1.26.2009

The Haunted (CAN, 1967)

One of Canada's most popular homegrown rock groups in the '60s, though they made no inroads to the rest of North America.

From the English-speaking community of Montreal, the group was very explicit in their desire to emulate the Rolling Stones, and most of their 1966-1968 singles (as well as their sole LP, from 1967) were in a raunchy R&B/blues-rock style. As songwriters their range was pretty limited, and much of their material consisted of covers or thin rewrites of popular blues riffs. Their most successful single, "1-2-5," gained small fame when it was reissued on one of the first Pebbles compilations of garage singles in the '70s. All of their material was reissued in the '80s.

...served by germt...

The Sonics Psycho 7"


Después de este éxito pasaron a grabar para el dueño de Audio Recording Studio su siguiente single, se trataba ni más ni menos que de
“Psycho”, que acabó siendo uno de los mayores clásicos del garage de todos los tiempos y que rápidamente escaló las listas de éxitos. Este tema recogía el sonido sonics en su estado más puro, guitarras saturadas y sucias, temas de desamor y a Gerry desgañitándose como si le fuera la vida en ello, si se busca constancia de la existencia del punk antes del 77 aquí está la prueba más palpable.

1.24.2009

The Hangmen (US,1966)

the old link was dead...so... re up again, give it another try.
Who dropped the idea: germt.
read more info about the band here

...served by germt...

1.23.2009

The Litter: Distortions & Live at The Electric Theatre (US, 1966/68)

originally, this was for december I guess... the boots month, no, Im joking.
the latest deliver of my friend germt, who said:
"Con versiones de clásicos pero "re-creadas" como "Hey Joe" "Substitute" y more...Este disco se acerca al 9 para mi gusto".


One of Minneapolis' most popular '60s bands, the Litter are most known for their classic 1967 garage rock single "Action Woman." With its demonic fuzz/feedback guitar riffs and cocky, snarling lead vocal, it was an archetype of the tough '60s garage rock favored by fans of the Pebbles reissue series. In fact, the single, which got some airplay in Minnesota in early 1967 and then was largely forgotten, didn't reach an international audience until it became cut one, Side One on Volume One of Pebbles in the late '70s. It now has a place of honor on the Nuggets box set. The Litter were a little more successful and long-lived than the average regional garage band, recording a few albums, the last one for a major label, and evolving into a more progressive hard rock outfit before disbanding around the end of the '60s.
Pre Litter here.


LITTER
...served by germt...

The Ugly Ducklings: Too Much Too Soon (CAN, 60s comp)

Along with the Haunted, the Ugly Ducklings were probably the best Canadian rock group of the mid-'60s. Like the Haunted, they drew heavily from the Rolling Stones -- as well as bits of the Kinks and Pretty Things -- for their raunchy R&B/rock sound, but had the edge over the Haunted in that they wrote stronger original material. Scoring a national hit with "Nothin'," the Toronto band recorded an album in 1966 and a few singles in 1966 and 1967, perhaps gaining their greatest international exposure when their "Just In Case You're Wondering" made it onto one of the Pebbles compilations.


UGLY
...served by germt...

1.22.2009

Los Shakers (URU, 60s comp)

-for some: the southamerican Beatles-
The concept of a Uruguayan band in the mold of the Hard Day's Night-era Beatles may seem absurd, but it did happen in the mid-'60s.

What's more, the Shakers (sometimes billed as Los Shakers on their releases) were fairly successful in mimicking the jangle of the early Beatles sound, writing most of their material with a decent grasp of the British Invasion essentials of catchy tunes and enthusiastic harmonies. While the grammar is fairly broken and pidgin, soundwise the Shakers were actually superior to many of the bona fide Mersey groups; if you like the Beatles sound as heard on tracks like "I Should Have Known Better" or "I'll Be Back," you'll like this stuff. Popular in their native land, the Shakers were understandably unable to compete on an international scale, although their 1966 album, Break It All, was actually issued in the States. Today they enjoy respect from hardcore '60s collectors, and much of their material is available on reissues.


