Garage Freaks!

They can’t get girls, still live with their parents, and are not as talented or successful as their A-Squad British counterparts: they are garage rock pioneers. Sure, they always seem to have a chip on their shoulder (wouldn’t you?) but to me garage rock pioneers are the early, unsung (and largely forgotten) heroes of rock music and their exciting, primal, and in your face brand of rock n’ roll planted the seeds for all the music that came after them including glam, power pop, punk, hardcore, metal, and new wave.

The Standells

Most ‘60s garage rock pioneers were one-hit wonders but some have stood the test of time and still sound amazing (I think the Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie” is one of the greatest songs ever recorded and I don’t even know the lyrics). With the exception of the Troggs (who were British) America’s ‘60s garage band explosion was a response to the British Invasion but U.S. garage rockers had a rougher, more primitive sound and although these cheeky, pre-punk Yanks could probably beat their British counterparts in a street fight, besting the Brits on the American music charts was another matter.

The Troggs

If kids like it then parents usually hate it and to me classic garage rock represents freedom, youthful rebellion, and everything great about my American childhood: junk food, comic books, and television (especially ‘60s classics like Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, Groovy Goolies, and Gilligan’s Island) not to mention bicycles, Saturday, Halloween, Christmas, and summer vacation. Garage rock’s primitive beats, unruly attitude, spooky organ, and catchy melodies are enough to make any kid want to start a garage band (I did) and just make some noise. With its hard-edged, high energy proto-punk designed to excite the rock n’ roll adolescent in all of us, garage rock pioneers’ music will always have a place in any society where there are girls, boys, parents, and garages. Here are some of my favorites. Enjoy!

Flamin’ Groovies

01. Paul Revere & the Raiders – “Good Thing” (1966)

02. Paul Revere & the Raiders – “Just Like Me” (1965)

03. The Music Machine – “Talk Talk” (1966)

04. Paul Revere & the Raiders – “Him or Me - What’s It Gonna Be?” (1967) 

05. The Standells – “Dirty Water” (1965)

06. The Outsiders – “Lost in My World” (1966)

07. The Standells – “Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White” (1966)

08. Paul Revere & the Raiders – “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone” (1966)

09. ? and the Mysterians – “96 Tears” (1966)

10. The Kingsmen – “Louie, Louie” (1963)

11. The Human Beinz – “Dance on Through” (1968)

12. The Human Beinz – “Nobody But Me” (1967)

13. The Troggs – “Love Is All Around” (1967)

14. The Remains – “Don’t Look Back” (1966)

15. Kim Fowley – “The Trip” (1965)

16. The Troggs – “Any Way That You Want Me” (1966)

17. The Outsiders – “Time Won’t Let Me” (1966)

18. The American Breed – “Bend Me, Shape Me” (1968)

19. Flamin’ Groovies – “I Can’t Hide” (1976)

20. Flamin’ Groovies – “You Tore Me Down” (1974)

21. The Troggs – “With a Girl Like You” (1966)

22. The Troggs – “Wild Thing” (1966)

23. Flamin’ Groovies – “Shake Some Action” (1976)

24. The Strangeloves – “I Want Candy” (1965)
25. Flamin’ Groovies – “First Plane Home”  (1979)

The Munsters meet the Standells

Listen to the playlist on Spotify...

 

Recommended Links:

Little Steven's Underground Garage