In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast

Break out the Stambecco for this week's episode, which listens closely to Neil Diamond's energetic 66er, "Cherry Cherry." It might be bubblegum, but it is surprisingly horny! Or was that expected given all the metaphorical "chest hair" the song has? You might also be surprised that the original men in black, The Music Machine covered the tune, and made it loungey?!?! Brits Wishful Thinking were wishin' for a hit, but didn't get it, and then 80s Scots fuzz-poppers The FIzzbombs did a BBC session rendition, probably because their other tune, "Blue Summer," was so reminiscent of Neal's hipswinging 60s chop - who told them -- the engineer? Finally, we end with a punkified version by Nardcore legends Ill Repute ... do they all have the way to move ya?!

Let's go crazy with our old friends The Sonics! This week we're yakking' about "Psycho," their wild 1965 track which is a bonafide barnburner. What more can be said about Gerry Roslie's tonsil-tearing screams and Bob Bennett's boffo bucket bangin'? Well, we say it! Some sane people believe that the song was bested by Pittsburgh area reprobates The Swamp Rats ... are they right? We then move on to some also-rans by The Jars, The Nomads, The Screaming Trees and Ralph Gean. If this episode has a bit of a split personality, we recorded it over 2 different nights!

It's finally time to examine a song from Sgt. Pepper's, and we've chosen "Getting Better"! We wonder if the album has slipped in the public consciousness in favour of the later period Beatles dirtbag albums? We also include covers from Davy Graham (folk), The Five Stairsteps (soul), Steve Hillage (prog), The Wedding Present (indie), and, er ... Smash Mouth (smash mouth). Yes, we talk a lot about Smash Mouth, wondering if they're kinda garage? and what it might have been like to be in a wildly successful but disrespected band ... You have to agree we're cool teachers, right? Right?!?

You know we love The Kinks, so this week we're showcasing the 1966 b-side to "Sunny Afternoon" by the North London quartet, the garage evergreen "I'm Not Like Everybody Else." It's thought to be a defiant statement of individualism, but we think Ray Davies could be winding us up. The first cover we discuss is by France's Lionets: their rendition is charmingly inept but undeniably moody. The Chocolate Watchband offer up the reliable garage rock snarl we expect from them, while Belgian trio Hubble Bubble bring the song into the 70s. The final version by Chris Spedding adds a nice musical theatre touch that Ray D would probably love. Let's go to town!

Because this is the podcast where we talk about a song for way too long, you've gotta be patient. But that can be hard, especially if you're The Supremes! That's right, this week we're talking about "You Can't Hurry Love," the seventh of their 12 consecutive number one singles. We love how the tune jumps from verse to bridge (but it doesn't make you want to jump off a bridge!) ... there's more reasons to love it, which we also discuss. The next version is by Montreal's Les Beatlettes. A garage-girl group belter ... magnifique! In the late 70s, R. Stevie Moore authored a one-man-band-as-girl-group version and it's boffo lo-fi! In the 80s the song had a resurgence with renditions by The Stray Cats and, of course, the inevitable Phil Collins - now break!!

Lou Reed and John Cale's pre-Velvet Underground songwriting partnership produced a song that straddles many genres: "Why Don't You Smile Now" is the tune we're fancy talking 'bout this week. The original version was done by LR's Syracuse buddies known as The All Night Workers and its soul-garage-drone! The best known version is most likely by our friends The Downliners Sect who make it a little more fuzzy and loud ... Renaissance man Donnie Burkes hits a three-pointer with his version, then we turn to The Crawdaddys who beat-ify the song for the coming garage revivalists! Finally, one of Spiritualized's early singles was a cover which they simply titled "Smile." You won't be frownin'!

A long-awaited sequel to our "60s Moon Rock" show (Episode #117), we present more lunar hymns, this time from the 70s to today! We start with Starbuck's "Moonlight Feels Right," the Moog and marimba smash hit of '76. The next expedition comes just a few years later, with "There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)" by The B52s. Kate & Cindy's harmonies conjure up little green men! In 1985, The Dukes of Stratosphear set a course for 1967 with "Bike Ride to the Moon" - does this mean they beat Neil Armstrong? Finally, to those spacey days of the pandemic, where we had to have a lot of space between each other, to enjoy Danny Michel's one-man-band rendition of "The Whole of the Moon" by The Waterboys. To the moon and back!

