Oriphiel

As the wide array of Progressive and Psychedelic bands approached the end of the 1960's, their collective sound began to shift towards a representation of despair and disillusionment. Attempting to experiment with music, and often shunning the short, fast, happy and simple Pop songs of the day, they embraced the rough darkness of Hard Rock and the Blues, taking them to even further depths and extremes as they crafted very heavy, slow, and long songs about specific social messages or experiences. This change was most apparent in the Progressive and Hard Rock bands of the UK, with acts like May Blitz, Stray, the Edgar Broughton Band, and an early Judas Priest pushing music towards what would eventually become Heavy Metal in it's modern form (and i'm sure someone will yell at me if I don't mention Budgie somewhere in here).


Of course, Americans like Blue Cheer were apart of the movement as well. Don't worry. It's perfectly natural to be jealous of their hair.

This culminated in the success of the first wave of Heavy Metal, as bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin championed their respective sounds, and ushered in a new age of music. However, Metal began to lose it's momentum in the mid-1970's, as the new and exciting sound of Punk Rock took over as the voice of the UK underground. People began calling Heavy Metal a "trend", something that was a temporary detour for the music of the 1970's. And it may have stayed that way, if not for a large group of young bar-hoppers and cafe-racers that were having none of that "punk nonsense". Frequenting the underground metal clubs of the UK, these chaps wanted complexity and intensity in their music that Punk simply couldn't provide for them. Bands began to form as the scene developed. Some, like Saxon, focused on a fast-yet-heavy style of Hard Rock. Others, like Iron Maiden, drew inspiration from both classic Heavy Metal and the wild antics of Punk Rock. And Progressive figures returned to the fold as well, with Hawkwind's Lemmy Kilmister forming "Motorhead", and Judas Priest hitting hard with a new heavy-yet-commercial sound. This began the so-called "New Wave of British Heavy Metal", which went from the late 1970's into the 1980's, when it was appropriated by the Hair Metal movement.

Today, we'll be looking at a band from the early days of Heavy Metal. Formed in 1966, it's...

Stray



Stray! Comprised of guitarist Del Bromham, drummer Steve Crutchley, lead vocalist Steve Gadd, and bassist Gary Giles, these underground rockers created their signature sound by adding vocal harmonies to their otherwise heavy and distorted Hard Rock numbers. They were one of many Progressive/Hard Rock bands that frequented the live circuit, and apparently put on a great show; even though they broke up in 1977, they still have a good amount of fans who collect ticket stubs and posters for their performances. They also opened for quite a few heavyweights, such as Rush, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Budgie, Judas Priest, Nazareth and Kiss. Though commercial success constantly remained out of their reach, they released a large number of LP's in their heyday, the first of which was their self-titled debut released in 1970. Now, let's get to it!


Stray in their very early days

1. "It's All in Your Mind" - Clocking in at roughly nine minutes (which is the usual fare for fans of Prog Rock, and torture for the rest of us!), this is the longest song of the album. Starting off quiet and smooth, it quickly builds up to a heavy beat supported by a rough and distorted guitar riff. While I usually avoid very long songs, I found this track to be unusually bearable. The band's vocal harmonies are a very good mix with the rest of the song, and help to keep things exciting and varied, and the guitar solos are a blast as well! At around the four and half minute mark, the song slows down into a Psychedelic-style number, which is a nice departure from the main beat. Still, this song is very long, and the amount of variety just barely manages to justify the length.

2. "Taken all the Good Things" - With definite influences from the Blues and the Psychedelic sound, this track is a cool Hard Rock number with a heavy beat hanging onto it like an anchor. Halfway through, the song picks up speed as the guitarist plays a solo and an interesting break, eventually returning to the original beat of the song. All in all, this one has more variety and a shorter length than the opening track, and seems to have a much more accessible sound and formula to it.

3. "Around the World in Eighty Days" - The shortest song of the album, this one is a deceptively soft and clean number with bursts of energy and distortion. It's more chorus-focused than the previous tracks, which is a nice change of pace.



