Steppenwolf - Born To Be Wild / A Retrospective US 2x Cassette LP *NEW*

Born To Be Wild / A Retrospective by Steppenwolf.

U.S. Double Cassette LP.

   1991

Factory Sealed / Mint

Steppenwolf is a Canadian-American rock band best known for pioneering hard rock and proto-metal in the late 1960s. Their sound combined bluesy rock, psychedelic elements, and anthemic songwriting, and they are most famously credited with introducing the term "heavy metal" to popular music through their iconic track “Born to Be Wild.”

🔹 Quick Facts:

• Formed: 1967, Los Angeles, California

• Founder/Frontman: John Kay – vocals, rhythm guitar

• Genres: Hard rock, blues rock, psychedelic rock, acid rock

• Known For: Rugged vocals, gritty guitar riffs, biker anthem sound

🔹 Signature Songs:

1. “Born to Be Wild” (1968)

   • Their most iconic hit

   • Includes the lyric “heavy metal thunder,” often cited as the first use of the term in a rock context

   • Featured in the film Easy Rider (1969), cementing its place as a counterculture anthem

2. “Magic Carpet Ride”

   • Fuzzed-out guitar, heavy groove, psychedelic lyrics

   • Major hit and FM radio staple

3. “The Pusher”

   • Dark, bluesy anti-drug song

   • Also featured in Easy Rider

4. “Rock Me”

   • A sultry, slow-building rocker with one of Kay’s best vocal performances

5. “Snowblind Friend”

   • A powerful anti-drug ballad written by Hoyt Axton

🔹 Key Albums:

• Steppenwolf (1968)

  • Debut album featuring “Born to Be Wild”, “The Pusher”

• The Second (1968)

  • Includes “Magic Carpet Ride”, “Don’t Step on the Grass, Sam”

• At Your Birthday Party (1969)

  • Grungier, heavier; includes “It’s Never Too Late”

• Monster (1969)

  • Politically charged concept album

  • Includes “Monster/Suicide/America”, a scathing commentary on U.S. politics

• Steppenwolf 7 (1970)

  • Features “Snowblind Friend”, “Who Needs Ya”

🔹 Legacy:

• Pioneers of hard rock and proto-metal, paving the way for bands like Black Sabbath and Deep Purple

• Credited with influencing biker rock culture—leather, Harleys, and gritty rebellion

• Known for mixing social commentary with rock music, especially in songs like “Monster” and “The Pusher”

🔹 Band History:

• Originally emerged from Sparrow, a Canadian rock band

• Underwent numerous lineup changes over the decades

• John Kay remained the constant voice and face of Steppenwolf

• Final touring version: John Kay & Steppenwolf, which retired in 2018

🔹 Pop Culture:

• Easy Rider (1969) helped immortalize “Born to Be Wild” and “The Pusher” as counterculture rock staples

• “Magic Carpet Ride” has appeared in dozens of movies, shows, and video games

• Their music is often associated with freedom, rebellion, and anti-establishment ideals

🔹 Fun Facts:

• John Kay was born in East Germany and fled to Canada as a child

• The band’s name was inspired by the Hermann Hesse novel Steppenwolf

• Steppenwolf was among the first bands to combine hard rock with sociopolitical messages

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