We think, therefore we are ... the best garage rock podcast! The end of summer has us in a pensive mood, so let's start with "I Think It's Time" by The Chosen Few ... it's jaunty & short, like a leprechaun! Our second thought experiment comes courtesy of The Poorboys, a number called "Think of Livin'" which is notable mainly for its laser-sounding organ ... You may think it's a typo in the title, but we explain the meaning of "You've Got Another Think Comin'" by The Mods. A classic put-down song that all the high hipsters groove to! Sometimes our thinkin' puts us in a mood, which leads us to the fierce "Thoughts of a Madman" by The Nomads. It's a "dirtnap" song, bridging the gap from garage rock to the dirtbag sound of the 70s. Finally, there's "Think About It" by The Dan-Dees, which isn't as profound as they think, methinks - but there is some great Byrdsian guitar to chew on ... whadda you think??

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but we say an instrumental is worth even more! We begin aptly with "Let's Go" by The Routers, even though we hear those iconic handclaps a lot less these days at sporting events. Next we chop it up with "Green Onions" by Booker T. and the MG's, but the only tears will be tears of joy! Then we flip "Louie Louie" to hear the Kingsmen's b-side, "Haunted Castle" - we'd pay a million bucks to stay over at that place! Get on your woody with the Summer Mummy for "Wipe Out" by The Surfaris - one of the best ha-core instrumentals ever! Finally, as a digestivo, there's "No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)" by The T-Bones. You can't escape that pesky Wrecking Crew, but we like the wordless backing vocals the most! Shut up and dance!

A long, long time ago we did a theme episode called "Life!", but we've been too busy livin' it up since then to face the inevitable follow-up theme episode. Well, here it is, and we start off with Donald Woods' literal tearjerker, "Death of An Angel." Watch out when googling the title of The Royal Flairs' 1966 masterpiece, "Suicide" -- but you'll wanna keep living just to keep listening to this scorching garager (leave the garage doors open, though, just in case) ... Midway on our journey we confront "Nightmare" by The Whyte Boots, a sick sixties death disc authored & performed! by our faves, Lori Burton & Pam Sawyer! John Donne would love "Death Bells at Dawn" by The Lords from New Jersey, and we end in the boneyard to hear the death rattle of "Marble Orchard" by The Graveyard Five. Out, out brief candle!!!

Once in a blue moon, we find a song that is so wild and weird, it becomes a brick in the ever-growing metaphorical mansion that is In The Past ... and it's usually by a group of young African-American women from the 1950s (see: "Pork and Gravy" by The De-Lo's; "Chic-A-Boomer" by The Del-Rhythmettes; and "Rock-and-Ree-Ah-Zole" - to name just one - by The Bobbettes.) This year, it's the incredible "Kill It!" by The Antwinetts. One of the craziest put-down songs you'll ever hear, and you need to hear it! Don't think our other selections are slouches, though: we next shine the spotlight on Shari Sheeley, who co-wrote "Something' Else" for her beau Eddie Cochran in 1959. Barry Mann & Cynthia Weilwrote the very dramatic "Chico's Girl," which eventually was covered by the aptly-named Girls (aka The Sandoval Sisters). Jackie DeShannonwrote the words and Jack Nitzsche the music for the achingly gorgeous "Baby That's Me" by The Cake. And we close it out with our favourite songwriting team, Lori Burton & Pam Sawyer and the garage classic "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore," here done by girls in the garage The Puppets. Hear them all roar!

Let's talk about 60s songs about girls! We have The Dynamics courting "Genevieve," The Tree Stumps pining for "Jennie Lee," The Fabs searching the heavens with "Dinah Wants Religion," The Association gettin' breezy about "Windy," and The Infinite Staircase moiling for "Margaret." It's not all sugar and spice!!

We're your dealers this week and the score is songs about gettin' stoned, high, baked and beyond! Pills, tabs, and joints ... and even with some stern warnings, we get high on our own supply ! The Bohemians, The Rolling Stones, Paul Revere & the Raiders, The Bees, The Other Half, and The Fe-Fi-Four Plus Two. We'll get you through your busy day!