DOCUMENTO HISTORICO
...served by germt...

Zakary Thaks: Face to Face (US, 1966/69)

One of several compilations all based on the same small amount of material, the 1995 compilation Face to Face collects both sides of all of the Corpus Christi, TX, group's 1966-1969 singles -- a total of 12 songs -- and two previously unissued tracks, "Footsteps Jam" and "The Mirror's Reflection."

The material is unquestionably first-rate U.S. garage-psych, far superior to most of the third-string teenage amateurs that litter the '60s collector market. (Sadly, most obscure local bands stayed obscure and local for a reason, a fact lost on many obscurantists.)


´In particular, 1967's relatively ornate "Mirror of Yesterday," which sounds like a louder garage version of a song from Bee Gees 1st, and the psychedelized hard rock of "Green Crystal Ties" are excellent. Unfortunately, the two unreleased tracks add little to the group's legend, although "Footsteps Jam" has a cool overdriven guitar sound, and unfortunately, the sound is lo-fi and shoddy even by the standards of this kind of budget reissue of poorly maintained tapes. Form the Habit from 2001 sounds much better, but it uses alternate mixes on some songs, making Face to Face perhaps a better choice for purists who don't mind the noise. (1995 re issue with bonus tracks)

FACE TO FACE
...served by germt...

1.21.2009

Los Cheyenes: Sus Singles y EPs en RCA (ESP,1965/67)

Spain, unlike some other countries in continental Europe, was not a hotbed of garage rock in the '60s, but there were a few Spanish bands.


From recorded evidence, the best of these were Los Cheyenes, a Barcelona group who wrote most of their riff-heavy material. They often sounded like an extremely raw variation of the early Kinks, with Merseybeat harmony and folk-rock influences as well. Unlike garage bands from most other non-English-speaking countries, Los Cheyenes sang in their native tongue, and although it may make their stuff less approachable for some collectors, most of their EPs and singles were pretty strong. Not even that successful in their own country, Los Cheyenes were pressured to commercialize their sound by their label, and broke up in 1967.

Review - by germt -

Hoy toca hacer patria y te mando las 16 únicas canciones que grabaron Los Cheyenes, grupo barcelonés 1965-67 que no tuvo mucha suerte con los hit y que sin embargo para mi es la mejor banda de garage española de los 60. De las 16 canciones hay 2 prescindibles "Valgame la Macarena" y " Borrachera"(intento copia de Borracho de Los Brincos) ambas impuesta por su discográfica RCA que buscaba un éxito como fuera. Las restantes 14 canciones son una pasada de buenas, todas composiciones propias(merito) excepto una versión de la canción de los Kinks "Come On Now" (Ven ahora) magnífica.

RCA 66/67

...served by germt...

1.20.2009

The Deep: Psychedelic Moods (US, 1966)

Documentation is sketchy on this Philadelphia group, but apparently they were masterminded by one Rusty Evans and included David Bromberg in an unspecified role. According to the skimpy liner notes, their album was the result of wee-hours freakout sessions at Cameo-Parkway studios. They took a middle ground between the Seeds, the 13th Floor Elevators, and Kim Fowley with a thinly produced, goofy psychedelia on which tomfoolery abounded. Though basically a silly exercise, the group had their interesting moments, and certainly had a greater sense of melody than either Kim Fowley or the Seeds.


It's hard to tell whether these sessions -- replete with fuzzy guitars, hallucinatory (and often silly) free-association lyrics, and ominous melodies -- were intended seriously or not. Occasional folk-rock-ish tunes (some with male-female vocal duets) offer respite from the general chaos of some not untalented musicians doing their best to be psychedelically wild and crazy. Collectors should be aware that the version of the best song, "Trip #76," included here is for some reason much thinner and worse than the one issued on the psychedelic reissue compilation Echoes of Time.


PSYCHEDELIC MOODS
...served by germt...

