16 Garage Punkers | Frankie Go To Hell
Back From The Grave | Volume 2 | (Crypt) 1984 |
THE LYRICS – They Can’t Hurt Me
San Diego’s Lyrics cranked out this snotty rant in 1965 backed with the famous “So What!” . The group was going through various styles of early 60s rock’n’roll when Chris Gaylord joined them and turned them on to raunchy R&B, Stones-style.
Their square manager couldn’t deal with Chris’ wild attitude so Chris split in 1966. The Lyrics released three more 45s but without Chris’ manic energy and great vocals these songs just don’t cut it.
Guitarist Michael Allen split to join the Sons, who recorded a real great punker, “I’m Gone”, which was picked up for national distribution by Warner Bros, who changed the group’s name to the Magic Mushrooms. (Not to be confused with the A&M/Phillips Magic Mushrooms of “It’s A Happening”/”Never Let Go” fame.)
THE CANADIAN ROGUES – Keep In Touch
Real tuff girl-killer from these Floridians, who put out four singles which were mostly in the “soul” vein. This one’s their only real punker and coulda been a No.1 hit except that it got lost in a shuffle of label changes.
Back From The Grave | Volume 2 | (Crypt) 1984
THE UNRELATED SEGMENTS – Cry, Cry, Cry
Now I know yer never gonna believe me, but this great punk lament was recorded in mid-68, long after any form of real rock’n’roll had died away in the onslaught of drug-addled, Hendrix-heavied, flower-powered vanilla sludge.
These guys deserve a medal for ignoring all the junk that ruined rock’n’roll and gave birth to garbage like Led Zep, Bowie, Genesis, Santana, Talking Heads, etc. In an article in the Detroit Free Press in 1968, the Segs stated: “We are not psychedelic. We don’t play psychedelic music. We are a rock’n’roll group.” Yeah! Give ’em a hand, folks.
THE OUTSIDERS —She’s Coming On Stronger
This Tampa 4-piece started out as a surf combo before they switched over to a folk-rock style (or at least as close to folk as a bunch of surfers can get). Their first 45 was a version of the Byrds’ “Set You Free This Time”, backed with an INSANE live “Summertime Blues”, which kicks off Side Two. “She’s Coming On Stronger” was the flip to their second 45, an almost identical rip of “Laugh Laugh”.
ROY JUNIOR – Victim of Circumstances
Though not as tough musically as it should’ve been, this Texas punker has got some real ace lyrics going for it. “I was raised on knuckle sandwiches” opens the song, a sad tale about Roy’s life of misery.
After the Sparkles hit big with covers of Roy’s songs “Hipsville 29 1326.” and “No Friend Of Mine“, he cheered up and began to enjoy life as a hip punk poet, even receiving recognition in far-away Pittsburgh with the Fantastic Dee Jays also recording “No Friend Of Mine.”
Back From The Grave | Volume 2 | (Crypt) 1984
THE MODS — Satisfaction
The Mods were a six-piece combo that dominated Monmouth County in New Jersey from 1964 to 1966, playing regularly at the many teen clubs and battle of the bands in Asbury Park. This ad-libbed, surf-guitared version of the Stones’ hit was the flip to a Beach Boys-style ode to the Ford Mustang.
THE HATFIELDS – Yes I Do
These northern Indiana teens formed in 1965 with the most insane name ever: SHERLOCK AND THE HOMELIES!! Real cool! Unfortunately they had to shorten the name to the easier Captives. Their manager changed their name once again to The Hatfields in an attempt to cash in on the success of the McCoys.
On January 15, 1967 they travelled north to Chicago, where they recorded four songs for the CHA CHA label. This wild pounder was their first release and you can hear the second one on “Back From The Grave Volume Five”.
THE REASONS WHY – All I Really Need Is Love
Crazed, sloppy and fun thrashin’ from Chicago on the one-shot K-M label. Recorded in late ’67 but It doesn’t have one speck of the lame musicianship crap that was floating over from England in the form of symphony orchestras, flugel horns, peppered sergeants, etc.
When Chuck Harry sang “Roll Over Beethoven”, those limeys musta thought he was saying “Bend Over Beethoven”, cauz all their stuff after early 1966 sounds like classical music. Maybe that’s why those dopey FM-rock disc jockeys say “and now here’s some classic rock from Procol Harum“.
Back From The Grave | Volume 2 | (Crypt) 1984
THE OUTSIDERS — Summertime Blues
The BEST version ever of the Cochran teen anthem! Recorded live at Ernie’s Dog ‘n’ Suds in Tampa one steamy December night in 1965 to the obvious delight of a crowd of 38 bikini-clad girls.
THE BANSHEES — They Prefer Blondes
Speakin’ of anthems, check out the ultra-cool lyrics to this pounder! The Banshees were all pals at Mills High in the South Bay area, and first started rockin’ in 1962 as the Black Knights, an instrumental combo. They changed names and started vocalizing in ’64 and one year later they recorded this cool number in the rec room of the local church with a small reel to reel portable and a lotta energy.
The group played at a lot of shows in the valleys north of San Francisco, and at a battle of the bands in Petalumas a bunch of redneck locals got pissed at the Banshees and made a road block on the only route out, so the Banshees had to hightail it over some pretty rough farmland in their cars. They recorded a second 45 at Scorpio studios before disbanding.
Back From The Grave | Volume 2 | (Crypt) 1984
THE TRIUMPHS — Surfside Date
Super-frantic surf-punk from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, better known for its beer than big waves. There are plenty of cheap rental cottages on the Lake Michigan shore, so maybe a “surfside date” required nothing more than a few six-packs and a willing babe.
RALPH NIELSEN AND THE CHANCELLORS — Scream Ralph & Co blasted out this insane, hyper-speed rockabilly raver in 1962 , and we’re damn proud of this Jersey demon. There wasn’t a heckuva lot of rock’n’roll going on in New Jersey, what with the flood of doo wop groups and labels dominating the Jersey/New York area, and out popped one of the all-time WILDEST rock’n’roll songs from this group of Metuchen rockers.
THE NOVAS — The Crusher What do ya get when ya throw a 300-pound wrestler into the studio with a buncha punks? Well, in this case ye get a crash course in the latest dance craze, which we sure hope to see as the victor over all this namby-pamby breakdancing swill.
Back From The Grave | Volume 2 | (Crypt) 1984
THE MYSTICS — Snoopy
This Tallahassee group met up with demented genius Terry Rose (our Idol) in September 1964, with this awe-inspiring hunk of primitivity the result. Terry moved to Akron and got “Snoopy” played on the influential WAKR.
Several months later in 1965 the McCoys hit it big with “Hang On Sloopy”, so now you all know where it all began. Terry went on to create the most hilarious garage punk record of all time- “THE RATS REVENGE” by the RATS! ( Hear both parts of it on”Back From The Grave Volume One”.) The Mystics also recorded as the MANY OTHERS on ORCHID.
THE BRIGANDS (Would I Still Be) Her Big Man
An Ohio group complainin’ about the common troubles of having a money-hungry girlfriend. In this case, the poor guy’s gotta bust himself at a lousy job so she won’t find out he’s broke and leave him for a rich cat that can afford her.
THE CHILDREN OF DARKNESS – She’s Mine
On the other side of the coin, here’s an Illinois group singing nothing but praises about a real sharp girl who knows how to live. If there had been more girls like her there probably wouldn’t have been so many great, snotty rants. Imagine how boring it would be to hear love songs nothing but love songs. (New York TV caused that one.)
Liner notes taken from Volume Two. Read about Volume One here.
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