Teenage Shutdown - Jump, Jive & Harmonize (1995)

After the Back From The Grave series of sixties garage punk compilations, the Teenage Shutdown series, 15 in all, have to be my favorite. These comps have outstanding track selections, no filler, and the sound is very good overall. Some tracks have been previously released on various earlier compilations, but here the sound quality has been greatly improved. I suspect most of you already own all 15 volumes of this outstanding series, but in case you don’t you are SOL because these are out of print. Should you ever come across a used copy, snag it and consider yourself lucky. These were difficult to find, even when they were still in print (at least in my neck of the woods).

Tracks

 1. Jump, Jive and Harmonize - Thee Midniters (Whittier)

 2. Busy Body - Jolly Green Giants (Redcoat)

 3. Slippin’ and Slidin’ - Five Americans (Jetstar)

 4. The Alligator - The Us Four (Rising Sons)

 5. Set Me Free - The Incrowd (Prism)

 6. I Wanna Be Your Love - Cobras (Big Beat)

 7. Can’t You See - Count & The Colony (Pa-Go-Go)

 8. Move It On Over - Del Shannon (Amy)

 9. Get Your Baby - Mark & The Escorts (GNP-Crescendo)

10. It’s Alligator Time - Jimmy Stokely & The Exiles (LTD International)

11. El Monstruo - Los Shains (Odeon Del Peru LP)

12. Monkey Man - Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters (Satellite)

13. Gorilla - The Shandells (Bangar)

14. 83 - Centurys (Renco)

15. (Everybody’s Goin’ To) Rollerland - The Twiliters (Empire)

16. Come On, Come On - The Esquires (Texan/Green Valley)

17. Who Do You Love - The Preachers (Moonglow)

18. Take A Look At Me - Mr. Lucky & The Gamblers (Panorama)

19. Hog (I’m A Hog For You Baby) - The Groupies (Atco)

20. Ain’t That Lovin’ You Baby - The Human Beings (Warner Brothers)

JUMP, JIVE & HARMONIZE

Ill Wind - Flashes + 6 Bonus (1968)

Even though this band was from Boston, they had a great west coast hippie sound. Ken Frankel and Carey Mann originally started this band while attending MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The band was Ken Frankel (lead guitar, banjo), Carey Mann (bass, vocals), Conny Devanney (vocals), Richard Griggs (rhythm guitar, vocals) and David Kinsman (drums). Dominated by Conny Devanney’s wonderful crystal clear vocals, and some great psychedelic guitar jamming. The harmonies between Devanney and Mann are just great, complimenting each other perfectly. Their version of the often recorded High Flying Bird is one of the best that I’ve heard. Another excellent one from the Bosstown scene.

FLASHES

The Guess Who - It’s Time (1966)

After the failure of “Hey Ho” the band was at a crossroads, they would choose a road which would forever alter the course of Canadian Music. In December 1965 keyboardist Bob Ashley bailed and Burton Cummings was brought in as his replacement. Cummings already had a wild reputation and was local star in The Deverons from North Winnipeg. Cummings started singing very little in the beginning, but as the weeks went on the band wanted him to sing the harder edged songs. The band travelled to Minneapolis’ Kay Bank Studios to record their third album. With 9 of the 12 songs on the album written by the band, Randy Bachman’s writing was taking off. The vocals were split between Chad Allan’s pop sensibilities and Burton Cummings edge. Chad Allan bowed out in May of 1966 just one month after the album sessions. After his departure Bruce Decker, another former Deveron, briefly took Chad’s spot. By the fall of 1966 the band was down to Bachman, Cummings, Kale and Peterson. This longest lasting and most familiar lineup would accrue worldwide fame with a string of million sellers beginning in 1969 with “These Eyes.”

IT’S TIME

Chad Allan & The Expressions - Hey Ho (What You Do To Me) 1965

New York based Scepter records licensed “Shakin’ All Over” for American release, the record eventually reached #22. In July of 1965 the band was invited to record in New York, there they recorded “Hey Ho (What You Do To Me)” which  became the bands American follow-up to “Shakin’ All Over.” The single failed to make the Billboard 100, but did chart at #3 in Canada. Scepter at this point wanted to release an album, several tracks were recorded but never released. Back in Canada the band was still very popular, so Quality records wanted to release a second album. Many of the tracks on the Hey Ho album came from the New York sessions. Unable to cash in on the success of “Shakin’ All Over” and the band was floundering, but still striving to make it. Touring the American midwest playing church basements and community  club dances kept the band alive. But change was on the way... 

