Pebbles, volume 10 (1980) - BFD Records
Hello Friends,
Tiki T. and I have recently started collecting the Pebbles LP series courtesy of the BFD & AIP Record labels. Awesome compilation records, first released in the late 70's, subtitled as "Artyfacts from the First Punk Era".
They're a good companion to the more popular NUGGETS series-- records filled with 2 or 3 minute punk masterpieces mostly from the years of 1966 thru 1969. Bands consisting of pimply-faced kids in basements and garages scattered throughout the country. Some bands (and band members) would go on to bigger and better things, but most would only end up playing local teen centers, VFW Halls, dive bars and local college radio stations. Only a few would be fortunate enough to open for a touring national act like Herman's Hermits, The Jefferson Airplane or The Animals. A handful would be fortunate to record a 7" or two and then call it a day fading off into rock & roll obscurity.
One-Hit and No-Hit Wonders. Footnotes in the Rock & Roll History Books.
Some of the greatest rock and roll songs ever written may have only been heard by a handful of ears. These records provide a time capsule into an honest and less-cynical past. Behind every band, there's a story; some are triumphant; some are tragic; many are uneventful... but who doesn't love a good rock & roll story?
Tonight we're starting with Volume 10, on yellow-colored vinyl, with a sexy go-go brunette on the cover! Sixteen tracks that are pure garage rock gems!
Side One
1. "Talk To Me Girl" - The Next Five. Holy shit, is this a Who outtake from the Who Sell Out era? Amazing song from Texas garage band! Ned's Pick for best song on the record!
2. "You'll Come Back" - The Moon Rakers. Great Kinks-influenced, garage punk from Colorado. Members of this band would go on to become Sugarloaf (unfortunately).
3. "Baby What's New" - Peter Wheat & The Breadmen. Shitty band name but great song with some great guitar work from this San Francisco garage band whose biggest claim to fame is that they almost opened for The Beatles at their legendary (and final) Candlestick Park concert.
4. "Since I Met You" - The Marauders. More garage rock from San Francisco. We dig the out-of-tune piano.
5. "Roller Coaster" - The Ides of March. Great song from Chicago garage band! Hard to believe its the same band that did the wretched, horn-laden "Vehicle" in 1970.
6. "Need A Little Lovin'" - The Foggy Notions. Some obscure punk via 1966 Chicago.
7. "Just In Case You're Wondering" - The Ugly Ducklings. Toronto's premier 5-piece garage rock band.
8. "My Group and Me" - Raga and the Talas. Side One concludes with this rockin' & psychedelic tune penned by Miss Jackie DeShannon. Her brother, Randy Myers, fronted this band-- which by all accounts was nothing more than a 1966 L.A. studio project. This song is Tiki's pick for best on the album! Good pick Tiki!
Side Two
1. "Tilt-a-Whirl" - Leo & the Prophets. More fuzz-toned Texas punk, this time from Austin. The band only released one 45 rpm and this song was the A-side.
2. "Love at Psychedelic Velocity" - The Human Expression. Some nice fast-slow-fast-slow low budget garage rock (with indecipherable vocals) from Los Angeles. Slightly reminiscent of Roky Erikson's 13th Floor Elevators.
3. "I'm On My Way Down the Road" - The Wig/Wags. Great blue-eyed soul track! (If you told me it was Alex Chilton singing, I would believe it!) Most likely from Hope, Arkansas.
4. "Train Kept A Rollin" - Steve Walker and the Bold. Raucous cover tune from a band of which little is know. This speedy version gives the Yardbirds a run for their money!
5. "I'm Not Talkin" - Things to Come. From Chicago and speaking of the Yardbirds...
6. "Slippin' and Slidin" - The Five Americans. Probably the most "famous" band on this compilation. Known for their 60's pop hit "Western Union", we prefer this nerve-shattering cover of a Little Richard tune from this Dallas, Texas (via Durant, Oklahoma) quintet.
7. "Primitive" - The Groupies. Swampy, sleazy garage rock... just like we like it! From New York City, of course. Self-described as "Lower East Side Scum" and we'll gladly drink to that! (Fun Fact: Wilco's Jeff Tweedy's first band "The Primitives" took their name from this here song!)
8. "Don't Shoot Me Down" - The Brogues. From Merced, California. This was the B-side to their slightly more well-known recording of the garage standard, "(I Ain't No) Miracle Worker". Drummer Greg Elmore eventually joined the San Fran-based, Quicksilver Messenger Service.