4. "Time Machine" - My favorite track of the album so far, this one is a furious mixture of Heavy Metal and Folk! It's got an interesting sound to it, and, of course, has a great guitar solo. Even though the two speed-ups give it variety and excitement, it's still just a little too long for it's own good.

5. "Only What You Make It" - Another "short" track (clocking in at about four minutes), this one is a heavy hitting Hard Rock number with a lot of attitude and speed to it! Definitely one of the strongest songs of the album, it's also got a fun Harmonica bit at the end (a lovely tradition in the Psychedelic, Garage Rock, and Progressive genres).

6. "Yesterday's Promises" - A melancholy Prog Rock song that focuses on attaining a bittersweet tone rather than the distorted heaviness of the previous tracks (although there is brief distortion in the guitar solo near the end). This one at times reminds me of Judas Priest's early sound, especially when compared to songs from the "Rocka Rolla" LP like "Run of the Mill".



7. "Move On" - Kicking off with an odd mix of thrashing distorted guitars and bongos, this track is a good example of how Jazz influenced Hard Rock and early Heavy Metal (especially during the slow-down and subsequent guitar solo at the two minute mark). I have to give props to the drummer and bassist here, who excel at holding up a strong beat throughout the song.

8. "In Reverse/Some Say" - This is the final number of the album. Almost as long as the first song, this one is another Prog/Psych track that aims for atmosphere rather than simplicity or attitude. It has a good amount of experimentation and tone-changes, with a good example being the change-up at the six and a half minute mark. Still, as I said before, i'm not a huge fan of very long songs.



Don't be fooled by the relatively small track-list, this album is just as long as any other. In fact, that's the album's main weakness. While it's very powerful and intriguing, it suffers from stretching songs out for as much time as possible. Still, of all the heavy Progressive bands I've heard, Stray have one of the most fresh, engaging, and accessible sounds. I highly recommend this album to anyone who is interested in early Heavy Metal, or is a fan of Hard Rock in general (as songs like "Taken All the Good Things" and "Only What You Make It" should be able to keep almost anyone properly entertained).

Unknown Soldier

There are not many members on this forum, who are aware of how great early Stray were, they really had a unique sound.

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Metal Wars

Power Metal

Pounding Decibels- A Hard and Heavy History

Oriphiel

They really did have their own signature style, from what I've heard so far. They certainly knew how to combine the accessible side of music with the experimental, and that makes them a great gateway band into the early Progressive/Hard Rock scene. By all accounts, it was a wild time in the history of music, and i'm definitely looking forward to hearing even more bands from those days!

Psy-Fi

Interesting to see a piece about The Ace of Cups. I was planning on featuring them in my journal at some point. I daresay they are not only my favorite 60's female rock group, but probably my all-time favorite female rock group. It's too bad things never worked out for them as far as making albums and singles and being able to tour and build a bigger fan base. I think they were much more interesting and talented than the vast majority of similar acts of that time.

Denise Kaufman was also an enthusiastic proponent of LSD, having her first trip in 1965 and becoming a member of Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters shortly afterward. She was called 'Mary Microgram' during her psychedelic escapades with the Pranksters.

That Denise & Co. single is so rare that only 2 copies are known to exist out of only 100 pressed at the time. It was considered by many collectors to be the rarest garage rock single of all-time a few years ago when there was only 1 known copy, but a second copy has since surfaced.

Denise also had a connection to Moby Grape, briefly playing in a band called 'Luminous Marshgas' with Jerry Miller and Don Stevenson before she left the band and Jerry and Don reformed as Moby Grape. There is also a Blue Cheer connection to Ace of Cups, as Denise met Mary Ellen Simpson at a party on New Year's Eve of 1966 at the house where members of Blue Cheer lived at the time and was invited to join Ace of Cups by Mary Ellen after the two of them jammed together and hit it off.

And Denise was the band member who was hit in the head with an empty beer bottle (while 4 months pregnant, suffering a skull fracture as a result) while the band was playing at the infamous Altamont Speedway Free Festival in 1969.

Really a shame so few recordings and videos exist from them.