HEY HO

Chad Allan & The Expressions - Shakin’ All Over (1965)

Canada’s first rock superstars with their debut album. From Winnipeg the band on this recording was Chad Allan, Randy Bachman, Jim Kale, Gary Peterson and Bob Ashley. Their remake of the 1960 British hit “Shakin’ All Over” by Johnny Kidd & The Pirates was released on January 16, 1965. By March 22 it hit the number one spot on the RPM singles chart, knocking off The Beatles “Eight Days A Week.” Based on the singles success a debut album was quickly ordered. The album released in the summer of 1965 pulled together several of the band’s previous recordings. There are some great band originals like “Stop Teasing Me” and “I’d Rather Be Alone” mixed some well done covers and of course “Shakin’ All Over.”

SHAKIN’ ALL OVER

The Freeborne - Peak Impressions (1967)

Boston psychedelic band The Freeborne released Peak Impressions on the Monitor label in 1967, this would be their first and last album. One of my favorites from the Bosstown scene, perhaps not as well known as The Beacon Street Union or Ultimate Spinach but just as deserving. Some great psych with loads of experimentation, more of an organ emphasis than guitar with some jazzy moments. To me some of this has a touch of Country Joe & The Fish feel to it, just check out Peak Impressions & Thoughts. You can’t beat the first five songs, just excellent. The remainder of the album doesn’t quite hold up as well, but it is still a wonderful album that shouldn’t be missed. And of course, as always, if you dig it... buy it and support these artists.

PEAK IMPRESSIONS

Pebbles - Vol. 4 (1990 ESD)

Here it is, the final volume of the ESD Pebbles series, I hope you have enjoyed them all. This time around we have another whopping 24 tracks of great garage records for you to feast your ears upon. With one of the greatest records of all time, “Like A Rolling Stone” by The Soup Greens, leading things off you know it’s gonna be good.

Tracks

 1. Like A Rolling Stone - The Soup Greens

 2. She Needs Me - The Grains Of Sand

 3. Anxious Color - The Painted Faces

 4. You Burn Me Up And Down - We The People

 5. At The Rivers Edge - New Colony Six

 6. You’ve Got A Hard Time Coming - The Remains

 7. Feel The Music - The Vejetables

 8. I’m Not Talkin’ - Things To Come

 9. Train Kept A-Rollin’ - The Rogues

10. Mona - The Teddy Boys

11. Goin’ Away Baby - The Grains of Sand

12. She Ain’t No Good - The Brandywines

13. Stop, Get A Ticket - Clefs of Lavender Hill

14. It’s Cold Outside - The Choir

15. The Expectation - The Dutch Masters

16. If You Still Want Me - Four Fifths

17. Bad Woman - Pat Ferrell & The Believers

18. Dance Franny Dance - Floyd Dakil Combo

19. Go Gorilla - The Shandells

20. If You Don’t Come Back - The Gents IV

21. I’ve Got Nightmares - Q65

22. Love Is My Life - The Golden Cups

23. Hey Joe - Roks

24. To Masturbate - Mad Sound

LIKE A ROLLING STONE

Pebbles - Vol. 3 (1990 ESD)

Volume 3 of the ESD Pebbles series and were back in the garage with 26 more great records.

Enjoy . . .

Tracks

 1. Be A Cave Man - The Avengers

 2. Rich With Nothin’ - The Split Enz

 3. Don’t Tread On Me - Kit And The Outlaws

 4. Primitive - The Groupies

 5. Look Out World - Silver Fleet

 6. Don’t Crowd Me - Keith Kessler

 7. How Much More - Terry Knight And The Pack

 8. Don’t Send Me No Flowers (I Ain’t Dead Yet) - The Breakers

 9. Like What, Me Worry? - 006

10. Ain’t About To Lose My Cool - The Original Dukes

11. Bad Part Of Town - The Seeds

12. I’m A Nothin’ - The Magic Plants

13. I’m A Leather Boy - The Leather Boy

14. How Many Times - The Rovin’ Flames

15. I’m A Man - The Litter

16. High On A Cloud - The Traits

17. Blackout of Gretely - Gonn

18. It’s Trash - The Cavemen

19. Cold Clear World - The Dick Watson Five

20. Leave Me Alone - The Knaves

21. Tilt A Whirl - Leo And The Profits

22. Fluctuation - The Shades Of Night

23. 1-2-5 - The Haunted

24. Are You A Boy Or A Girl? - The Ravens

25. Good Times - Nobody’s Children

26. Green Fuz - Randy Alvey

I’M A NOTHIN’

Pebbles - Vol. 2 (1989 ESD)

Okay, here is the second volume of the ESD Pebbles series. Volume two is more of an acid punk affair, with lot’s of great trippin’ stuff. Just like the first volume there is a lot of tracks here that have had more recent releases and sound quality updates, but this is still loads of fun to listen to regardless.

