Treat Her Right

Treat Her Right was a blues rock group formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1984. The band featured Morphine founder Mark Sandman on guitar, Billy Conway on drums, Dave Champagne on guitar, and Jim Fitting on harmonica. Singing and songwriting duties were shared by all but Conway. Treat Her Right's self-financed and self-titled debut was released on a small Boston record label in 1986. It was a modest success; Champagne's "I Got a Gun" and Sandman's cover of James Blood Ulmer's "Where Did All the Girls Come From?" received some play on college radio. "I Think She Likes Me" describes Sandman's experience in a Fairplay, Colorado bar where a woman came on to him. The group signed to RCA Records, who reissued the debut in 1988. Tied to the Tracks was issued in 1989. Sales did not meet RCA's expectations. In the notes for their third record, the group writes, "RCA decided that if our little basement tape could do so well, why not spend fifty times more money and it will be fifty times better! (They think everything works like that.)" Treat Her Right were dropped from their RCA contract. What's Good for You was issued on Rounder Records in 1991. The ragged, live-in-the-studio sound was partly modeled on the model established by Chess Records, which had released many classic blues and early rock and roll records. Shortly after this third release, Treat Her Right disbanded.