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She's a Brick House

Oriphiel

You should totally talk about The Ace of Cups in your journal, I'd love to hear your thoughts about them! I'd heard that Blue Cheer and The Ace of Cups had a history, and that the song "Pretty Boy" was written to be about Dickie Peterson, from Blue Cheer, after the two bands collided. And about their single, "Boy, What'll You Do Then", I knew it was a collectors item, but I had no idea that there were only two known copies of it! I've updated The Ace of Cups' entry, and it now mentions that Denise was the injured member, and that only about 100 copies of their single were pressed. Thanks for the info!

Oriphiel

Detroit, Michigan, is an incredibly important city in the history of American culture. In it's day it was one of the musical centers of the world, becoming an artistic playground of sound and attitude in the 1960's and 1970's. There were the soulful Motown darlings who went on to help define the sound of their generation, the underground rockers and proto-punks who got the wheels of the Motor City spinning out of control with their brand of Garage-y Hard Rock, and the Funk heroes who combined the sounds of both cultures to get their own unique brand of music. Beyond the amount of studio songs that came out of Detroit, it was also well known as a mecca for live show fanatics. With infamous clubs and venues spread across the map, and acts like The MC5, The Stooges, Ted Nugent and Alice Cooper pushing their live performances to be as extreme as possible, people from across America flocked to Detroit to find the exciting music that at that point had become almost legendary.


Behold! Don't be fooled by their innocence; They were the face of teen rebellion.

Before their break-up in 1972, The MC5 had a reputation for being one of the wildest acts around. Going to one of their shows was practically a rite of passage for the youth of Detroit, who usually had to sneak away from their uncompromising parents to get a glimpse of the proto-punk legends on the stage. One 16 year old girl, Dominique Lorenz, was forbidden to see the MC5 in concert, and was left with only one viable option; she ran away! Starting a new life for herself in the hopes of becoming a musician, she changed her name to Nikki Corvette and became apart of the underground scene. She got her start at around the age of 21, when she managed to land a gig at a bar owned by one of her friends, however there was one key flaw to her plan; she had no band.

Hastily assembling her crew, she joined forces with local musicians Lori Jeri and Sally Dee, dubbing them Nikki and the Corvettes. Without any time for rehearsing or writing new material, they simply played covers of songs that everyone in the band knew (apparently, they once opened with the Beach Boys' "Fun, Fun, Fun", and quickly realized that trying to sing a song with so many vocal harmonies without rehearsing it beforehand is not a good idea!). They played the live circuit of Detroit through the late 1970's, during the years when bands like The Ramones were coming on the American Punk scene with their unique brand of Punk Rock, and eventually they caught the eye of the Shaws and their project "Bomp! Records" (if you've forgotten about them, I believe the entry about the first volume of the Pebbles compilation goes into their history and impact). Before breaking up in 1981, they cut a handful of singles and a self-titled debut LP. Even though their music was obscure and overlooked in their time, they became a very well-known cult band in underground circles, to the point where their low-budget LP has never gone out of print, and her growing fanbase has allowed Nikki to start touring again in 2003. She continues to tour and play with various bands to this day. Without further ado...

Nikki and the Corvettes



1. "He's a Mover" - Right off the bat, Nikki and the Corvettes hit you with a very odd and unique sound. While Nikki's vocals are extremely clean and bubble-gum sweet, the guitars and drums are as loud and rough as any other Punk band. I think this track actually benefits a lot from the album's low budget, as it gives it the perfect amount of grit and authenticity to balance out the sweetness of it.

2. "You're the One" - Another great Pop-Punk number with catchy vocals and exciting instrumentation! Nikki and the Corvettes are definitely indebted to bands like The Ramones, with their short, simple and lighthearted Punk songs, but they really have a great sound of their own. The perfect blend of rebellious and commercial!

3. "C'mon" - Returning with their signature sound, Nikki and the Corvettes hit hard with another Punk toothache. However, while their songs are certainly fresh and catchy, they could use a little more variety in the mix.


