6.25.2008

NV Groep 65: Dank Zij De Heer (1965, Dutch Psych-Garage-Beat)

The A-side of this 10″ EP is just amazing. Droning, sacred vocals
strafe the title track (they even shine in the dirtier demo version
on side B). Heart-breaking, staircase down chords, they even mutter
something about “Ave Maria” to accentuate the Gregorian jonesing
going on. The piece see-saws between major and minor keys and could
sound as great in a dank hall in 1965 as it could sound in a set
with Crescent today. The second track is a paean to pot (well this
was recorded in Amsterdam, where people are required by *law* to
toke ;>). Speaking of winks, evidently the lead singer was referred
to (and possibly by himself) as Jesus…and hey he didn’t even feel
compelled to kill anyone! Take note all you budding messiahs! But
anwyays the pop here, and the harmonies in three spirits are divine.
They soar on “Lost” which gallops, as the girl gallops away and Pim
Abbestee hits a few high notes and has his voice break perfectly.
At other times Pim just let’s his falsetto flag fly! Finally on
“Pipe and you like it” more smoke, and harmonies that contract and
expand. Breathe in, breathe out…and then here’s a hippie hoedown
break. Again the A-side of this is remarkably good garage with a
psychedelic Dutch door! The B-side has two Mersey toe-poppers,
“Show me the right way to find her…before I kill myself.” Ah,
sweet innocent pop, and young obsessive love. With a tambourine
that means business! A great re-release, and lengthy notes in
packaging, minus two points for labelling four tracks wrong.
Seriously, do not miss this timeless gem!!

Ultra mega-rare dutch-dark stuff. Get it now.

LINK: MY GRANDFATHER IS DOING WELL NOW ! ! !

6.23.2008

Mogen David and The Grapes of Wrath: Little Girl Gone/Don´t want ya no more (Us,1966)

First time reissue of ultra rare 1966 Midwest twin blast garage masterpiece! Real gone purple vinyl!

Hard as it may be to believe, there apparently were at least three bands in the 1960's known by the name Mogen David & The Grapes of Wrath. There was a band using that moniker in the Detroit area; another from Barrington, Illinois; and one from Kokomo, Indiana. The Kokomo group is the band most commonly associated with the name, as they are the band that laid down the killer single Little Girl Gone and Don't Want You No More on the Cha Cha label.



Ultra rare stuff, with great artwork included, you must hear this one. For those who want something really rare and the 60s garage-collectors.

EP

6.15.2008

Los Shains: Anthology (Great Peruvian Surf-Garage Rock, Complete Recordings)

A surf / garage band from Peru, who had that characteristic early to mid-sixties guitar and farfisa sound that all fans of the genre like. Their albums mostly include cover versions of well known songs and in all they've released six albums and over thirty singles.

On El Ritmo De Los Shain's some are in English, some in Spanish and some are played as instrumentals:- Wooly Bully (in Spanish as Bule Bule), Fever (in English), Secret Agent Man (instrumental as Agente Secreto), Hang On Sloopy (in English), A Taste Of HoneyEl Sabor De La Miel, influenced by Herb Albert's version), Misirlou (instrumental), We Gotta Get Out Of This PlaceTenemos Que Irnos De Aqui) and She's Not There (instrumental as Ella No Esta Alli). The remaining six tracks are originals and the best is El Mounstro, which is similar to Out Of Limits, but with wild vocals.

Segundo Volumen includes versions of Pushin' Too Hard, Cara Lin and Baby Come Back as El Internado sung in Spanish and a number of group originals, including the occasional original.

Docena 3, which has also been reissued on Lazarus Audio Products, largely comprised originals too. This comes in a great cover. There are covers of songs like So You Wanna Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star, Keep On Runnin', Louie Go Home, Kicks, Apache, Night Time, Stroll On (all with Spanish lyrics) and some primitive psychedelic numbers of their own like El Tema De Los Shain's and Sin Alme. Not bad at all.

En 1964 aparece el Grupo Los Shains de Juan Luis Pereira y Enrique Ego Aguirre, Julio Chavez Cabello en la Bateria, Juan decide retirarse del grupo y fue remplazado por Pedro Pajuelo en la bateria, Nestor Muente-Sacovertiz como vocalista, Los Shains graban 7 sencillos antes de el cantante Nestor Muente se retire del grupo, tambien Juan Luis Peperira su dirigente y primera guitarra se retira para formar su propio grupo, Enrique Ego Aguirre toma riendas del grupo y busca a un nuevo talento entre los grupos de la ciudad y encontro a un muchacho que podia cantar el Rock en ingles con el estilo que los Shains estaban buscando y fue nada menos que Gerardo Rojas quien en aquel entonces estaba cantando con otro grupo conocido " Los Doltons", tambien se integran al grupo Hernan Chocano como guitarrista, Alexei Kostrisky en el Bajo Lynn Stricklin en el Organo Electronico
Grabaron su primer Lp "El Ritmo de los Shains" para el sello (Odeon LD 1483) en 1966.