1.19.2009

Downliners Sect "Wreck Of The Old '97"

"Wreck Of The Old '97"/"Leader Of The Sect" Columbia (1965)


Entre el primer y el segundo LP, otros dos singles, "Find Out What´s Happening"/"Insecticide" (1964) y
"Wreck Of The Old '97"/"Leader Of The Sect" (1965), este último casi simultáneo a la publicación de uno de sus discos más notorios: el EP "The Sect Sing Sick Songs", en el que muestran su afición por las películas de horror y tocan con aparente irreverencia y grandes dosis de humor negro temas relacionados con el más allá.

Downliners Sect "The Cost Of Living" Single Columbia 1966


En el nuevo año 1966 sus fans respiran tranquilos con la aparición de un nuevo single que recupera el sonido habitual del grupo tras el fiasco del anterior disco. "All Night Worker"/"He Was A Square" es un pequeño adelanto del tercer LP, "The Rock Sect's In", en el que se mezclaban versiones de Rock and Roll con temas propios de su mejor cosecha y algún tema tonto, todo hay que decirlo. Incluso un tema de dos futuros miembros de los Velvet Underground es versioneado, seguramente por primera vez en la historia. En Junio de ese año publican uno de sus mejores singles, "Glendora"/"I'll Find Out", considerado por muchos la cima de su carrera. Su último single sería "The Cost Of Living"/"Everything I've Got To Give", este último tema extraído del LP.

Downliners Sect "I Got Mine" Columbia 1965


La sorpresa vino con su segundo LP, "The Country Sect" (1965), en el que una idea de Mike Collier les llevó a grabar uno de los discos más extravagantes (no por su contenido, sino en relación a su contexto) de la época. En un momento en el que los grupos empezaban a tontear con el Pop y dejaban de lado las versiones de R&B, los Downliners Sect lanzan un disco de Country and Western y de algún modo volvían a sus raíces Skiffle. Las diferencias en el seno del grupo son enormes, pero el criterio de Don Craine se impone al del resto. El público lo tomó como una broma de mal gusto, pues un disco de Country era lo menos "moderno" que se podía hacer en pleno "Swinging London". Aún así tiene varios buenos momentos y de él se sacaron otros dos singles,
"I Got Mine"/"Waiting In Heaven Somewhere" y "Bad Storm Coming"/"Lonely And Blue".

Downliners Sect 45 7" single "Little Egypt" Sweden Edition

Downliners Sect 7" Little Egypt / Find out whats happening

El primer LP, "The Sect" (1964) fue grabado con pocos medios y pensado como una muestra de su show en directo. En pocos temas hicieron más de dos tomas y el resultado es la quintaesencia del R&B callejero y Punk británico de los 60. Entre otros temas contiene versiones de ídolos como Jimmy Reed, Chuck Berry, los Coasters o Bo Diddley y algo de material propio. De este LP se extrajeron un par de singles, "Baby What´s Wrong"/"Be A Sect Maniac" y "Little Egypt"/"Sect Appeal".


The Downliners Sect: Roses (UK, 1967)

aka as "Don Craine's New Downliners Sect"


After releasing the first and last recordings by the Sect -a honour that we do not deserve-, as well as the band's debut single, here we have another gem from their impressive catalogue from the 60s: a special edition, with picture sleeve, of their mega-rare Pye single from 1967 featuring "Roses", one of their best tracks, plus a cover version of the Remains' "I Can't Get Away From You" on the flip. Neither "Roses" nor "I Can't " have been included in any of the Sect's recent compilations and were never re-released in their original 7" single format. This 45 was originally released after the original Sect disbanded and Don Craine tried to revive the band with a new line-up (featuring Matthew Fisher, soon to be the organist of Procol Harum), imaginatively renaming the group "Don Craine's New Downliners Sect". Great cover, remastered sound and liner notes by the great Don Craine himself. A limited edition of 500 copies.



The Downliners Sect: The Sect (UK, 1964)

This is the group's rawest and most R&B-oriented album, firmly rooted in the same influences as the Rolling Stones and the Pretty Things and including punk covers of Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, et al., along with a few originals in the same vein.


Well...a must(!!!). One of my first adqst.
Highly Recommended.