Nikki and the Corvettes! Right to left in the picture of their profiles: Sally Dee, Nikki Corvette, and Lori Jeri.

4. "Just What I Need" - Gotta love the clapping in the intro! Of all the songs so far, this one is the most reliant on it's chorus. The result is that it's very catchy, but the hook comes with the price of it being repetitive. One of the longer songs of the album, at roughly three minutes.

5. "Boys, Boys, Boys" - Before Motley Crue got girl crazy in 1987, it seems like Nikki and the Corvettes were cruisin' for some action! It's a fun tribute to looking for love in the city, and sounds just as fun and carefree as you might expect it to.

6. "Let's Go" - The shortest song of the album at just over a minute long, this is a tribute to Rockabilly foot-stompers like Little Richard's "Rip It Up", complemented with a fantastic guitar solo. It's pure sugar-coated fury, and is my favorite track of the album so far!


Nikki Corvette finds a use for her extra 45's.

7. "Shake It Up" - I love the Rockabilly style guitar solos and breaks that pop up throughout this album, as they really help to change things up and keep them exciting! This Pop-Punk track has a great guitar break, and is otherwise a pretty solid chorus-heavy number.

8. "Back Seat Love" - Nikki and the girls beckon cute boys to hop in the back of their Corvette with this adorable track! I love the intro, by the way!

9. "I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend" - Of all the tracks on this album that I've heard so far, this one sounds the most like a Ramones number. What really makes it stand apart from the others is the fantastic drumming and guitar work, especially during the break in the middle.


Krysti Kaye, in the middle, was also a member of the band for awhile.


10. "Summertime Fun" - This one has a bit of a Surf/Rockabilly feeling to it, and the background "Hey!"'s give it a very 1980's feeling. All in all, another fun and solid number that easily could have dominated both the mainstream and underground radio stations of it's day.

11. "Gimme Gimme" - The sound of the intro kind of reminds me of ACDC for some reason ("It's a Long Way to the Top", maybe?)... This one combines all of their strengths, having a twangy guitar break, a strong chorus, fantastic drumming, and a perfect length, making it one of the strongest songs of the album and a perfect example of what these girls are capable of.

12. "You Make Me Crazy" - A nice experiment in a slightly darker direction, with a bit of a rougher and more jarring approach to their Pop-Punk sound, this one is still very sweet and innocent compared to pretty much every other Punk band of their time.



Nikki and the Corvettes dish out a great amount of carefree fun and no-strings-attached antics, giving fans of both Pop and Punk something to dance to! They certainly achieved their mission-statement of having fun and living large, and their energy shows in all of their songs. Normally, Pop-Punk bands are often criticized for relying too heavily on recurring sounds and formulas, as well as overly simplistic lyrics and themes, and Nikki and the Corvettes are certainly not known as one of the more experimental or political bands of their time. However, their songs have a fun spectrum of variety to them, as they summon up elements of Pop, Punk, Rockabilly and Surf Rock. Not only that, but this album is extremely short, clocking in at under twenty three minutes, ending before it gets a chance to become grating and repetitive. They played to their strengths with this one, and even though they do rely on hooks/choruses more that I'd like, I have to forgive them. Why? Because even when someone does something that you don't like, it's easy to forgive them when you can tell that they're having a blast while they do it!

Oriphiel

Boys Versus Girls - "Thee Headcoats" Versus "Thee Headcoatees"!

In the late 1980's, Billy Childish, Johnny Johnson, and Bruce Band, created a Punk band dubbed "Thee Headcoats". Focusing on attaining a sound influenced by 1960's era Garage Rock, they quickly gained a reputation as one of the premier Garage Rock bands of their generation, and needless to say developed a cult following. Their female counterpart was a band named "The Delmonas", who later came to be dubbed "Thee Headcoatees". Comprised of Ludella Black, Kyra LaRubia, Debbie Green, and Holly Golightly, they were one of the staples of Thee Headcoats' live performances, adding female vocals/harmonies and extra instrumentation to flesh their songs out. However, Thee Headcoatees weren't content to be just a backing band, and with Billy Childish's support (the two bands often shared songs. Billy had a knack for writing original material, while Holly was apparently a collector of odd and obscure music, songs that were just asking for a good cover), they began cutting their own albums.

