The Sparrow (lead vocalist John Kay, Mars Bonfire, Jerry Edmonton, Goldy McJohn and Nick St. Nicholas) recorded "The Pusher" (Hoyt Axton) in 1968. The album was re-released in 1969 as Early Steppenwolf.

One year later with a name change to Steppenwolf (John Kay, Jerry Edmonton, Goldy McJohn, Michael Monarch and Rushton Morve) and a re-recording of "The Pusher" on their debut self-titled LP. In 1969 the movie Easy Rider featured the song with it's lyric "heavy metal" originally referred to motorcycles. The album peaked at number six but "The Pusher" surprisingly to many with foggy memories didn't chart. Like a few other issues I just assumed it was a hit. Opps!