A six-pack of songs about gettin' soused (for or against) by Stick McGhee (40s), The Four Deuces (50s), The Champs (also 50s) - you know what song it is!, The Pleasure Seekers, The Moods (both 66ers!), and The Housemartins (80s). Put on your beer goggles and listen good!

This week we're talking The Zombies and their 1964 Bacharach-inspired number, "Tell Her No." These guys really stood out from the rest of the British pack because they added some nice jazz chords into their superb pop. Our favourite budget label, Nashville's "Hit Records", got some guys they called The Mummies into the studio in '65. The vocals are lugubrious and the unknown singer really ... er ... emphasizes the "oh"'s ... We unearth a garage version by some guys called The Stereo Shoestring who add a little muscle to the tune ... but after that - hoo boy! A couple of really patience-testing versions by some dirtbags called Smith and some Blood Sweat and Tears-wannabes called The Seven, who are not magnificent. Take them away!!

Hey rebels! Take a break from breakin' rocks in the hot sun to listen to our episode on "I Fought The Law"! The original is by The Crickets, just after Buddy Holly became a slice of American Pie. But we all know the Bobby Fuller Four stole the song and made it their own - no cop is going to haul them in for their version. Can the same be said for other 60s scofflaws Sir Henry & His Butlers and She Trinity? Eventually, another daring heist was done by The Clash in 1979, and the Dead Kennedys actually hijacked the song around the same time for some pertinent San Fran social commentary! I guess our race is run!

John and Bobby from the Gruesomes join us for the umpteenth time!!! ... and we're talkin' about misogyny in 60s garage lyrics. Here's the jerkass tunes: "No Good Woman" by The Tree, "Be A Caveman" by The Avengers, and we also revisit "What a Girl Can't Do," except this time it's The Lyres' version. Were these guys the earliest incels? What were these macho morons thinking? It's about time we really investigated the misogynist tropes of our favourite 60s music ...

Patron Saint of the Podcast Bo Diddley is up this week with his 1960 track "Road Runner," with cover versions by The Pretty Things, The Gants, The Liverbirds, and The Phantoms - those last 4 in a race for the coveted Bo Diddley Award. Meep meep!

Get ready to flop on the floor this week - we'll be doing the Alligator, as mentioned in "Land of 1,000 Dances"! The first in our animal menagerie is "Alligator Meat" by Charlie Singleton & His Orchestra from 1951, which sounds like Slim Gaillard if he rocked, rather than jazzed. After dinner, enjoy "Alligator Stomp" by The Rampages - a throwback rocker from 1964. That same year, "The 100 Mile An Hour Alligator" by The P.J. Murphy Quintet captured the ferocity and energy of the titular animal in a spiffy intro number. Frat-tastic! Next, The Dynamic Kapers offer us some "Alligator Wine" to wash down the gator meat. It's an early Leiber/Stoller tune! Before they kissed you all over in the 70s, Jimmy Stokley & The Exiles warned us it was "Alligator Time." It's even more salacious than their later paean to sex! We saved the best for last with "The Alligator" by The Us Four from Louisville, Kentucky. This song has it all, dual vocals, cool percussion, an upfront organ, and koool lyrics that implore you to forget all other dances! Dance this mess around!!

Let's get on our bikes and ride this weekend !!- we're talking about Tomorrow's 1967 psych classic, "My White Bicycle." A story of a rebellious youth flouting society's conventions, full of trippy headphone frolicking! Leviathan were the next act to take up the bike ... er ... song ... I guess the bell was broken by the time they got it? Nazareth actually had a hit with the song, but we wonder what the heck is going on with the vocals!? We could do without the bland 70s prog solo section, but your mileage may vary. A broken Axl, perhaps? We really like the version by Neil (aka Nigel Planer) from Brit tv's The Young Ones. This one really feels like a proper bike ride! It's got a Captain Sensible vibe - and it brings back the bell! The psych feel returns with Valentin Noiret's version, which adds some cool Kraut-rock elements. Ding ding!!