Today, we'll be looking at the debut albums of both halves of Thee Headcoats, comparing them to see which was ultimately the stronger LP. I haven't listened to either band very often, so both albums will be very new to me. Now, it's time to begin. Will it be the burned-out boys, or the girls in the garage? Let's find out!

Headcoats Down



1. "Smile Now" - Kicking off with a heavy and solid drum beat, as well as a healthy dose of fuzz-guitars, Thee Headcoats promise to deliver a fun and vintage sound. While the instrumentation is strong and recorded very well to have a retro feeling, the vocals are a bit weak (and the analogue-style effect over the lead singer certainly sounds cool, but only adds to the shakiness). This is not the worst Garage Rock song I've ever heard, but certain parts of it, namely the vocals, lack the explosive energy and charm that vintage material has.

2. "Please Little Baby" - A great mixture of Surf-style drum rolls and electric organ work! They did a fantastic job with getting their sound just right, to the point where I wouldn't be surprised if this song popped up on a compilation like Pebbles or Nuggets. The vocals fit better here than in the last song, although they still seem rather weak.

3. "You're Looking Fine" - This steady rocker has a great beat, and a fair amount of style to it! The guitarist and drummer really work well together, creating a simple yet compelling beat. The vocals actually fit in pretty well with the rest of the song, making this the most solid song so far.


Thee Headcoats, looking quite dapper.

4. "In Your Hand" - My favorite song so far, this one really hits the vintage sound in the bullseye! All it's missing is the distant fuzz of a beat-up 45. I think the guitarist (Billy Childish, who also happens to be the vocalist) does especially well with this one, keeping things steady until the fantastic break!

5. "Child's Death Letter" - A cover of a song by Blues legend Son House, this cover definitely shows it's roots. With all the melancholy twang of the indigo notes, this fantastic tribute is a welcome change of pace!

6. "I'll Make You Mine" - After that brief departure into the Blues, we're grabbed by the legs and dragged back into the muddy grave of psycho Garage Rock! Similar to the first four tracks of the album, this one is a bit more solid than the opener, and has a nice frantic sound to it (especially when the vocalist laughs menacingly during the chorus).



7. "Headcoat and the Mortar-Board" - A very odd and almost comically frantic song, with lyrics like "Put on your head coat! Strap that thing upon your head!" Definitely the weirdest track so far, although the fuzz-guitar sounds fantastic.

8. "Wily Coyote" - Another fun Blues number, this one stands up tall with the famous "Hoochie Coochie Man" as it's backbone. Definitely a tribute to chaps like Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley. I actually really liked this one!

9. "Let Me Touch" - Another Garage-style psycho scramble, the drummer and bassist hit the listener hard while the vocalist pleads for some lovin'.



10. "I'm the Doctor" - The rising and falling tune of the electric organ and guitar remind me of a whole mess of vintage Garage songs, like Keith Kessler's "Don't Crowd Me", although that song is much more upbeat than this one. Slow and Blues-y, this one has a great tone to it.

11. "John The Revelator" - Another Son House number. Just like the original, this one is purely an unaccompanied vocal number. It lacks the raw authenticity of Son House's version, but is still a fun version in it's own right.

12. "Young Blood" - The final track of their debut, the Headcoats part with a heavy Garage Rock number (complete with randomly explicit lyrics!). This one is just as solid as their other Rock/Punk numbers, with a few nice touches (the guitar break was pretty fun, as well as the howling at the end).



And so Thee Headcoats' first album comes to a close. It's definitely a fun album, however it certainly has flaws to it. The first is that for most of the album, Thee Headcoats stay very closely to their core Garage Rock sound, which results in most of the songs sounding very similar. The analogue-effect that is placed over the vocals takes a lot of the energy out of their songs, and is just one more thing that makes almost all of their Garage tracks sound like the same song played in a slightly different way. Their saving grace is their experimentation with the Blues, which provide a handful of fresh songs to help keep the album interesting. It's a good album, and I think most fans of Garage Rock will find a few songs to their liking (or maybe even the whole album, who knows?), however it simply lacks the magic of vintage Garage Rock. Now that the boys have gone, it's time to see if the girls have what it takes to reign supreme over the Garage...