For those who don't get enough rough-and-ready British-style R&B and rock & roll from the debut albums by the Stones or Pretty Things, or find the playing by either band a little too tame and mannered, The Sect should be their next stop. Nobody on the British isles, other than maybe Brian Jones in his private moments on the guitar and harp, was more charmingly primitive than the Downliners Sect were on this album, which trades so freely in Bo Diddley riffs and the latter's signature beat that latecomers could be forgiven for thinking that this band had a hand in inventing them.

THE SECT (lp)
...served by germt...
a little gift that I added to my friend`s original flight
bonus tracks re issue

here (coming soon)

1.17.2009

The Raik's Progress: Sewer Rat Love Chant (US, 1966)


The Raik's Progress made just one garage-psychedelic single, "Why Did You Rob Us, Tank?"/"Sewer Rat Love Chant," in 1966. Though the song titles might lead you to believe the group dealt in weirdness along the lines of early Mothers of Invention or the Red Krayola, actually the songs were not as strange lyrically as the titles seemed to portend. The music, though, was fairly strange for its time, with "Sewer Rat Love Chant" one of the earlier examples of raga-rock to filter down into the garage substratum. The less distinctive, but still worthy, flip side, "Why Did You Rob Us, Tank?," had a similar approach, but bore a more audible folk-rock Byrds influence. Both sides were reissued on the Sundazed CD Sewer Rat Love Chant, which added ten previously unreleased live songs from a 1966 concert, most of them bearing a more standard British Invasion R&B influence from the likes of Them and the Animals.

The Raik's Progress might be best known for including in their ranks the teenaged Steve Krikorian, who in the late '70s and early '80s would become better known as Tonio K. Back in the 1960s, however, he was a singer and bassist for this Fresno band, which got a contract with Liberty Records through a connection with Ross Bagdasarian (aka David Seville). Although they did some gigs in Hollywood and played in the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco in 1966, they petered out in early 1967. Aside from Krikorian/Tonio K., the member of Raik's Progress to go on to the greatest subsequent visibility in the music business was Duane Scott, who went on to work as a recording engineer.

Although the Raik's Progress only released one single in their brief career (both sides of which are included here), Sundazed magically conjured the Sewer Rat Love Chant album out of their legacy by tacking on ten songs from a live 1966 performance at the Rainbow Ballroom in Fresno. It's the studio single, though, that's the highlight of this disc, as "Sewer Rat Love Chant" is an above average piece of early minor-keyed raga-rock.


Alcantarillado Rata Amor Chant

...served by germt...

The Troggs: Hit Single Anthology (UK, comp)


Remembered chiefly as proto-punkers who reached the top of the charts with the "caveman rock" of "Wild Thing" (1966), the Troggs were also adept at crafting power pop and ballads.

While more popular in their native England than the U.S., the band also fashioned memorable, insistently riffing hit singles like "With a Girl Like You," "Night of the Long Grass," and the notoriously salacious "I Can't Control Myself" between 1966 and 1968.



TROGGS
...served by germt...

1.15.2009

The Wilde Knights: Beaver Patrol (US, 60`s Comp)


BAND INFO


A regional '60s garage band with a tangled history, the Wilde Knights were nevertheless in their brief lifespan responsible for two of the all-time garage classics. "Beaver Patrol," featured on Pebbles, Vol. 1, was perhaps the lewdest '60s garage single. They also recorded the original version of "Just Like Me," which Paul Revere bought from group member and co-songwriter Rick Dey for a few thousand dollars; Revere & the Raiders covered the tune in 1965 for their first really big smash.

The Wilde Knights themselves only issued a couple of singles, both in 1965. Prior to that, they had played under the names of the Furys and Pipers IV, releasing a couple of decent Northwest frat rock singles in 1962-63. After the Wilde Knights days, the lineup evolved into Genesis, King Biscuit Entertainers, and American Cheese, all of whom put out generic singles on various tiny labels in the late '60s. The best tracks from the whole menagerie of Wilde Knights-family bands were assembled on a reissue LP in the mid-'80s.

