Garage rock is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The style is characterized by basic chord structures played on electric guitars and other instruments, sometimes distorted through a fuzzbox, as well as often unsophisticated and occasionally aggressive lyrics and delivery. Its name derives from the perception that groups were often made up of young amateurs who rehearsed in the family garage, although many were professional.
The Shadows of Knight were an American rock band from Chicago, Illinois, that played a version of British blues influenced by their native city. When they began recording in 1965, the band's self-description was "the Stones, Animals and the Yardbirds took the Chicago blues and gave it an English interpretation. We've taken the English version of the Blues and re-added a Chicago touch," to which rock critic Richie Unterberger commented: "The Shadows of Knight's self-description was fairly accurate."
"Dirty Water" is a song by the American rock band The Standells, written by their producer Ed Cobb. The song is a mock paean to the city of Boston, Massachusetts, and its then-famously polluted Boston Harbor and Charles River.
The Music Machine was an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1966. Fronted by chief songwriter and lead vocalist Sean Bonniwell, the band cultivated a characteristically dark and rebellious image reflected in an untamed musical approach. Sometimes it made use of distorted guitar lines and hallucinogenic organ parts, punctuated by Bonniwell's distinctively throaty vocals. Although they managed to attain national chart success only briefly with two singles, the Music Machine is today considered by many critics to be one of the groundbreaking acts of the 1960s. Their style is now recognized as a pioneering force in proto-punk; yet within a relatively short period of time, they began to employ more complex lyrical and instrumental arrangements that went beyond the typical garage band format.
The Litter was an American psychedelic and garage rock band, formed in 1966 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. They are best remembered for their 1967 debut single, "Action Woman". The group recorded three albums in the late 1960s before disbanding, but they re-united in 1990, 1992, and again in 1998, when they recorded a new studio album consisting of both old and new material. All of their Minneapolis recorded material was produced by Warren Kendrick, who owned the Scotty and Warick and Hexagon labels.
Richie Unterberger is an American author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing.
The Choir was a garage rock band largely active in the greater Cleveland area from the mid-1960s into the early 1970s. Originally called The Mods, their largest commercial success came with the release of their first single "It's Cold Outside" in December 1966. The song, considered to be a classic of the garage rock era, was featured on Pebbles, Volume 2, one of the earlier garage rock compilation LPs. The flipside, "I'm Going Home" was included as a bonus track when the Pebbles album was reissued as a CD, and it can also be found on a garage rock compilation LP on Ohio bands, Highs in the Mid-Sixties, Volume 9. The Choir is well known for containing three of the four original members of Raspberries.
New Colony Six is an American garage and later soft rock band from Chicago, formed in 1964. Original members were Ray Graffia Jr. (vocals), who was born March 28, 1946; Chic James (drums); Pat McBride (harmonica); Craig Kemp (organ); Wally Kemp (bass); and Gerry Van Kollenburg (guitar), who was born June 26, 1946. Ronnie Rice replaced Craig Kemp in 1966. There were numerous changes in the lineup over the years. Richie Unterberger characterized the group's sound as "a poppier American Them with their prominent organ, wobbly Lesley-fied guitar amplifications, and rave-up tempos", later devolving into "a cabaret-ish band with minor national hits to their credit by the end of the 1960s." Like Paul Revere & the Raiders - with whom NC6 shared a two-flat before either band hit the charts or knew that the other had nearly identical stage wear, they wore colonial outfits on stage.
"Talk Talk" is the debut single of American garage rock band The Music Machine. It was released in November 1966, and produced the band's only Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was included on their debut album, (Turn On) The Music Machine.
The Bonniwell Music Machine is the second and final album by the American garage rock band, The Music Machine, recorded under the renamed moniker, The Bonniwell Music Machine, and released on Warner Bros. Records, on February 10, 1968. As with their debut LP, the album again saw the band blending garage and psychedelic rock influences, albeit with a greater emphasis on psychedelia than on their previous album release. Prior to completing its recording, all of the group's original members, except for its creative force, Sean Bonniwell, departed, though they would still appear on some of the album's tracks.
The Electras were an American garage rock band formed in Ely, Minnesota in 1962. The group recorded between 1965 and 1967 during their musical career, including their most-known tune "Dirty Old Man". The band, which also worked under the moniker, 'Twas Brillig, released a version of the song "Action Woman", a composition that was made into a garage rock classic by the Litter, and has consequently caused the two groups to be wrongly associated with each other.
"Action Woman" is a song by the American garage rock band the Litter, written by their record producer Warren Kendrick, and first released as the group's debut single on Scotty Records in January 1967. The song also appeared on the band's first album Distortions. Although "Action Woman" never broke out on the national charts, it is now revered as a classic piece of the musical genre of garage rock. Accordingly, the composition has appeared on several compilation albums – most famously as the opening track on Pebbles, Volume 1, incorporating a skip in the recording – and has been the subject of cover versions.
The Remains is the debut album by the American garage rock band the Remains, and was released on Epic Records in September 1966. Though the album was largely overlooked at the time of its original release, The Remains has since received recognition as one of the more cohesive efforts of the era.
"It's Cold Outside" is a song by the American garage rock band the Choir, written by member Dann Klawon, and first released on Canadian-American Records in September 1966. It was later re-released in 1967 on Roulette, with Dann's last name incorrectly spelled "Klawson". The song is considered a classic of the musical genre of garage rock, and became the group's only national hit. The song has since been featured on several compilation albums. At the time of the recording, the band consisted of: Wally Bryson - lead guitar, Dave Smalley - guitar/vocals, Dave Burke - bass, Jim Bonfanti - drums, and Dann Klawon - multiple instruments/vocals. The group changed members over the years, but Bryson, Smalley and Bonfanti would team up with songwriter Eric Carmen a few years later, and form the power pop group Raspberries.
Raw 'n' Alive at the Cellar, Chicago 1966! is a live album by the American garage rock band the Shadows of Knight, and was released on Sundazed Records in 1992. The album consists of recordings from the band's appearance at the Cellar in Arlington Heights, Illinois in December 1966. Although the tapes were never anticipated to be released publicly, Raw 'n' Alive at the Cellar is commended for its good sound quality, and represents one of the better live concert recordings to emerge from the garage rock era.
The Enfields were an American garage rock and psychedelic band from Wilmington, Delaware who were active in the 1960s. They were led by guitarist and songwriter Ted Munda, and their style was highly influenced by the British Invasion and folk rock. They were considered the top group in Wilmington at the time and enjoyed several local hits, though they failed to reach a wider national audience due to poor management. The Enfields broke up in 1967, but Munda went on to form the group the Friends of the Family. Ted was also in the Blues Magoos, wrote for various Publishing companies in LA, was signed to Columbia Records in 1973 with group" Hotspur", and co-wrote "Blame It On Love" for Smokey Robinson in 1983–84 on Motown. He has several albums of unreleased produced material.
The Lost was an American garage rock and psychedelic band from Plainfield, Vermont who were active in the Boston rock scene 1960s. They were initially an interracial rock band, one of the few at the time, and, along with the Remains and the Rockin' Ramrods, later became one of the most popular live acts in Boston, landing a contract with Capitol Records. In spite of having a regional hit with their first record, they were unable to find greater commercial success and broke up in 1967. In the intervening years their work has come to the attention of garage rock collectors and enthusiasts with the release of the anthology, Early Recordings and Lost Tapes, on Arf! Arf! Records.
Yeah Yeah Yeah is a compilation of garage rock recording from the 1960s issued by Arf! Arf! Records, and is available exclusively on compact disc. In keeping with the sub-heading that reads "28 Mega-Manic & Elusive '60s Garage Punkers", the set features mainly upbeat and hard-rocking examples of the genre, whereas Arf! Arf!'s previously released companion piece No No No, focuses instead on moody ballads and downcast songs of lament. In customary fashion, the rear sleeve includes a brash description of the contents contained within:
The E-Types were an American garage rock band formed in Salinas, California, in 1965. The group's sound combined striking three-part vocal harmonies and Jody Wence's jangling keyboards, with professional production techniques that were outside of the garage band norm. During the E-Types' recording career, the band released five singles, including their most notable record "Put the Clock Back on the Wall". Although the band was short-lived, the E-Types had a profound presence in San Francisco's live scene and, years after their disbandment, the group recorded a reunion album.
Distortions is the debut studio album by American psychedelic and garage rock band the Litter. It was released on May 1, 1967, by Warick Records and includes the single "Action Woman".