Girlsville



1. "Wild Man" - Damn! Right off the bat, The Headcoatees are already slaughtering the boys! This fantastically odd cover of the obscure original by The Tamrons is a delight to listen to, with almost-moaning minimalist vocals, clean background harmonies, and a very solid backbeat as provided by the loud drummer and rough guitarist! Their debut is off to a great start!

2. "When the Night Comes" - Remember Girls in the Garage? This song seriously sounds like it belongs there. A perfect harmony of rough and smooth, the soft vocals and harmonies add a nice contrast to the heavy drumming and sharp guitar riffing.

3. "Stolen Love" - A slow and melancholy number about a girl who confronts the woman who stole her man. The highlight of the song is the chorus, when a fuzz-guitar kicks in to great effect! This song has both grit and class, giving it a fun and compelling sound.


Thee Headcoatees!

4. "Round Every Corner" - This gritty rocker has a Blues-y feeling to it, adding to the odd variety of the album. A very solid song with a fun guitar riff and good amount of vocal harmonies to flesh things out!

5. "Run for Your Life" - A fuzzed-out cover of John Lennon's oft criticized number from "Rubber Soul". It's got a fast pace and a fun shuffle backbeat, giving it a good amount of energy.

6. "Give it to Me" - Forgoing their earlier sound, they dive right into straight Punk Rock with this raw number. Still, their signature Garage sound emerges in the odd harmony and the twangy guitar solo. This track has a fantastic wildness to it, with screaming and thrashy guitars all over the place!


Thee Headcoatees in their early days, as The Delmonas.

7. "Dirty Old Man" - Emulating the classic riff-rock of bands like The Kinks, this is a fun tribute to the aging local drunkards that seem to pop up in every town! Though it's a comedic song, it's still got a great beat to it, putting it on par with any other Garage Rock number.

8. "Melvin" - Remember this one, from "Girls in the Garage"? The Belles' cult classic gender-reversal of the band Them's "Gloria" gets a fantastic tribute, with just as much punch as the original! Grand and strange, it has plenty of nice touches to it, like the Psychedelic electric organ in the background and a few tweaks to the lyrics ("Boom boom!").

9. "The First Plane Home" - Taking another change in direction, this one is a clean Beat-style Pop-Punk number. The guitar riff sounds great and vintage, as well as the vocals and harmonies, and I love the harmonica break!


The two bands played many live shows together.

10. "Meet Jacqueline" - A great tribute to Pop-Rock, particularly from the 1950's and early 1960's (with a deep voiced male vocalist making doo-wop style embellishments)! The ever-rolling drums and simple guitar riff add to the fun, mixing with the vocals to create an oddly charming song.

11. "Boysville" - A solid Blues number with a "Hoochie Coochie Man" style backbeat. Compared to The Headcoats' "Wily Coyote", which follows the same beat, this one has much more variety and excitement to it, having a 1960's Garage Rock chorus injected into it.

12. "Money" - And Thee Headcoatees' wrap things up by trying their hand at the classic "Money ("That's What I Want"). This one is actually a tribute to the Beatles' version, rather than the Barrett Strong original, being almost identical to their Liverpool Lads' take on it. Definitely the most unpolished song of the album, this one aims for raw Punk intensity and hits it right in the nose.



Having finished Thee Headcoatees' debut album, there is only one thing I can say; I need to listen to more of their music! They have an amazing amount of versatility and variety throughout their songs, and have the unique ability to make their songs sound both hauntingly vintage and incredibly modern. This is one of the rare albums where I found myself constantly in anticipation of the next track, wondering what kind of crazy song they would come up with next! I don't say this often, but this album is a must-listen, being quite possibly the most fresh and engaging album by a Garage Revival band that I've ever heard.