Tracks

 1. The Diamond Mine - Dave Diamond & The Higher Elevation

 2. Suzy Creamcheese - Teddy & His Patches

 3. Suicidal Flowers - Crystal Chandelier

 4. Swami - William Penn V

 5. Flight Reaction - Calico Wall

 6. Loose Lip Sync Ship - The Hogs

 7. The Reality of (Air) Fried Borsk - The Driving Stupid

 8. Voices Green And Purple - The Bees

 9. The Spider And The Fly - The Monocles

10. The Trip - Godfrey

11. Faces - T.C. Atlantic

12. Dom Keller Os Mods - Lea Riders Group

13. Boil The Kettle Mother - The Id

14. The Evil Eye - The Burning Bush

15. The Wall - Naked Truth

16. Running Through The Night - Mystic Tide

17. 17 Diamond Studded Cadillacs - Unsettled Society

18. Hydrogen Atom - The Bedlam Four

19. Suzie’s Gone - Afterglow

20. Savage Affection - The Holocaust

21. Up In My Mind - The Spontaneous Generation

22. Generation - The Jelly Bean Bandits

VOICES GREEN AND PURPLE

Pebbles - Vol. 1 (1989 ESD)

I must confess... I know next to nothing about this release. Even though it is titled Pebbles Vol. 1 this release varies from the album and CD versions of 

Pebbles Vol. 1 currently available on AIP. There are 4 volumes in all, released between 1989 and 1990 on ESD. What I do know is these four volumes are chocked full of great sixties garage records, most of which I consider classics. An

d if you are a novice this is a great place to start exploring more obscure tracks that go beyond Psychotic Reaction and Talk Talk. Hope you enjoy, maybe if I get enough positive feedback the other 3 volumes will magically appear.

Tracks

 1. I Can’t Stand This Love, Goodbye - The Others

 2. Gotta Get Some - The Bold

 3. Girl I Threw Away - The Knaves

 4. Shame -King’s Ransom

 5. Nice Try - The Sinners

 6. Let’s Do Wrong - Bougalieu

 7. I Dig Your Mind - Nervous Breakdowns

 8. Out Of My Hands - The Endd

 9. Everything’s There - The Hysterics

10. Bad Woman - Fallen Angels

11. I Want My Woman - The Emperers

12. A Someday Fool - MG & The Escorts

13. Kim And Grim - You Don’t Love Me

14. Melvin - The Belles

15. What A Girl Can’t Do - The Hangmen

16. It’s A Cryin’ Shame - The Gentelmen

17. Do You Believe Me? - Byron & The Mortals

18. Enough - Bohemian Vendetta

19. She Taught Me Love - Kama Del Sutra

20. No Friend Of Mine - The Sparkles

21. Enough Of What I Need - Stoics

22. Beaver Patrol - The Wild Knights

23. Let’s Talk About Girls - The Tongues of Truth

24. It’s Your Time - The Weeds

25. I Wanna Do It - Robin & The Three Hoods

PEBBLES 1

Casey Jones And The Governors (1997)

Casey Jones & The Governors second album from 1965 + 16 bonus tracks.

“Casey Jones was always a spirited performer and ambitious leader. He may have missed out on the huge success enjoyed by many of his more illustrious sidemen and past associates, but someone had to drive the train!” Chris Welch 1997

Tracks

 1. Yockomo

 2. Casey’s New Hand Jive

 3. Smoking The Blues

 4. My Babe

 5. Lucille

 6. All You Wanna Do

 7. Hall Of The Mountain King

 8. Come On Everybody

 9. Baby Why Did You Say Goodbye

10. Doctor Feel Good

11. All My Sorrows

12. You Got What It Takes

13. Beautiful Delilah

14. Guitar Boogie

Bonus Tracks

15. Little Girl (alternate stereo mix)

16. Don’t Ha Ha (mono single mix)

17. Nashville Special (mono single mix)

18. Jack The Ripper (mono single mix)

19. Come On And Dance

20. It’s Alright

21. Down In The Valley (as Casey Jones & The Engineers)

22. It Seems I’ve Waited Too Long (as Casey Jones & The Engineers)

23. Dream A Girl

24. Pretty Pretty Girl

25. Mervin Guy

26. Sands

27. Keep On Knocking (as Casey Jones Government)

28. Beechwood Park (as Casey Jones Government)

29. Zebedy Zak (as Casey Jones & The Engineers)

30. Casey’s Blue Train (as Casey Jones & The Engineers)

CASEY JONES

Turds On A Bum Ride - Volume 3 (1991)

The third and final volume of Turds On A Bum Ride. More rare and obscurities from the psychedelic sixties. Much like the first two volumes this one is a mixed bag of sixties sounds with more of a psychedelic tendency.

