhound Bus' b/w 'Pretty Polly' and features Finland's finest female singer, Salla Day of Them Bird Things, doing a duet with the extraordinary Mike Brassard.