Anyone who ever stained a shop rag with 60-weight oil must have encountered Davie Allan at one time or another. This guitar hero started playing at the tender age of 15 and embarked on a performing career soon afterward. His association with industry mogul Mike Curb began in 1961, when both were young rebels on a mission. Soundtrack work for cult films from that period made him a notable figure with those who ride. In particular, a teen flick directed by Noel Black opened the way. As Davie remembers: “Skaterdater…was my first soundtrack and the musician lineup was so cool (myself, Larry Knechtel, Jim Horn, Joe Osborne and Al Casey). As the story goes, we got “The Wild Angels” from it…” Participation with the latter celluloid adventure (which starred Peter Fonda and Nancy Sinatra) helped promote material he recorded with brethren The Arrows. In particular, the song “Blues’ Theme” became a timeless classic. Watching Fonda cruise on his Panhead chopper while this gut-level tune provides fuel is still irresistible. Later, “The Born Losers” continued that tradition. Cinematic luster soon faded from that twisted era of Roger Corman and his rented outlaws. But those expressive instrumental recordings transcended their original purpose. Generations of newborn rockers imitated his wall of fuzz approach to axemanship after scoring vinyl copies of those collectable tunes. Meanwhile, the whammy-bar assaults continued. His life became a statement of artistic longevity. While more popular figures surrendered to fatigue and excess, Davie maintained a philosophy of minimalism and street values. It was a choice that would serve him well.

For those of us who chewed up miles of asphalt on radical machines, he became an icon of sorts. There was true meaning in each lightning bolt of musical intensity. As he was overlooked by mainstream hacks, the legend grew more complex. (Rolling Stone Magazine’s “Encyclopedia of Rock ’n’ Roll” didn’t even mention his name, for example.) Former bro Curb became a potent force in the business. But his stance against re-releasing most of the vintage Arrows catalogue strangled attempts for a comeback. Again, D.A. speaks with authority: “I’ve lost track of how many letters, calls and e-mails I’ve made about settling the dispute so we could put those ’60s tracks out there. I even sent copies to his right-hand man, his sister and the guy who handles his publishing firm. The responses? NONE!” Missed opportunities and bad luck seemed to follow him through the years. Like “Heavenly Blues,” he seemed destined to remain an outsider.

Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson once said “The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There’s also a negative side.” It would have been easy for Davie to cop a similar attitude. Yet each challenge only hardened his resolve. Eventually, a salvo of fresh compositions appeared. Titles like “Fuzz Fest” or “Loud, Loose and Savage” made them something of a cycle-delic, time warp odyssey. Cover art by Kalynn Campbell captured the mood perfectly. It was like he’d never been away. His goal was simple and straightforward: “I try to retain some of the ’60s flavor while adding more class and more grunge. Now wait a minute, is that possible?” The latest of his discs, “Live Run,” (with the modern lineup of Lee Joseph on bass and David Winogrond on drums) answers that question forcefully. Each track sends a rain of hand grenades through the air. There is more polish and skill involved, but no less fire. As ‘New’ Gandy Dancer Magazine observed, “Davie Allan & The Arrows… are not for the faint hearted…”

Concerns at home have kept the man busy in recent months. Yet he is still hands-on with a personal Web site (www.davieallan.com) and often corresponds directly with fans on the Internet. CDs ordered here have been mailed with DA’s autograph as an added plus. Predictably, talk of movie projects never seems far away. Perhaps the most exciting connection in recent memory was with a producer of the upcoming Sonny Barger motion picture. Consideration for this undertaking is an incredible honor. It says much about how the Arrows’ relics have built a long-lasting reputation. There is an enduring spirit of restlessness in everything that comes from Davie’s guitar. Like Harley-Davidson, he has found a method to make everything old new again. This authentic approach draws new listeners into the fold every year. And those of us who have been in the saddle awhile remain satisfied that this vagabond brother is still hittin’ the highway with a righteous lust for conquest!