Tracks

 1. Introduction

 2. Hear You Cry - Rain

 3. Ease My Mind - Destination Soul

 4. Hang Up - Five By Five

 5. Theme From Outlaw Drivers - Lenny McDaniel

 6. Confusion All Day - Violents

 7. Marchin’ Peonies

 8. The Hobo - The Good Rats

 9. Shadow Man - Shadow Mann

10. Like The Flowers - Better Sweet

11. You... I - The Climax

12. You Gotta Be Me - Shadow Man

13. You’re Not Going To Change My World - The Savage Generation

14. Two Of A Kind - The Huck Finn

15. Introduction Part 2

16. Love - Wellington Arrangement

17. LSD Warning (from University St, Seattle)

18. Don’t Make Me Cry - Cucumber

19. He’s Got The Knack - Graffiti

20. World On Fire - Crystal Rain

21. Jury Gagarin In Space

22. Sorcerella - Jefferson Lee

23. Under - Cucumber

24. Peach Fuzz Forest - Crystal Garden

25. One Way Street - Holiday Brown

26. Patch of Grass - The Purple Fox

27. Spiraling Void -

TURD 3

The Merseybeats

Originally formed in 1960 as The Mavericks, by mid 1962 they changed their name to The Mersey Beats with and made their recording debut with a version of Ruby and the Romantics “Our Day Will Come.” Bob Woolen, the boss of Liverpool’s Cavern Club secured the group a contract with Fontana, resulting in their first single, Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “It’s Love That Really Counts,” climbing to no. 24 and staying in the charts for 12 weeks. It was the next record, Peter Lee Stirling’s “I Think Of You” that really put them on the map, as it raced to number 5 and remained on the listing for 17 weeks, undoubtedly helped by a strong B side, Bacharach and David’s “Mr. Moonlight.” They had two more major hits, “Don’t Turn Around” and “Wishin’ and Hopin.’”

Tracks

 1. Milkman

 2. Hello, Young Lovers

 3. He Will Break Your Heart

 4. Funny Face

 5. Really Mystified

 6. The Girl That I Marry

 7. Fools Like Me

 8. My Heart And I

 9. Bring It On Home To Me

10. Lavender Blue

11. Jumping Jonah

12. Don’t Turn Around

13. It’s Love That Really Counts

14. The Fortune Teller

15. I Think Of You

16. Mister Moonlight

17. Wishin’ and Hopin’

18. Last Night (I Made A Little Girl Cry)

MERSEYBEATS and ARTWORK

Bangor Flying Circus - S/T (1969)

Bangor Flying Circus was a progressive rock trio from Chicago, formed in mid-1967. It consisted of David “Hawk” Wolinski, Alan DeCarlo and Tom Schiffour. Schiffour was replaced by former H.P. Lovecraft member Michael Tegza in late 1968. Wolinski and Schiffour had previously been in the Shadows of Knight. They put out this self-titled album in 1969. After the demise of Bangor Flying Circus, Wolinski and DeCarlo would later form Madura. Internet source

BANGOR FLYING CIRCUS

Turds On A Bum Ride (1989)

Yet another comp of lost sixties treasures and such. Since the release of this 2CD compilation in 1989 a lot of these bands and songs have seen reissues of their recordings. But there is still enough tracks on here that haven’t been reissued to warrant snagging this one.