ALBUM REVIEW


Only three of the 13 songs on this compilation were actually released under the Wilde Knights name (including "Beaver Patrol" and the original "Just like Me," which is tamer than the famous Paul Revere version). Side one was recorded by earlier versions of the band under the Furys and Pipers IV monikers; this is fairly tough Northwest frat rock, sometimes instrumental, with a prominent organ and R&B influence. Side two, after the Wilde Knights cuts, is filled out with a couple of pop/rock tunes by Genesis, and a bad hard rock thing by King Biscuit Entertainers. Certainly this is more of a document of a typical ensemble of the times than anything exciting or significant. But garage collectors will find some decent things here, although the two standout items ("Beaver Patrol" and "Just like Me") have been available on garage compilations. Includes extensive history by garage scholar Greg Shaw.

BEAVER PATROL

The Downliners Sect: Be A Sect Maniac (UK, comp)

Dubious sound mars this collection, which is as close to a hits compilation as existed -- now irrelevant in the wake of the Definitive Downliners Sect.


En el nuevo año 1966 sus fans respiran tranquilos con la aparición de un nuevo single que recupera el sonido habitual del grupo tras el fiasco del anterior disco. "All Night Worker"/"He Was A Square" es un pequeño adelanto del tercer LP, "The Rock Sect's In", en el que se mezclaban versiones de Rock and Roll con temas propios de su mejor cosecha y algún tema tonto, todo hay que decirlo. Incluso un tema de dos futuros miembros de los Velvet Underground es versioneado, seguramente por primera vez en la historia. En Junio de ese año publican uno de sus mejores singles, "Glendora"/"I'll Find Out", considerado por muchos la cima de su carrera. Su último single sería "The Cost Of Living"/"Everything I've Got To Give", este último tema extraído del LP.


SECT MANIAC
...served by germt...

1.14.2009

Thursday Children (1965/69)

Originally known as The Druids when they formed in Houston, Texas in 1964 they changed their name to Thursdays Children during 1965. The first 45 was quite an accessible punk affair, whilst their second and third were more British-influenced. After one final and disappointing rock and roll 45, drugs and the draft had accounted for many of the band and they regrouped as The Pointing Hand Group. This retrospective album on Voxx includes material spanning their career from 1965-69 with 45s, unissued and live material. It's the best source for their recorded output.

1.13.2009

The Downliners Sect: The Sect Sing Sick Songs (UK, 1965)


The Downliners really liked horror films... this ep shows that side. Wild songs with huge amounts of black humor.

Entre el primer y el segundo LP, otros dos singles, "Find Out What´s Happening"/"Insecticide" (1964) y "Wreck Of The Old '97"/"Leader Of The Sect" (1965), este último casi simultáneo a la publicación de uno de sus discos más notorios: el EP "The Sect Sing Sick Songs", en el que muestran su afición por las películas de horror y tocan con aparente irreverencia y grandes dosis de humor negro temas relacionados con el más allá.


SING SICK SONGS
...served by germt...
thanks, again you nailed it!


V.A.: On the scene (UK, 1964)


Stuart said: Never mind, here's a great LP of British beat and R'n'B, released in the UK on the Columbia label in 1964, called "On The Scene".
It's definitely not in mint condition (!!!) but the crackles make it sound nice and authentic, and that's why I haven't replaced some of the tracks with 7"s in better condition...


"ON THE SCENE"
...served by Stuart...
or
get it here


1.11.2009

The Downliners Sect: Definitive Singles A´s & B´s (UK, 60s)

Despite their lack of commercial success or appeal, the band managed to record three albums and various EPs and singles between 1963 and 1966, with detours into country-rock and an EP of death-rock tunes. Although they recorded afterwards, it is the Sect's early work that continues to attract connoisseurs of '60s garage and punk.
Again... a must, 10 pts for me. Thanks germt who made a special dedication.


A`s & B`s
...served by germt...