Now, who won the battle of the sexes? Was it the boys or the girls? Well, if you read my closing commentary on both albums, I think you already know which band takes the cake here. Without a doubt, Thee Headcoatees blow their male counterparts out of the water with an almost effortless ease! Where the boys are fairly formulaic in their approach to Garage Rock, the girls go all out with a wide array of sounds and techniques that makes "Headcoats Down" look like an amateur effort in comparison. So, the girls are the clear winners in this match, becoming the reigning queens of the garage!

Oriphiel

If there's one question that I get asked more than any other, it's "Why do you like weird music so much?" In response, I usually just shrug and say "It's what I like." But that isn't a very telling or satisfying answer, and eventually I found myself in doubt, asking the same questions that I'd heard so many times before. Why do I have such a taste for strange retro songs? Do I simply do it to make myself seem "unique"? Do I have some stubborn desire to go against popular culture? After thinking about it, I believe I have the answer.

In a way, I've always had an affinity for old music. Growing up, I loved listening to the retro stations as they played classic rock 'n roll tunes from the 1950's and 1960's. There was something about the energy of the artists, especially Little Richard and his frantic vocals, that gave me the energy and courage to confront my problems. There are those who prefer new music, to be on the cutting edge of what's fresh and exciting, and that is a perfectly valid preference. But there was something so mysterious about old songs and the fuzzy distortion created by obsolete analogue recording equipment, as well as songs that took on an aged tone due to fading master tapes. This was, of course, in sharp contrast to the super-clean production of most modern songs, but that was exactly why I was drawn to them; as a strange misfit, I had no way of relating to pitch-perfect modern songs, while old rock 'n roll was just as dirty and raw as I saw myself. It was my music.

When you begin looking at the different decades of underground music, you quickly learn that there is an almost limitless amount of songs and albums out there. And as the years roll on, even more appear; for every band that makes the cut, a hundred fall by the roadside with only a sole debut or a few singles to remind the world that they did in fact exist. Looking through the entries in this journal, it's easy to forget that every song on every album was created by ever-hopeful musicians, people who wanted the same variety of accomplishments that humans have always wanted. Some wanted to pave an avenue to popularity and success, while others had grand ambitions of changing the world with their music, and of course there were those who simply needed the money. But they were all united by the common goal that resides in the heart of every artist, even if only as a small spark that can easily be lost within the flames of greater desires; they wanted to be appreciated and understood.

The reason I love odd retro music is the same reason that everyone in the world has their own musical preferences; we all listen to our own brand of music because we get something out of it. It gives us power, meaning, a good time, something to relate to. It's a home that we can always come back to, no matter how far our travels take us, and there's always a comfy bed set for us to crash on. When I was at my lowest point in life, my music reminded me that I was far from alone. The reason I go to such lengths to keep obscure bands in the spotlight is because I refuse to let them die and have their legacy forgotten. It's music, it's beautiful in it's own right, it has the power to inspire people just as it has inspired me, and it deserves a chance to stay alive even if only for a moment longer.

To put it simply, I write this journal because not everyone can relate to popular music. To those who are like me, and have a craving for the odd and obscure, I offer the bands within as an alternative. For this is the Garage, where the forgotten are remembered.

Oriphiel

Let's take a break from all of these albums. Grab your boards, because it's time to surf on another wave of EP Madness!

Gravest Hits



One of the most famous and influential underground bands to ever grace the stage, The Cramps have been around for quite some time, beginning sometime between 1972-1973 when vocalist Lux Interior joined forces with guitarist Poison Ivy. However, it was in 1979 that they began to make serious waves in the world of music with the release of this debut on IRS Records (which was recorded two years earlier, in 1977, and originally released as independently produced singles). While by this point their loyal fanbase was already in love with their wild live shows and endearing oddity, the rest of the world wasn't even remotely prepared for the Psychobilly sound of this infamous EP.