Tracks

Disc 1

 1. I Just Don’t Know - MC5

 2. No Girl Gonna Cry - Music Machine

 3. Boil The Kettle, Mother - Id

 4. Jingle Bells - Blues Magoos

 5. Lazy Lady - Macabre

 6. The Spider And The Fly - Von Ruden

 7. Get Away From It All - Northwest Company

 8. A Trip So Wild - Ron-De-Vous

 9. Hometown - Silk Winged Alliance

10. I’m Gonna Make You Mine - Shadows Of Knight

11. Tendency To Be Free - Rabbit Mackay

12. I Want To Be Free - Sparkles

13. Poor Precious Dreams - The Jelly Bean Bandits

14. Complication - Monks

15.  Numbers - Terry Knight & The Pack

16. Looking At You - MC5

17. Baby Show Me The World - Sons Of Adam

18. Dark Part Of My Mind, Part 1 - Captain Groovy And His Bubblegum Army

19. Sock It My Way - Animated Egg

20. Falling - Orphan Egg

21. Love - The Novells

22. For A Moment - The Orient Express

23. Aries - Zodiac

24. Hanana - Little Storm

25. Love Me Two Times - New York Public Library

Disc 2

 1. Go Insane - The Doors

 2. Mr. Madison Avenue - Lollipop Shoppe

 3. Don’t Lose Your Mind - The Galaxies IV

 4. First Grade Reader - Ohio Express

 5. Iowa, A Girl’s Name - The Baroques

 6. Train To Bombay - The Orient Express

 7. It’s Wrong - Orphan Egg

 8. Silver Wings - Hamilton Streetcar

 9. Who Do You Love - Blues Magoos

10. Hey Mr. President - The Electric Prunes

11. Man Who Paints The Pictures - Fever Tree

12. Animal Man - Kim Fowley

13. Up And Down - Mom’s Boys

14. Vietnam - Bobby Jameson

15. Lonely Man - Max Frost And The Troopers

16. Poor Discarded Baby - The Koala

17. I’m With You - Mijal And White

18. You And Me - Crystal Rain

19. Changes Brought To Me - Neighb’rood Childr’n

20. Good Trip Lollipop - The Bermuda Jam

21. Bonus Track ?

22. Judy - Von Ruden

TURD 1 and TURD 2

Kenny & The Kasuals - Thngs Gettin’ Better/Nothing Better To Do (1993)

The Lone Star State’s Kenny and the Kasuals were a great regional band formed in 1963. During the 60’s they released numerous singles (7) and a live (well not really) album from 1966. The garage reissue renaissance of the early 80’s saw two Kenny & The Kasuals albums released, consisting of their singles and outtakes. Most probably know this band best for Journey To Time an acid punk classic. There are numerous other garage classics spattered about on these two albums like Things Gettin’ Better, Raindrops To Teardrops, Nothing Better To Do, Floating and Strings of Time. This is currently out of print, maybe someday a fine company like Sundazed or Norton will release an anthology, until then . . .

JOURNEY TO TIME

Casey Jones And The Governors - Don’t Ha Ha (1997)

Guess who booked The Beatles for his support act? Guess who had Eric Clapton in his band on lead guitar? Guess who had a smash hit in Germany and could go “Ha, Ha” to the world? Yep - Casey Jones - that’s who! So who was this mysterious Casey Jones? None other than Brian Casser, leader singer of Cass & The Casanovas, first of the Merseybeat groups. He was also the leader of Casey Jones & The Engineers, one of the original British R&B revival groups. And he was the same Casey Jones who led The Governors to fame in Germany in the late sixties.  from the liner notes

This was Casey Jones & The Governors debut album released on the Golden 12 label in 1964.

ENJOY

Supertones - Ride The Wild Twang! (1994)

Great surf from this New York quartet, released in 1994. These guys really nail the 60’s surf instrumental sound down to a tee.

Tracks

 1. K39

 2. The Cruel Sea

 3. Torque Wrench

 4. Mr. Moto

 5. Sand Pumper

 6. Outer Limits

 7. Wingnut

 8. Pipeline

 9. Supertone Stomp

10. Bulldog

11. 1,000 Foot Road

12. Walk Don’t Run ’94

13. Rawhide

14. Telstar ’95

15. Penetration

TWANG!

Glimpses - 1 & 2

Volumes 1 and 2 of the now classic Glimpses compilations on 1 CD. Some well known stuff here, a lot of these bands seem to be from Michigan, why not I suppose it’s a treasure trove of great garage records (just check out the Fenton Records Story for more evidence of that). Some really great songs from the pre Kind of a Drag Buckinghams, Illusion, Yorkshires, Troyes, Ruins, Galaxies IV and Count & The Colony. 

Tracks

 1. A Question of Temperature - The Balloon Farm

 2. City of People - The Illusion

 3. Wild Illusions - The Ninth Street Bridge

 4. Maid of Sugar, Maid of Spice - Mouse & The Traps

 5. Hot Smoke & Sassafras - Nite People

 6. Out of Sight, Out of Mind - The Marauders

 7. Don’t Want To Cry - The Buckinghams

 8. Love - The Wellington Arrangement

 9. And You’re Mine - The Yorkshires

10. Rainbow Chaser - The Troyes

11. If You Could Read Me - The Roy Sorensen Group

12. My Life - West Minist’r

13. The End - The Ruins

14. Don’t Lose Your Mind - Galaxies IV

15. ’Cause I Love You - The Pastels

16. I Will Not Touch You - The Baroques

17. Like The Flowers - Better Sweet

18. Can’t You See - Count & The Colony

19. Nightmare - The Marauders

20. The Dance at St. Francis - The Barracuda

21. Bright Lights, Big City - West Minist’r

22. I Missed My Cloud - Hoppi & The Beau Heems

23. Mystery Ship - The Mystic Tide

24. Help Me Find Myself - The Troyes

25. I Don’t Love You No More - The Continental Co-Ets

26. Remember - The Baroques

27. Love Comes, Love Dies - The Troyes

GLIMPSES

Brownsville Station - (1977 Private Stock)

From 1977, Brownsville Stations’ 7th album. Brownsville Station is probably best know for their 1973 hit Smokin’ In The Boys Room which reached #3 in the US and #27 in the UK. This album also contains the novelty hit Martian Boogie and My Friend Jack. The rest of the album has some great hard rock tunes like Hot Spit, Sleazy Louise and the “should have been a big hit category” Lady (Put The Light On Me). Unfortunately founder Cub Koda passed away in 2000 and the band has been inactive for many years.