Well... you will hear some great songs in spanish ! ! ! yes ! ! some Seeds...some Q 65, and more and more!
One of the finest bands that played some garage-surf-pop-music...
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, grab this beauty.

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6.14.2008

Zakary Thaks: Form the Habit (Garage-Frat Rock Compilation)

BAND INFO

One of the best garage bands of the '60s, and one of the best teenage rock groups of all time, Zakary Thaks released a half-dozen regionally distributed singles in 1966 and 1967; some were hits in their hometown of Corpus Christi, TX, but none were heard elsewhere until they achieved renown among '60s collectors. Heavily indebted (as were so many bands) to R&B-influenced British heavyweights like the Stones, the Kinks, and the Yardbirds, the group added a thick dollop of Texas raunch to their fuzzy, distorted guitars and hell-bent energy.


Lead singer Chris Gerniottis, only 15 when Zakary Thaks began making records, joined another interesting Corpus Christi garage/psychedelic group, the Liberty Bell.

From Corpus Christi, Texas, Zakary Thaks were one of the city's top acts between 1966-69. Originally known as The Marauders, they soon changed name to The Riptides, with a repertoire of mainly surf-style music. With British bands like the Kinks and Stones becoming more influential, in March 1966 they again changed names to The Zakary Thaks and signed to Carl Becker's J-Beck label. Chris Gerniottis was just 15 at the time whilst the other members were 17.

Bad Girl, their first 45 was a strong punk song with a snappy guitar introduction. It was picked up by Mercury for national distribution but was reckoned to have sold more records in South Texas where they developed a strong following. The follow-up sold quite well locally too, getting to No. 1 in Austin and San Antonio. It was liberally endowed with guitar feedback, but the flip was a more routine bluesy number thrown together in an hour at the studio. Zakary Thaks at this time opened for most of the touring bands that played Corpus Christi, including The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, Animals, Beach Boys, Yardbirds, and The 13th Floor Elevators.

Superb compilation. It takes its place as one of the very best single-artist '60s garage reissues, the songwriting and musicianship at a far higher level than most '60s garage bands could boast, with just as much insouciant youthful energy. From the punk of "Bad Girl" and the mind-blowing fuzz guitar of "Face to Face" to the Beatlesque pop of "Please".

Buy this album

LINK: WEEKDAY BLUES...

6.12.2008

The Purple Hearts: The Sounds of... (Ep 1966, Very Rare Australian Garage Rock)

Originally formed in Brisbane in 1963, where they established a strong cult following with their wild brand of uncompromising heavy rock and R'n'B. An example, Here 'Tis can also be found on the Devil's Children CD.

They relocated to Melbourne in 1966 and when Redmond left to open a disco Tony Cahill was recruited as his replacement.

Lobby Loyde (aka Barry Lyde) was in their band prior to joining The Wild Cherries. Bob Dames went on to Black Cat Circle and then with Mick Hadley joined Coloured Balls. Tony Cahill later went on to The Easybeats.


Although the Purple Hearts' legacy is rather slim, amounting to five 1965-1967 singles, the group was one of the very toughest garage/R&B-styled bands on the '60s Australian scene. Like many Australian bands of the era, they were something of a cross between the British R&B/rock groups (like the Rolling Stones and the Pretty Things) and the somewhat less adept American garage bands, though they leaned more in the British R&B direction. And, like some other notable Australian bands, they in fact featured some recent British émigrés in the lineup. Their failure to record any original material helped exclude them from the first division of such international acts, but their singles always offered satisfying R&B-oriented covers, and occasionally thrilling ones.

Bassist Bob Dames and vocalist/harmonica player Mick Hadley, both of them recent arrivals from the U.K., starting playing together around 1963 in the Impacts in Brisbane, Australia's most conservative city. With the addition of guitarist Lobby Loyde and a more avowedly nasty, bluesy attitude, they evolved into the Purple Hearts by 1965, releasing their debut single in October of that year. After that initial 45, drummer Adrian Redmond was replaced by Tony Cahill, who was on board for their best 45s, the archly rebellious "Of Hopes and Dreams and Tombstones" and a devilish hard R&B-rock arrangement of the traditional song "Early in the Morning."None of the five singles they issued on the Sunshine label, however, were big Australian hits, and the group broke up in early 1967, before the last of these was even released. Tony Cahill made the biggest mark of any of the Purple Hearts on the international scene when, after playing with Georgie Fame for a few months, he was tapped to fill the drum seat in the Easybeats during the last part of their career. Lobby Loyde went on to become one of Australia's most acclaimed psychedelic and hard rock guitarists as part of the and Wild CherriesBilly Thorpe & the Aztecs. Bob Dames and Mick Hadley carried on for a while in a hard rock/blues-rock-oriented spinoff band, the Coloured Balls.