1. "Human Fly" - A staple of their live performances, this gloomy and heavily distorted number packs a rough Punk-style punch. Vocalist Lux Interior, as always, goes nuts while guitarists Poison Ivy and Bryan Gregory inject an infectious surf-style twang into the song. And of course, Nick Knox keeps the beat together with his simple and steady drumming. It's a strong number, and a good choice as for the opening track.

2. "The Way I Walk" - A heavy track with a distinctive Psychobilly sound to it. Lux's vocals are a great mix with the gritty guitars and thumping drums. The frantic screaming after the chorus is a nice touch!



3. "Domino" - Another Punk song with a classic rock 'n roll twist, Lux has an absolute ball with this one! His Rockabilly-style hiccuping is all over the place! The lyrics are pretty great as well, being about a crazy greaser cat called "Domino". This is a cover of a song written by Sam Phillips, and originally performed by Roy Orbison as "A Cat Called Domino".

4. "Surfin' Bird" - This number by The Trashmen has become fairly well known as the most repetitive and comical song to come out of the Surf Rock years. The Cramps perform their take on it, and it's just as strange and wild as you'd expect it to be! It has some fun Rockabilly jamming in it as well, pushing the song to a five minute run-time, just like the extended cut of the original.

5. "Lonesome Town" - This is a fantastic cover of a haunting song originally performed by Ricky Nelson. Lux opens it up with a monologue about loneliness, and it takes off as the rest of the band comes in with their signature Psychobilly sound. The key parts of this song are Lux's vocals, which he tries to keep as clean as possible, and Nick Knox's invading bass-drum kicks that emulate the beating of a heart.



It's easy to see why many people credit The Cramps as one of the leading originators of the Psychobilly movement. Their brand of Punk Rock has a definite Rockabilly flair to it, and was undeniably influential. With this EP, they accomplish exactly what they set out to, creating a very wild and memorable experience. Still, their songs are an acquired taste, with Lux's vocals in particular standing out as abnormal, even by Punk Rock standards. That makes this EP very hit-or-miss, meaning you'll probably either love every song or hate every song. The lack of a more commercial addition to the mix only adds to the riskiness of this release, but time has told that it was a gamble that ultimately paid off.

Next up, we briefly leave the world of Psychobilly to take a look at an infamous Post-Punk band...

Oriphiel

Kleenex



This self-titled debut EP was a collection of early singles cut by the all girl Swiss Post-Punk band Kleenex (Before they had to change their name to Liliput, to avoid legal action from the company that creates Kleenex tissues). Released in 1978, just after the band was formed. I have only heard a few songs by Kleenex/Liliput, so i'm looking forward to finally hearing more of their work. Well, let's get into it...

1. "Beri Beri" - Uh... I'm not quite sure what to say. It's very heavy, as well as repetitive, as the lyrics are comprised almost entirely of just two phrases. Very jarring, but also kind of catchy. I like it! Regula Sing's vocals have a very powerful and serious tone.

2. "Ain't You" - Another heavy and minimalistic number, this one has a solid Punk Rock guitar riff at it's heart. However, the real strength of this song is the very loud and solid drumming, which comes out sounding stunning. There are a few complete change ups to the song, where the entire tone of the song changes to a more Ramones style Punk number. Interesting, but still a bit repetitive.



3. "Hedi's Head" - Continuing with their odd formula, this is another track that's kept incredibly simple. Of course, the classic oddity of Post-Punk rears it's head here and there, such as when the back-up vocalist chants "Eeh eeh! Eeh eeh!"

4. "Nice" - Kleenex change things up with a semi-straightforward Pop Punk song, although the repetition and background chanting return once again. Ramona's vocals are pretty solid here, and the bass playing is strong and consistent. Probably the most commercial song of the lot.



Kleenex definitely had a unique sound, but they were also fairly limited by sticking so closely to their main formula. Their constant repetition and reliance on a simple yet heavy beat hurts them by stifling potential variety, but also inexplicably helps them by giving them a very solid and penetrating sound that produces a fair amount of intrigue. It's a great EP, definitely worth a listen, and despite being somewhat flawed it's a fairly strong way for them to have begun their career.