Tracks

 

1. Hot Spit

 2. Sleazy Louise

 3. Lady (Put The Light On Me)

 4. Lover

 5. Mr. Johnson Sez

 6. (Throw Me A) Lifeline

 7. Rockers’ N’ Rollers

 8. My Friend Jack

 9. Ain’t That A Shame

 10. The Martian Boogie

MARTIAN CIGARETTES

Garagelands - Volume 1 (1990)

Another dose of 60’s garage goodness for you all to enjoy. This was compiled by Strange Things Magazine and released in 1990. This is a nice rounded compilation with pleasing sound on all tracks. Some great garage tunes on this one as usual, but as an added bonus there is a fair number 60’s pop tunes on this compilation from Gasoline Powered Clock, Peppermint Trolley Company, Gentrys and the Shy Guys. Some good fuzzy punk from Third Booth, Grim Reepers, Beckett Quintet, Spiders and the Shades and the Era of Sound for their great opening 10 seconds of fuzz on Girl In A Mini Skirt. And what would a well rounded comp be without a few crazy tracks that inject some acid into their garage from the likes of Jokers Wild, Household Sponge, Sunliners and Fountain of Youth. There’s even a couple moody Hannah like garage from the Wanted, Grim Reepers and Household Sponge. Something for everyone, check it out.

TRACKS

 1. On The Go - The Leather Boy

 2. Not Fade Away - Corporate Image

 3. I Need Love - The Third Booth

 4. All I See Is You - Jokers Wild

 5. Here To Stay - The Wanted

 6. Two Souls - The Grim Reepers

 7. Gone - The Plastic Blues Band

 8. Forest Fire on Main St. (Run, Run, Run) - Gasoline Powered Clock

 9. Soulin’ - The Leather Boy

10. Days of Rest - Peabody

11. No Correspondence - The Beckett Quintet

12. Don’t Blow Your Cool - The Spiders

13. 9 O’Clock Business Man - The Peppermint Trolley Company

14. You Make Me Feel Good - The Gentrys

15. Don’t Blame Me (For Trying) - Fountain of Youth

16. Lay Down and Die, Goodbye - The Nazz

17. ? Mystery band

18. Land of Nod - The Sunliners

19. Girl In The Mini Skirt - Era of Sound

20. Midnight Hour - The Wanted

21. Mr. Kirby - The New Yorkers

22. Let’s Do The Thing - The Cincinnati Music Co.

23. Second Best - The Household Sponge

24. Gypsy Girl - Vinnie Basile & The Staccatos

25. Ballot Bachs - The Shades

26. Scars - The Household Sponge

27. She’s Gonna Cry - The Onion Rings

28. Joanne - The Grim Reepers

29. Why (Ain’t Love Fair?) - The Wylde Maniacs

30. Don’t Blame Me - 5 Americans

31. We Gotta Go - The Shy Guys

GARAGELANDS

Tail Gators - Tore Up (1988)

As eluded to in an earlier post, this is the killer debut from the Tail Gators. So if you dug Mumbo Jumbo you will love Tore Up. I love the cover, it pretty much gives you a visual of what this record is all about.

TORE UP

Jason And The Scorhers - Both Sides Of The Line (1996)

This band shouldn’t need any introduction, these guys blazed a trail for the cowpunk/alt country scene that followed. This set contains 2 full albums, Fervor (1983) & Lost & Found (1985). This is rockin’ country with a punk energy like none before, Warner Hodges guitar work is fantastic and Jason’s twangy angst ridden vocals are just killer. If these guys ever come to a town near you, don’t miss it, their live shows are excellent. According to their website something is in the works for spring of 2009, check it out here. If you have had the misfortune of never hearing this band, this is the place to start, from the opener Absolutely Sweet Marie you will be hooked. Turn it up!!!!!!!!! And if you enjoy this please support these guys, they deserve it!