Here you have an ultra-rare australian garage band, one of their first and extremely limited eps that were released in 1966, this band never made an studio album.
Yes, this is to show whats coming next...the Benzedrine Compilation. Their repertoire was full of covers... raw, fast and with great R&b. Plus the back cover! Don`t miss this exclusive rarity!!!

LINK: BO

6.08.2008

The Bojax: Don't Look Back...It's the Bojax (1966-67,Garage Freakbeat Singles)

BAND INFO

A garage-punk band out of Greenville, South Carolina. Rudy Wyatt of The Wyld produced the first 45 and played on the second. Bojax singer Bobby Holliday sang on The Wyld's Know A Lot About Love. The band stayed together until 1969, releasing a third single for which I don't have complete info. The excellent Go Ahead And Go has resurfaced on Back From The Grave, Vol. 8

Their debut 45 is a cool Kinks-inspired punker with a slab of attitude and samples some phrasing and melody of Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone. Hippie Times is a driving uptempo belter. Fast Life is a hypnotic garage-swinger stuffed with power-chords and searing leads. The flip is a too-faithful rendition of The Remains' Don't Look Back and lacks bite. Don't Look Back charted locally.

ALBUM REVIEW

The Bojax cuts are fair but not standout garage rock, with a gritty feel that perhaps, like some other Southern-'60s garage bands, had a slightly stronger pop-soul feel in places than garage sounds from other regions did.

LINK: GO A HEAD AND GOOOOOOOO ! ! !

The Atlantics: Bombora (1963,Surf Rock)

The Atlantics were Australia's answer to the Shadows and the ubiquitous surf sound widespread in the early sixties. They were, not withstanding, very accomplished musicians which set them apart from other bands of the ilk and held their own in comparison.

Becoming popular along the Northern beaches of Sydney they were signed to CBS and scored a hit with Bombora, the name of a surfing team, which propelled them to national prominence. Remaining as an instrumental group throughout the next two years, and releasing numerous 45s and albums, their popularity waned as the 'beat' invasion sound began to take over. They started to play with many differing styles and record with solo artists to arrest their slide, probably the most interesting effort was their 45, a throbbing punk classic, Come On/You Tell Me Why which featured Johnny Rebb on vocals. As well they recorded an EP at this time I Put A Spell On You, having left CBS for Sunshine. It is an interesting attempt at a psychedelic sound, something that only a few well known Australian bands experimented with at that particular time. Along with the 45 Come On and the EP they are two of the most sought-after recordings by collectors of sixties punk.

One of the greatest instrumental surf groups did not even hail from America. The Atlantics, despite their name, were an Australian combo who not only emulated the sound of California surf music, but ranked among its very best practitioners. Featuring a reverb-heavy, extremely "wet" sound, the Atlantics attacked original material, standards, and movie themes with a nervy blend of precision and over-the-top intensity. As in Dick Dale's music, touches of Middle Eastern influences can be detected in the rhythms of melodies (some members of the group claimed Greek and Egyptian heritage). Their second single, "Bombora," went to the top of the Australian charts in 1963, and the follow-up, "The Crusher," was also a big hit.

After several albums and a few more equally fine instrumental singles, the Atlantics became a vocal group in the last half of the '60s, but are most renowned for their instrumental recordings.

This is by request...but I´m thinking about posting some early garage roots too. Like I did at the beggining of the blog, yes, some surf music too, why not, of my favourites. Dedicated to Mar. Dig it.

LINK: BABY BLUE ! ! !

6.06.2008

The Yardbirds: Where the Action is...Live on Stockholm Radio (1967)

Around mid-1965 The Yardbirds began experimenting in the studio and sought to test out their new sounds on their records. Still I'm Sad was the first evidence of this and their first self-penned 'A' side (it was part of a double 'A' side). More significant testimonies of their excursion into experimental pop and psychedelia were Shapes Of Things, featuring Jeff Beck's stunning guitar work, and their first studio album, The Yardbirds, of all original compositions issued in the Summer of 1966. This contained some superb slices of psychedelia most notably Over, Under, Sideways, Down and Happenings Ten Years Time Ago - which, whilst less commercial than the former, was musically one of the most significant and ambitious recordings of 1966 - the startling Psycho Daisies and to a lesser degree Farewell and He's Always There.

Superb Radio Broadcast. Amazing version of "I`m a man" among others. I think all Yardbirds lovers should and need to listen this one.

LINK: Laughing, joking, drinking, smoking...

6.04.2008

The Kinks: Well Respected Kinks (1966)

1966 also saw a change in personnel, albeit temporary, when John Dalton deputised for Pete Quaife, initially because the latter had broken his ankle. In fact he later formed a new group Maple Oak but rejoined The Kinks after they'd put out one flop single. In 1969, of course, John Dalton, who'd played with The Mark Four, replaced Quaife permanently when he left to pursue a career in commercial shops and buy a record shop in Copenhagen.
Collectors`stuff...another Superb Compilation, and you`ll find some great artwork here, just need to download the album, and of course, leave comments. Grab this beauty.