Barrence Whitfield & the Savages shot out of Boston in the mid-'80s with the force of a cannonball. Through their sweaty dance party shows and love of primal soul, they were to R&B what the Cramps were to rockabilly—a gateway musical drug for nascent underground roots mavens (including a wide-eyed, dewy-eared future Bloodshot co-founder Rob Miller). Along with original Savage Peter Greenberg (The Lyres, DMZ) and Phil Lenker, they released several records on Rounder, became a favorite of BBC DJ Andy Kershaw, toured with the likes of Bo Diddley, Tina Turner, and George Thorogood, and won seven Boston Music Awards. They reunited in 2011 with new Savages Andy Jody on drums, and Tom Quartulli on sax, touring with bands like The Sonics and appearing at SXSW and performing live on famed late night music TV program Later...with Jools Holland on the BBC in 2013. After they reunited in the 21st century, the band released Savage Kings on Shake It Records and Dig Thy Savage Soul, Under the Savage Sky, and 2018's Soul Flowers of Titan on Chicago's infamous Bloodshot Records.