The beginnings of “Come To Me” weren’t exactly auspicious. John Cowsill first played the song in a live setting decades ago with his brother Barry, who was overdoing it on the whammy bar at the time.
“It was really starting to drive us crazy,” says Cowsill, who, aside from his platinum-selling tenure with his family’s group, spent 23 years as a drummer and vocalist for the Beach Boys.
This updated version of “Come To Me” can be found on Long After The Fire (Label 51), Cowsill’s first album with his wife of more than two decades, Vicki Peterson (Bangles, Continental Drifters). Made up of songs written by John’s late brothers, Barry and Bill Cowsill, the LP is set for vinyl release on April 12, Record Store Day.
“The first time I heard ‘Come To Me’ was off a cassette recording,” says Peterson. “You could tell the band didn’t really know the song, and you can hear Barry on the recording repeatedly saying, ‘Pick it up!’ because the band was dragging the tempo. I think Barry would be so pleased with the atmosphere we created (on the new version), and (producer) Paul Allen gets the credit for the ’70s-style reprise outro. The Cowsills were the first band I ever heard do that type of reprise on their song ‘Contact Mae.’”
We’re proud to premiere Vicki Peterson And John Cowsill’s “Come to Me.”
—Hobart Rowland
