Pebbles, volume 1 (1979) - 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've got the very first Pebbles LP on the turntable. Described on the liner notes as "a unique series of rare original recordings for the rock and roll connosisseur. Sixteen tracks that are pure garage rock gems!"
Side One
1. "Action Woman" - The Litter. Classic garage punk. There's nothing not to like about this song. Its got it all: raw, raucous lead guitar; a driving, punk rock beat; raw, raucous vocals with simple lyrics about giving your girlfriend an ultimatum-- you better put out babe or I'll find someone who does! (coincidentally, its what my back tattoo says!) The Litter are from Minneapolis, MN.
2. "Who Do You Love?" - The Preachers. Scorching version of the Bo Diddley classic by L.A. Quintet. Hoodoo, indeed!
3. "Dance Franny Dance" - The Floyd Dakil Combo. Rockabilly treat courtesy of Texas guitarist, Floyd Dakil and his band circa 1964. Interestingly, Floyd would later go on to become a guitarist in Louis Prima's band.
4. "I'm In Pittsburgh (and it's Raining)" - The Outcasts. There were probably dozens of garage bands in the 1960's that named themselves, "The Outcasts". These "Outcasts" dominated the local party and local band scenes in San Antonio, Texas in the mid-60's. (Contrary to what the song's title implies, they are NOT from Pittsburgh!) Fans of The Stooges would definitely be into this song!
5. "Going All the Way" - The Squires. Not much is known about this band hailing from Bristol, CT except that they only recorded one single and its a shredder. Punk Rock, at its finest. We're forced to wonder, how was this song NOT a huge hit? Our pick for best on the album!
6. "Going Away Baby" - The Grains of Sand. We go from Going All The Way to Going Away Baby... such is the rock'n'roll life! Fast, frenetic Bo Diddley-inspired raver from L.A. quartet. Reminiscient of early Them. Great, fast guitar playing and a very 60's-sounding organ (farfisa?) solo.
7. "You Treat Me Bad" - The Ju-Ju's. Sounds like the 13th Floor Elevators played at the wrong speed. From Grand Rapids, Michigan, The Ju-Ju's recorded this single in 1965. The band's singer, Ray Hummel, left the band after he got married in 1966 and other members would put their down their instruments when Uncle Sam came calling.
8. "1-2-5" - The Haunted. 60's garage punk from Montreal, Canada. I guess our Neighbors to the North could rock out with the best of them! Funny, early pressings of the single misidentified the band's name as "The Hunted."
Side Two
1. "Like A Rolling Stone" - The Soup Greens. A three-piece garage band from Brooklyn, NY who destroy this Bob Dylan classic (in a good way, of course!)
2. "Crackin' Up" - The Wig. Another hard-rocking band with some killer guitar playing. Influential in the Austin, TX local band scene.
3. "Psychotic Reaction" - Positively 13 O'Clock. Great name for a 60's garage band! Also hailing from Texas, Positively 13 O'Clock was actually a side project for local rockabilly musician, Jimmy Rabbit, and the slightly more well-known garage band, Mouse & The Traps. In 1967, they recorded only one single, a cover of The Count Five's "Psychotic Reaction."
4. "The Trip" - Kim Fowley. Its hard to tell if Kim Fowley is cool or just a dick. Son of a actor and model, Kim Fowley emerged as a prolific songwriter / producer / hustler in the early 1960's L.A. music scene. He recorded and worked with with Spector, Zappa, Cat Stevens, Warren Zevon, Helen Reddy, etc. In the 70's, his claim to fame was organizing and producing the all girl punk band, The Runaways. "The Trip" is a novelty-sounding record about a psychedelic experience complete with "flying dolls and surfing cakes". Weird song, especially by 1965 standards. A real period piece!
5. "Spazz" - The Elastik Band. One of a kind psychedelic rock via the San Francisco suburb of Belmont. The song itself is a "spazz" with its fuzzy guitar bursts, nonsensical lyrics and Captain Beefheart-y vocals.
6. "Rich with Nothin'" - The Split Ends. Grimy garage rock from Tampa, Florida circa 1966 that sounds a little like Paul Revere and the Raiders. Not to be confused with the 80's kiwi New Wave band, Split Enz.
7. "Potato Chip" - The Shadows of Knight. The greatest dance craze that wasn't, "Potato Chip" is a novelty recording by the British-invasion meets Chicago Blues band, The Shadows of Knight. Formidable garage rock band, most famous for their cover of Them's "Gloria".
8. "Beaver Patrol" - The Wild Knights. This ladies and gentlemen might be the greatest song in the history of mankind! Unbelievable! How did I get this far in life without ever hearing it before? "My favorite way of gettin' kicks / Go Downtown and hustle chicks / Beaver Patrol!" Friends, have gotten our hands on a true classic! Sign me up for some Beaver Patrol!
