Recently I uploaded my latest creation, a garage rock-y kind of song, "Boo-hoo-hoo". It got a pretty decent reception and I've been working on various possible follow-ups, like "My Old Man is a Drag" and "A Thorn By Any Other Name"...you know, the usual. To fire me up I've been listening to and watching the old school songs. Thought I'd share my inspiration with you...
The Chocolate Watch Band were a group I never heard of way back when. Well, not really. I might have been aware of the name but that's it. They were a West Coast group. Shaharazade has told me often about a club she went to in Los Angeles, Pandora's Box, which was long gone by the time I got there. But here we have The Chocolate Watch Band actually performing at Pandora's Box in the movie "Riot on Sunset Strip". I've seen this movie all the way through. I don't know if I'd recommend it. You can catch this clip on youtube, as well as other clips showing the Standells.
This classic by the Music Machine might be the most essential garage rock song ever. "My name is really mud". Wish I could write lyrics like that! This is another LA band from ye olden days.
The Remains, from Boston, came to Portland for a show last year. I think they play two per year. They sounded great although the lead singer/guitarist pulled the usual trick of guitarists throughout history and started turning up the volume on his guitar halfway through the set. Here they are on Hullaballoo in some year of the 60s.
This is the Astronauts, usually an instrumental group, doing an odd tune called "Kuk". I heard it orginally by the Trashmen, the guys who did "Surfing Bird". Tonight I found out they'd covered it! So here's the real thing.
This could be considered garage, I think. It's the Nazz, Todd Rundgren's first well-known band, doing an excellent copy of the first few chords of The Who's "I Can't Explain" before the song takes off in a different direction.
More Los Angeles garage rock from The Seeds. You all know this one. Sometimes you have to include the well-known ones, just because of their importance. Like this here "Pushin' Too Hard".
Another famous one, from a San Antonio group. If anyone is familiar with the Texas Tornadoes, that's sort of an updated version of this group.
ok, I know nothing about these guys, The Balloon Farm. They had this song on the charts, then their second single flopped and they got dropped by their label. Typical! I heard this song for the first time when we sent away for a two LP set called "Wild Thing". It came in the mail! Shipping and handling were extra.
hey, if any of you can come up with interesting song titles in this style, let me know. I think the song title helps write the song. Since I, basically, have nothing to say, I need all the help I can get!
