BIOGRAPHY AND DISCOGRAPHY

 
Never a formal group but rather a make-shift collection of New Orleans musicians assembled for a week’s worth of sessions when Mercury Records came to town in either late 1949 or early 1950.

Normally such a unit wouldn’t merit a mention for their collective work, as studio units were very common in this era, but when Mercury affixed label credit to the “group” under bassist Miller’s name and then issued a single by them to boot, they become more deserving of being singled out, especially as they also backed Professor Longhair on his only national hit and were equally impressive behind other vocalists during that brief stretch.

Aside from Miller on bass, the full lineup consisted of Jack Scott (of Paul Gayten’s group) on guitar, though Joe Gaines reportedly played the instrument on his own tracks; Lester “Duke” Alexis on drums; Alex “Duke” Burrell on piano (sitting out on Longhair’s sides who of course played on his own records), and the dual tenor saxophones of Leroy “Batman” Rankins (of Roy Brown’s Mighty, Mighty Men) and Lee Allen. If there’s a trumpeter to be heard it likely is Dave Bartholomew sitting in.
 

GEORGE MILLER & HIS MID-DRIFFS DISCOGRAPHY (Records Reviewed To Date On Spontaneous Lunacy):

BALD HEAD
(Mercury 8175; March, 1950)
As backing band to… Professor Longhair. A sparse track that somehow sounds densely packed with Duke Alexis’s skittering drums the most notable part as everyone else has no choice but to take a back seat to ‘Fess’s inimitable musical charms. ★ 10 ★

HEY NOW BABY
(Mercury 8175; March, 1950)
As backing band to… Professor Longhair. Some odd horns and quirky fills that are fit for the most unusual artist in all of rock make this another example of how the group could adjust their approach for someone who didn’t follow the normal musical ground rules. (6)

BABY GET WISE
(Mercury 8176; March, 1950)
As backing band to… Alma Mondy. With rolling rhythms and storming horns, this is a vibrant track that is locked in tightly with Mondy who never falters herself, making it one of the best examples of New Orleans rock fury. (9)

JUST AS SOON AS I GO HOME
(Mercury 8176; March, 1950)
As backing band to… Alma Mondy. As cohesive as they were on the A-side they’re just as out-of-step here, never meshing with Mondy’s vocals, throwing the whole song out of whack save for a brief Lee Allen solo that works well on its own. (1)

LOST LOVE
(Mercury 8179; May, 1950)
As backing band to… Theard Johnson. Far too straitlaced and orderly an arrangement that isn’t helped by Johnson’s weak vocals, this is a poor attempt at classy pop in a rock setting. (1)

SHE WON’T LEAVE NO MORE
(Mercury 8180; May, 1950)
As backing band to… Little Joe Gaines. The band does their job admirably here, although most of the credit needs to go to Joe Gaines who delivers the best moments on guitar, but the others hold up their end efficiently. (5)

SNUFF DIPPER
(Mercury 8180; May, 1950)
As backing band to… Little Joe Gaines. Some tight playing, with another stellar guitar solo by Gaines himself, are the best aspects of an otherwise forgettable song. (4)

BOOGIE’S THE THING
(Mercury 8183; May, 1950)
A brilliant jam-session type cut showcasing their stellar musicianship and arranging skills with overlapping parts and surprisingly effective vocal framework to give it some needed structure, a worthy testament to their talents. (8)

BAT-LEE SWING
(Mercury 8183; May, 1950)
A showcase for the saxophones of Batman Rankins and Lee Allen the idea winds up being better than the execution, for while they both play well they’re not afforded the opportunity to really cut loose and blow up a storm making this something of a let-down. (4)