Primevil -

Primevil was an American hard-rock/psych band from Indiana that self-pressed the 1972 single “Too Dead to Live,” followed by the 1974 album Smokin’ Bats at Campton’s on 700 West.

Members: Dave Campton (vocals), Larry Lucas (guitar), Jay Wilfong (guitar), Mark Sipe (bass), Mel Cupp (drums)

Background

Primevil formed near Knightstown, Indiana, where guitarist Jay Wilfong reconnected with bassist Mark Sipe, a younger acquaintance from a school-bus route.

Wilfong grew up in Willow Branch, where he started piano lessons at age five and switched to guitar at thirteen. He played in Poverty Programme, a teen garage band.

Primevil recruited Larry Lucas as a second guitarist. They became five with singer–harpist Dave Campton and his prior bandmate Mel Cupp, a guitarist who took the drum chair when the planned drummer missed an early rehearsal behind a sandwich shop.

Campton grew up in Indianapolis, where his older brother Joe played country guitar and brought Beach Boys and Beatles albums into the house. In 1969, Campton and Cupp formed Ezra with singer–guitarist Steve Adams.

Primevil played its first dates at the Hancock County Fairgrounds 4-H building, then worked Indianapolis clubs and Indiana armories. The band hosted J.Q. Hogg’s in Indianapolis with support from WNAP musical director Michael T. John Griffin. Primevil paid for sessions at Ohmit Recording in Indianapolis, where Les Ohmit recorded the 1972 single “Too Dead to Live” b/w “Fantasies” for a 500-copy pressing. After the single, the group moved to Moe Whittemore and Betty Whittemore’s 700 West Recording in New Palestine and financed the sessions for an album.

Smokin’ Bats at Campton’s

Primevil released their debut album, Smokin’ Bats at Campton’s, in 1974 on 700 West.

The album presents hard rock and heavy psych, performed by singer Dave Campton, guitarists Larry Lucas and Jay Wilfong, bassist Mark Sipe, and drummer Mel Cupp. The album credits all eight pieces to one or more Primevil members, with J. Winoker named for lyrics on “Hey, Lover.”

“Leavin’” coils from acoustic space into stop-start riff breaks and a fuzzed lead surge. “Progress” pivots between bright verse motion and blunt riff returns, then crosses a twin-guitar middle break with harmonica rasp. “Fantasies” sprawls through an instrumental route with riff turns and extended section travel. “Pretty Woman” shuffles through a short upbeat pattern with compact title-phrase motion.

“Tell Me If You Can” bursts forward, then drops into a half-time riff block. “Hey, Lover” jolts from off-kilter riffing into fast, rough chant motion. “High Steppin’ Stomper” stamps handclap accents and boot hits against a hard riff line. “Your Blues” lingers over a slow-burn blues form and leaves room for extended lead flights.

A1. “Leavin’” (3:53) – Campton / Lucas / Sipe
A2. “Progress” (3:25) – Campton / Sipe
A3. “Fantasies” (6:00) – Wilfong
A4. “Pretty Woman” (3:11) – Campton / Lucas / Sipe / Cupp

B1. “Tell Me If You Can” (5:20) – Campton / Wilfong / Lucas / Sipe / Cupp
B2. “Hey, Lover” (2:36) – lyrics by J. Winoker, with lyric contribution by Campton and Lucas; music by Primevil
B3. “High Steppin’ Stomper” (4:27) – Campton / Wilfong / Sipe
B4. “Your Blues” (7:24) – Campton / Wilfong / Sipe

Primevil recorded Smokin’ Bats at Campton’s at Moe Whittemore’s 700 West Studio in New Palestine, Indiana. Whittemore added synthesizer in the studio.

Jay Wilfong linked the album title to an incident at the Campton family barn and attributed the cover drawing to the wife of his former Poverty Programme bandmate Dave Scott.

Postlude

Jay Wilfong surfaced in Buccaneer, an Indianapolis powertrio that made a 1980 self-titled album on Blunderbuss Records. Larry Lucas reteamed with Dave Campton and Mel Cupp in the unsigned bands NightOwl and Killerwatt.

Discography: