The Monks, referred to by the name monks on record sleeves, were an American garage rock band formed in Gelnhausen, West Germany in 1964. Assembled by five American GIs stationed in the country, the group grew tired of the traditional format of rock, which motivated them to forge a highly experimental style characterized by an emphasis on hypnotic rhythms that minimized the role of melody, augmented by the use of sound manipulation techniques. The band's unconventional blend of shrill vocals, confrontational lyrics, feedback, and guitarist David Day's six-string banjo baffled audiences, but music historians have since identified the Monks as a pioneering force in avant-garde music. The band's lyrics often voiced objection to the Vietnam War and the dehumanized state of society, while prefiguring the harsh and blunt commentary of the punk rock movement of the 1970s and 1980s. The band's appearance was considered as shocking as its music, as they attempted to mimic the look of Catholic monks by wearing black habits with cinctures symbolically tied around their necks, and hair worn in partially shaved tonsures.
The Outsiders were an American rock and roll band from Cleveland, Ohio, that was founded and led by guitarist Tom King. The band is best known for its hit "Time Won't Let Me" in early 1966, which peaked at No. 5 in the US in April. The band had three other Hot 100 top 40 hit singles in 1966, but none on the Hot 100 beyond then, and released a total of four albums in the mid-1960s.
The Lollipop Shoppe was an American garage rock band formed in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1966.
The Mummies are an American garage punk band formed in San Bruno, California, in 1988. Exhibiting a defiantly raw and lo-fi sound, dubbed "budget rock", the Mummies' rebellious attitude and distinctive performance costumes exerted a major influence on garage punk and garage rock revival acts later in the decade, as well as in the 1990s. Their recorded output was intentionally completed with poor, cheap equipment, including their first and only studio album Never Been Caught, which was released after the group's initial break-up. Since then, the Mummies have engaged in several positively-received reunion concerts and tours, including appearances in Europe and the US sporadically through to recent years. The band is currently working on a movie.
Pebbles is a compilation of US underground and garage single record releases from the mid- to late-1960s. It had a limited original release in 1978 and a more general release in 1979. It was followed by several subsequent Pebbles compilations and albums. This album is nowadays known as Pebbles, Volume 1 and was originally issued in 1978 as Pebbles, Volume One: Artyfacts from the First Punk Era, an obvious riff on Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, a similar, groundbreaking compilation from 1972.
The Human Expression was an American garage and psychedelic rock band from Los Angeles that released three well-regarded singles, and made additional demo recordings between 1966 and 1967.
Question Mark & the Mysterians is a 1997 eponymous album by the garage rock band? and the Mysterians, known for their #1 1966 hit "96 Tears". The album was recorded by the original members of the band as a result of their inability to access their masters or re-release their own earlier material, which had passed from the ownership of label Cameo to Allen Klein. It included all of the songs released on their first album, 96 Tears, as well as several other tracks. The rerecorded version of "96 Tears" was subsequently incorporated into compilations.
We the People was an American garage rock band from Orlando, Florida, that was formed in late 1965 and professionally active between 1966 and 1970. Although none of their singles charted nationally in the U.S., a number of them did reach the Top 10 of the local Orlando charts. The band are perhaps best remembered for their song "Mirror of Your Mind", which reached the Top 10 in a number of regional singles charts across the U.S. during 1966. The song has subsequently been included on several compilation albums over the years.
Oscar and the Majestics were an American garage punk band formed in Gary, Indiana in 1960. The band, led by Oscar Hamod, achieved regional acclaim and produced seven well-regarded singles in their heyday. As the group progressed, they experimented with psychedelic rock and soul influences which led to their most acclaimed piece, a cover song deemed "House of the Rising Sun 1969".
The Basement Wall was an American garage rock band from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who were active in the 1960s. The group spent much of their career touring in Texas, and eventually became among the most recognized live acts in the southern regional rock scene. All of the band's recorded material was featured on a compilation album in 1985. In 2005, they briefly reunited with their original members for a concert to mark the occasion of their induction into the Louisiana Entertainment Hall of Fame.
The Palace Guard was an American garage rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. Though the band never obtained national success, they made a huge splash in Southern California with their song "Falling Sugar". The group is also notable for featuring the first commercial appearance of Emitt Rhodes, later a member of the Merry-Go-Round.
The Lewallen Brothers were an American garage rock band formed in Tucson, Arizona in 1962. Combining an element of folk rock, similar to the sound of the Beau Brummels, with the essence of a raw garage band, the group became immensely popular in Arizona. Though the Lewallen Brothers never broke through to a national audience, the band is noted for being one of the longest-enduring garage musical acts to emerge from the 1960s, as the group performed well into the 1990s.
The Bare Facts were an American garage rock band formed in Portsmouth, Ohio, United States, in 1966. Immensely popular in Ohio, the group earned a regional hit with their catchy blue-eyed soul-influenced tune "Georgiana", and the equally popular B-side "Bad Part of Town". The single the songs were featured on briefly entered the Billboard Hot 100. Though the Bare Facts could not replicate their success, the band's recordings have appeared on several compilation albums, preserving interest in the group's music.
The Quests were an American garage rock band formed in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1964. Recording for Fenton Records between 1966 and 1967, the group released three singles in their career. Although the group was hampered by a lyrical controversary surrounding one of their tunes, they achieved regional popularity among their teen fanbase with the original songs "Scream Loud" and "Shadows in the Night". Since the Quests' disbandment, their material has been well-documented on garage rock compilation albums and prompted surviving members to occasionally reunite.
The Rovin' Flames were an American garage rock band formed in Tampa, Florida in 1965. Releasing five singles in their recording career, which was sometimes plagued by multiple line-up changes, the group is best-remembered for their final record "How Many More Times". The song was the Rovin' Flames biggest hit and remains their most accessible tune due to its appearances on several compilation albums.
The Beach Nuts were an American garage rock band formed in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, in 1963. Performing as a popular cover band in the region, the Beach Nuts recorded one single in 1966. Its A-side, "My Iconoclastic Life", has since become considered a classic composition among 1960s garage acts. Music collectors sought more information on the band, initially mistaking them for a studio group of the same name, which was led by Lou Reed of Velvet Underground fame. However, over time the Beach Nuts' true history has been discovered and the band still sporadically arranges reunion performances.
The Redcoats were an American garage rock band formed in Wildwood, New Jersey, in 1964. Heavily influenced by the Beatles from the onset, the group released one single as the Redcoats before recording as the Sidekicks. As the Sidekicks, the band earned a national hit with their tune, "Suspicions", and recorded an album in 1966. In 2001 an album of newly discovered recordings, Meet the Redcoats! Finally, was issued.
Euphoria's Id was an American garage rock band formed in Saco, Maine, in 1963. Remembered as a popular live attraction in the New England teen scene, the group released two singles in their recording career, including the band's highly regarded cover version of "Hey Joe". A heavily favored inclusion on the New England Teen Scene compilation album series, a retrospective album was released in response to Euphoria's Id's reinterest.
The Heard was an American garage rock band formed in Longview, Texas, in 1965. Within a year of their formation, the band gained a reputation as one of the loudest musical acts in Texas, soon receiving a string of gigs at Houston's Catacomb Club. In 1967, the Heard recorded the "Exit 9" single, an enduring piece in the musical genre of psychedelic rock. The band's blend of frantic melodies and studio techniques unique to most garage groups has brought praise to "Exit 9" and its B-side cover version of "You're Gonna Miss Me".
Leo and the Prophets were an American garage rock band formed in Austin, Texas, in 1966. Like their contemporary the 13th Floor Elevators, Leo and the Prophets experimented with psychedelic music and generated some controversary with their on-stage actions and attire. The band is best-remembered for their lone single "Tilt-a-Whirl", which also was subjected to scrutiny at the time of its original release on Totem Records in 1967. In more recent times, the song has been considered a classic of Texas garage music.