JASON

Hodge Podge Barrage From Japan - Vol. 1 (1996)

Great comp of mostly Japanese and American garage punk and surf bands released on 1+2 Records. A lot of well known bands like Girl Trouble, Mono Men, The 5, 6, 7, 8’s, Jeff Dahl, Devil Dogs, Young Fresh Fellows, Chesterfield Kings, Jackie & The Cedrics, Fastbacks and The Raunch Hands along with a bunch of unknown acts who can hold their own.

HODGE PODGE

Hang It Out To Dry! (1994)

Outstanding 60’s garage compilation, contains 11 hits from the What A Way To Die album (another classic compilation). Classic garage goodies from Bud & Kathy, The Pleasure Seekers, The Grains of Sand, Richard & The Young Lions and The Living Ends just to mention a few. The sound quality on this one is great. Highly recommended!!

HANG IT OUT TO DRY!

The Kravin’ “A”s - Krave On! (1993)

Formed in 1987 by Bruce Brand, previously the Milkshakes drummer, switching to guitar in the Kravin’ “A”s he was joined by members of other famous Medway garage bands. The Kravin’ “A”s recorded this gem in February on 1988 and it remained unreleased until 1991 when Billy Childish released it on his Hangman label in 1991 on vinyl only, it was finally released on CD by Get Hip in 1993 and is sadly out of print at this time. Good mix of mostly originals with a few good covers.

KRAVE ON!

The Blow Pops - Charmed I’m Sure (1992)

Great power pop album from this Milwaukee quartet, released in 1992 and produced by John Frankovic of Plasticland, who adds a few psychedelic tinges here and there. This record is full of great catchy songs, great guitar riffs, and choruses that will have you singing along. All songs were written by the bands Tim Buckley and Mike Jarvis, except for one Who cover. The Blow Pops have definitely studied the great pop records of the  60’s and 70’s and distilled those sounds into their own sound, and what a wonderful sound it is! The band made one more album in 1994 before calling it quits.

CHARMED 

The Charlatans - From The Red Dog To Straight Stree: Live In The 60’s

Some live tracks and demos from legendary early San Francisco psychedelic band The Charlatans. Beware this bootleg jumps all over the place chronologically and in sound quality, some tracks are downright primitive. There are 8 tracks from 1968 demos, these have the best sound quality of the bunch. 

LIVE

The Datson Four - See! (2000)

Here we have an excellent record from 2000, heavily influenced by the 1960’s british mod scene, especially the Who, just listen to I Am The Eye, Agent Eleven and Man Without Mercy. Of course the band would go on to sign a deal with New York label Rainbow Quartz and change their name to The High Dials, stylistically more of a psychedelic power pop band.

SEE!

Mersey Beat

Good god more Mersey stuff, you all must be getting sick of that? Anyway here is another great dose of Mersey sounds. Some fairly common stuff here that everyone has heard many times before from the likes of Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Swinging Blue Jeans, Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas, The Fourmost and Tiffany. But what makes this release interesting is the abundance of not so common tracks by Earl Royce & The Olympics, Valkyries, The Black Knights, The Kubas, The Dimensions, Beryl Marsden and Rory Storm & The Hurricanes. This is a great release for the casual or hardcore Mersey fan alike, everyone will find something to dig, and the sound is great too. This release can still be obtained relatively cheaply from Amazon etc., so please support these artists and snag a copy if you enjoy it.

MERSEY BEAT

Rolling Stones - Rough, Dirty and Irresistable!

Some early live Rolling Stones from 1964-1965. Mostly R&B covers, with two Jagger/Richards compositions. Tracks 1-5 were recorded in London on July 25, 1964. Tracks 6-16 were recorded live in Paris L’Olympia on April 18, 1965.

ROUGH AND DIRTY

Crawling Walls - Inner Limits (1985)

This slab of Vox organ driven garage/pop psych was a one shot deal for The Crawling Walls, according to Knights of Fuzz the band was never seen performing live. Lot’s of great organ/guitar interplay around shifting tempos makes for a rewarding spin. As a bonus it has cool cover art by R.K. Sloane. Recorded in Albuquerque, New Mexico at Bottom Line Studios and released on Voxx in 1985. Band members were Bob Fountain (Vox & vocals), Larry Otis (guitar, vocals), Nancy Martinez (bass, vocals), Richard J. Perez (drums, vocals). All 11 songs are originals penned by Bob Fountain. 

INNER LIMITS

Yard Trauma (1984)

Most of you know who Lee Joseph is, for those who don’t he’s the guy who created and runs Dionysus Records. I like this record an awful lot, great fuzzy guitar with a cool sounding Farfisa organ to boot.

Lee and Joe Dodge started Yard Trauma in Tuscon at the end of 1982. After releasing a single “Some People” b/w “No Conclusions” followed by this album, the band decided to call it quits. But seems the album got good reviews in the underground press which inspired the band to reform and make a go of it. The band released 3 more albums, all on the Dionysus imprint.