RATING: 4.5 Things That I Do That You'll Never Try out of 5
Tiki T. and I have recently started collecting the Pebbles LP series courtesy of the BFD & AIP Record labels. Awesome compilation records, first released in the late 70's, subtitled as "Artyfacts from the First Punk Era".
They're a good companion to the more popular NUGGETS series-- records filled with 2 or 3 minute punk masterpieces mostly from the years of 1966 thru 1969. Bands consisting of pimply-faced kids in basements and garages scattered throughout the country. Some bands (and band members) would go on to bigger and better things, but most would only end up playing local teen centers, VFW Halls, dive bars and local college radio stations. Only a few would be fortunate enough to open for a touring national act like Herman's Hermits, The Jefferson Airplane or The Animals. A handful would be fortunate to record a 7" or two and then call it a day fading off into rock & roll obscurity.
One-Hit and No-Hit Wonders. Footnotes in the Rock & Roll History Books.
Some of the greatest rock and roll songs ever written may have only been heard by a handful of ears. These records provide a time capsule into an honest and less-cynical past. Behind every band, there's a story; some are triumphant; some are tragic; many are uneventful... but who doesn't love a good rock & roll story?
Tonight we're starting with Volume 10, on yellow-colored vinyl, with a sexy go-go brunette on the cover! Sixteen tracks that are pure garage rock gems!
Side One
1. "Talk To Me Girl" - The Next Five. Holy shit, is this a Who outtake from the Who Sell Out era? Amazing song from Texas garage band! Ned's Pick for best song on the record!
2. "You'll Come Back" - The Moon Rakers. Great Kinks-influenced, garage punk from Colorado. Members of this band would go on to become Sugarloaf (unfortunately).
3. "Baby What's New" - Peter Wheat & The Breadmen. Shitty band name but great song with some great guitar work from this San Francisco garage band whose biggest claim to fame is that they almost opened for The Beatles at their legendary (and final) Candlestick Park concert.
4. "Since I Met You" - The Marauders. More garage rock from San Francisco. We dig the out-of-tune piano.
5. "Roller Coaster" - The Ides of March. Great song from Chicago garage band! Hard to believe its the same band that did the wretched, horn-laden "Vehicle" in 1970.
6. "Need A Little Lovin'" - The Foggy Notions. Some obscure punk via 1966 Chicago.
7. "Just In Case You're Wondering" - The Ugly Ducklings. Toronto's premier 5-piece garage rock band.
8. "My Group and Me" - Raga and the Talas. Side One concludes with this rockin' & psychedelic tune penned by Miss Jackie DeShannon. Her brother, Randy Myers, fronted this band-- which by all accounts was nothing more than a 1966 L.A. studio project. This song is Tiki's pick for best on the album! Good pick Tiki!
Side Two
1. "Tilt-a-Whirl" - Leo & the Prophets. More fuzz-toned Texas punk, this time from Austin. The band only released one 45 rpm and this song was the A-side.
2. "Love at Psychedelic Velocity" - The Human Expression. Some nice fast-slow-fast-slow low budget garage rock (with indecipherable vocals) from Los Angeles. Slightly reminiscent of Roky Erikson's 13th Floor Elevators.
3. "I'm On My Way Down the Road" - The Wig/Wags. Great blue-eyed soul track! (If you told me it was Alex Chilton singing, I would believe it!) Most likely from Hope, Arkansas.
4. "Train Kept A Rollin" - Steve Walker and the Bold. Raucous cover tune from a band of which little is know. This speedy version gives the Yardbirds a run for their money!
5. "I'm Not Talkin" - Things to Come. From Chicago and speaking of the Yardbirds...
6. "Slippin' and Slidin" - The Five Americans. Probably the most "famous" band on this compilation. Known for their 60's pop hit "Western Union", we prefer this nerve-shattering cover of a Little Richard tune from this Dallas, Texas (via Durant, Oklahoma) quintet.
7. "Primitive" - The Groupies. Swampy, sleazy garage rock... just like we like it! From New York City, of course. Self-described as "Lower East Side Scum" and we'll gladly drink to that! (Fun Fact: Wilco's Jeff Tweedy's first band "The Primitives" took their name from this here song!)
8. "Don't Shoot Me Down" - The Brogues. From Merced, California. This was the B-side to their slightly more well-known recording of the garage standard, "(I Ain't No) Miracle Worker". Drummer Greg Elmore eventually joined the San Fran-based, Quicksilver Messenger Service.
RATING: 4.5 Things That I Do That You'll Never Try out of 5
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