1.10.2009

The Downliners Sect: The Rock Sect`s In (UK, 1966)

Of all the British R&B bands to follow the Rolling Stones' footsteps, the Downliners Sect were arguably the rawest. The Sect didn't as much interpret the sound of Chess Records as attack it, with a finesse that made the Pretty Things seem positively suave in comparison. Long on crude energy and hoarse vocals, but short on originality and songwriting talent, the band never had a British hit, although they had some sizable singles in other European countries.


Their wildly erratic third album includes some tepid material, but also has some of their best tracks, especially their vicious run-through of the early British rock & roll standard "Brand New Cadillac." It's most notable for the appearance -- through God-knows-what channels -- of "Why Don't You Smile Now," which was written by Lou Reed, John Cale, and two unknowns before the Velvet Underground formed.


Bueno, si de pie, que estamos frente a los Sect.

En 1966 apareció su tercer Lp, “The Rock Sect’s in” (1966), un disco con temas originales como “Outsine”, “Everything I’ve got to give” o “I’m hooked on you”, y versiones de conocidas canciones como “Fortune Teller” o “Hang on Sloopy”.


En el disco también aparecía un fantástico tema escrito por Lou Reed y John Cale antes de formar la Velvet Underground, “Why don’t you smile now”, canción co-escrita por Terry Philips y Jerry Vance que había sido compuesta por el cuarteto de compositores para la banda The All Night Workers.
Como la suerte comercial no se alió con la banda, los Downliners Sect se separaron después de la publicación de un single en 1967, el tema escrito por Graham Gouldman “The cost of living”. (aloha)


HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BANDS, BY FAR...

SECT
...served by gertm...

Het (HOL, 1966/67)

Cool dutch garage, r&b and more.
Something different, I think that Buffallo (Faintly Blowing) posted it already, but anyway here`s a new link.The credits go for my friend germt that made the re-up and sent the link to share with all of you guys.





HET
...served by germt...

1.09.2009

MPD Ltd, (AUS, 60`s comp)

Wild Side Of Life - the musical adventures of Mike, Pete and Danny!

A short but sensational time in the spotlight ... a dynamic, gymnastic stage routine ... a spearhead act for the legendary Go!! label ... some incendiary singles ... such are the hallmarks by which we fondly remember the great beat trio that was MPD Ltd.

Formed in 1965, MPD Ltd arrived at their handle by combining the first name initials of core members Mike Brady, Pete Watson and Danny Finley. The "Ltd" appendage is also appropriate, since this band enjoyed only a short spell, albeit a very exciting and successful one while it lasted.

The band's meteoric rise to popularity is a classic example of serendipitous timing. With really only their friends The Easybeats to be considered as serious rivals, MPD Ltd emerged in a scene which saw The Aztecs embrace a decidedly MOR sound, The Whispers beginning to founder and stagnate, and exciting and innovative new bands like The Twilights and The Masters Apprentices yet to appear on the national musical horizon.

I really like this lp, also one of my favourites from the surf country.
...now, remember the song "Lonely boy" and "Remember...", my dad played em a lot!!!.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, this one goes to my brother in (law) blog, Roadrunner.
I think he was searching something... happy? well, wait and listen this rare beauty!

MPD LIMITED (Wild side of life)

1.07.2009

The Third Bardo Ep (US, 1967)

In addition to both sides of their "I'm Five Years Ahead of My Time"/"Rainbow Life" single, this six-song, 10" EP adds four outtakes from the same session, including an alternate version of "Rainbow Life." It turns out, though, that "I'm Five Years Ahead of My Time" was their best song by some distance. The rest of the material was similar to, but not nearly as impressive as that track, with a similar mixture of Eastern-influenced guitar/organ melodies in a sub-Doors vein and self-conscious psychedelic weirdness. Though a good souvenir for garage diehards, almost anyone will be satisfied just to have "I'm Five Years Ahead of My Time" on Nuggets and leave it at that. Only one of the songs (Jeff Monn's "I Can Understand Your Problem"), by the way, is a group original.

The Third Bardo only had one recording session, which yielded six tracks in all, and released one other song as a B-side, "Rainbow Life." The band broke up in 1967 and Monn began a solo career as Chris Moon.



3RD BARDO
...served by germt...