So if you like this why don’t you show your support and purchase one of the many fine recording from Dionysus Records, there are plenty to choose from.

YARD TRAUMA

Rockats - Live At The Ritz (1981)

These guys must have had a blast playing this show, the band was certainly hitting on all cylinders that’s for sure. Great upbeat live rockabilly, with tons of energy.

In 1980 after Levi & The Rockats brokeup, Stepen “Dibbs” Preston (guitar) and Smutty Smith  (bass) decided to keep the band going. Preston moved to vocals and Barry Ryan and Tim Scott joined on guitars along with ex New York Dolls and Heartbreakers drummer Jerry Nolan on drums. Eventually Jerry Nolan left to rejoin the Johnny Thunders And The Heartbreakers, and was replaced by Lewis King. Chris Blackwell (owner of Island Records) signed the band, in 1981 they released Live At The Ritz to rave reviews and gained a national following. The next year the Rockats hit the road headlining their own shows as well as opening for national acts. After the tour Tim Scott and Lewis King left the band. With replacements Danny B. Harvey and Mike Osbourne the band released an EP in 1983, Make That Move. Success was not to be, as the band dissolved in 1985.

GO KAT WILD

Drunk On Rock - Volume One 1998

This is 100% unfiltered Rock and Roll. Pure and dangerous. This ain’t your daddy’s Rock and Roll (though it very well could have been, if you had a cool daddy-o). Don’t worry kids, Rock and Roll in it’s purest forms is very Punk. I had to put that “P” word in there, so you wouldn’t be afraid to like it. And isn’t that funny, because Punk (as well as R‘N’R) is supposed to have No Fear, if I may use an overused, incorporated expression, that’s quite humorous and ironic in the places it turns up. Anyway, here’s 26 pure Rock and Roll bands from all across The States (not just New York and California) and a couple more from outside those boundaries. There are many different styles of music represented on this disc, but they all have one thing in common. They are all the passionate Rock and Rollers who wear their hearts on their sleeves and leave their blood and guts on the stage (some quite literally).   from the liner notes

DRUNK

At The Cavern

Original LP recorded live at the Cavern Club in Liverpool in 1964 and released on Decca records, also includes the Big 3 at the Cavern EP originally released in 1963. Good stuff!

CAVERN

The Tail Gators - Mumbo Jumbo

Texas comes through again! Former members of the LeRoi Brothers (Don Leady) and Fabulous Thunderbirds (Keith Ferguson) along with Gary Smith formed this rock ‘n’ roll band in Austin, TX in the late eighties. Great dirty guitar driven blues rock, with a wonderful cajun swamp feel on some tracks an accordion even pops up here and there. This is their second tasty release on the Wrestler label.

MUMBO JUMBO

Devil’s Children: Hellacious Sixties Punk Rarities

Another fine collection of sixties garage bands from Australia. No Back From The Grave killers here, but there is still a lot to enjoy, some winners from the likes of The Soundelles, D-Coys, Jimmy Crockett & The Shanes, Pilgrims Five, Morloch, Vacant Lot, Spinning Wheels, Purple Hearts and the Birds amongst others.

HELLACIOUS

The Masters Apprentices - From Mustangs To Masters: First Year Apprentices

An exciting raw 21 track  rehearsal from April 21, 1966, taped in a garage behind the King’s Head Hotel in Adelaide. Coming just a couple of months after The Mustangs changed their name to The Masters Apprentices. The reel-to-reel tapes were rescued from the garden shed of the groups original manager Graham Longley. Great set of R&B covers along with two originals (Wild Wild Party and  John St. Blues) played with plenty of spunk and enthusiasm, the sound is loud and crude. Don’t pass this one by.

MASTERS

Kwyet Kings - Firebeat (1994 That’s Entertainment)

Norwegian masters of that 60’s garage sound. Swirling organ with ripping guitar, with a sound similar to the Fuzztones. Every song is a winner here, mostly originals with a few covers. They do a great version of Richard & The Young Lions “Open Up Your Door” and a version of the Firebeats “Let Me Tell You” whom I know nothing about but would love to hear more of them. I assume they were an Norwegian 60’s act. Anybody got the goods on these guys? I believe there is a snippet (after a long silence) at the end of track 10 on this cd that is the original “Let Me Tell You” by the Firebeats? At any rate this album is highly recommended for all garage aficionados out there, it will not disappoint. As far as I know this has been out of print for along time and, when it was in print it was difficult to find (at least in the states). If you enjoy this please do seek out their other releases as well, Singles ’N’ Shit, Been Where? Done What?, Cherrypie.

FIREBEAT