RATING: 4.5 Beaver Patrols Getting Lots of Action 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've got the very first Pebbles LP on the turntable. Described on the liner notes as "a unique series of rare original recordings for the rock and roll connosisseur. Sixteen tracks that are pure garage rock gems!"
Side One
1. "Action Woman" - The Litter. Classic garage punk. There's nothing not to like about this song. Its got it all: raw, raucous lead guitar; a driving, punk rock beat; raw, raucous vocals with simple lyrics about giving your girlfriend an ultimatum-- you better put out babe or I'll find someone who does! (coincidentally, its what my back tattoo says!) The Litter are from Minneapolis, MN.
2. "Who Do You Love?" - The Preachers. Scorching version of the Bo Diddley classic by L.A. Quintet. Hoodoo, indeed!
3. "Dance Franny Dance" - The Floyd Dakil Combo. Rockabilly treat courtesy of Texas guitarist, Floyd Dakil and his band circa 1964. Interestingly, Floyd would later go on to become a guitarist in Louis Prima's band.
4. "I'm In Pittsburgh (and it's Raining)" - The Outcasts. There were probably dozens of garage bands in the 1960's that named themselves, "The Outcasts". These "Outcasts" dominated the local party and local band scenes in San Antonio, Texas in the mid-60's. (Contrary to what the song's title implies, they are NOT from Pittsburgh!) Fans of The Stooges would definitely be into this song!
5. "Going All the Way" - The Squires. Not much is known about this band hailing from Bristol, CT except that they only recorded one single and its a shredder. Punk Rock, at its finest. We're forced to wonder, how was this song NOT a huge hit? Our pick for best on the album!
6. "Going Away Baby" - The Grains of Sand. We go from Going All The Way to Going Away Baby... such is the rock'n'roll life! Fast, frenetic Bo Diddley-inspired raver from L.A. quartet. Reminiscient of early Them. Great, fast guitar playing and a very 60's-sounding organ (farfisa?) solo.
7. "You Treat Me Bad" - The Ju-Ju's. Sounds like the 13th Floor Elevators played at the wrong speed. From Grand Rapids, Michigan, The Ju-Ju's recorded this single in 1965. The band's singer, Ray Hummel, left the band after he got married in 1966 and other members would put their down their instruments when Uncle Sam came calling.
8. "1-2-5" - The Haunted. 60's garage punk from Montreal, Canada. I guess our Neighbors to the North could rock out with the best of them! Funny, early pressings of the single misidentified the band's name as "The Hunted."
Side Two
1. "Like A Rolling Stone" - The Soup Greens. A three-piece garage band from Brooklyn, NY who destroy this Bob Dylan classic (in a good way, of course!)
2. "Crackin' Up" - The Wig. Another hard-rocking band with some killer guitar playing. Influential in the Austin, TX local band scene.
3. "Psychotic Reaction" - Positively 13 O'Clock. Great name for a 60's garage band! Also hailing from Texas, Positively 13 O'Clock was actually a side project for local rockabilly musician, Jimmy Rabbit, and the slightly more well-known garage band, Mouse & The Traps. In 1967, they recorded only one single, a cover of The Count Five's "Psychotic Reaction."
4. "The Trip" - Kim Fowley. Its hard to tell if Kim Fowley is cool or just a dick. Son of a actor and model, Kim Fowley emerged as a prolific songwriter / producer / hustler in the early 1960's L.A. music scene. He recorded and worked with with Spector, Zappa, Cat Stevens, Warren Zevon, Helen Reddy, etc. In the 70's, his claim to fame was organizing and producing the all girl punk band, The Runaways. "The Trip" is a novelty-sounding record about a psychedelic experience complete with "flying dolls and surfing cakes". Weird song, especially by 1965 standards. A real period piece!
5. "Spazz" - The Elastik Band. One of a kind psychedelic rock via the San Francisco suburb of Belmont. The song itself is a "spazz" with its fuzzy guitar bursts, nonsensical lyrics and Captain Beefheart-y vocals.
6. "Rich with Nothin'" - The Split Ends. Grimy garage rock from Tampa, Florida circa 1966 that sounds a little like Paul Revere and the Raiders. Not to be confused with the 80's kiwi New Wave band, Split Enz.
7. "Potato Chip" - The Shadows of Knight. The greatest dance craze that wasn't, "Potato Chip" is a novelty recording by the British-invasion meets Chicago Blues band, The Shadows of Knight. Formidable garage rock band, most famous for their cover of Them's "Gloria".
8. "Beaver Patrol" - The Wild Knights. This ladies and gentlemen might be the greatest song in the history of mankind! Unbelievable! How did I get this far in life without ever hearing it before? "My favorite way of gettin' kicks / Go Downtown and hustle chicks / Beaver Patrol!" Friends, have gotten our hands on a true classic! Sign me up for some Beaver Patrol!
RATING: 4.5 Beaver Patrols Getting Lots of Action out of 5
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