In Dan's Garage...#27

Good news!!! While rummaging through my collection I realized I have even more records than I thought!!! No doubt this development will make my lovely wife cringe, but hey, record collecting is a better vice than  let's say....gambling, and at the end of the day I have something to show for my money spent! A nice investment indeed! For your listening pleasure are 28 more obscurities from the '60s, with most of it in the 65-67 time slot. Here goes....#27!!!

Free For All - Show Me The Way / Blue Monday (1966)

 Here's a great one to start off with. This group was actually The Great Scots from Halifax, Nova Scotia, a band that had about 4 or 5 killer 45s, including "Give Me Lovin' / Don't Want Your Love" which I featured in #20.

Rooks - I'll Be The One / Believe In You (1965)

A great (I don't give a shit what Fuzz, Acid, & Flowers says) British Invasion influenced 45 from a bunch of guys who I guess were actually from California, and had connections with Bobby Fuller. There's another Rooks out there, that did the superb "A Girl Like You", but these aren't the same guys.

Beattle-Ettes - Only Seventeen (1964)

HA! This one is one of my favorites because it's soooo cheezy. What we have here is an obvious attempt by girl group guru George "Shadow" Morton to cash in on the Beatles craze. Well...the results were less than stellar, but the final product is a great, if not not inept, girl garage group singing like they wish they were the Beatles.

Creatures - Hurtin' All Over / Love Is A Funny Little Game (1966)

This Irish group was featured in our last episode, and what we have here is more of the same. Excellent production, and cool, ringing guitars throughout. I don't know why these guys haven't gotten more praise.

Devons - Are You Really Real / It's All Over Now Baby Blue (1965)

 Gary Usher is well known for his work with The Beach Boys, The Byrds, The Hondells, The Surfaris, and Sagittarius. The Devons may have been a studio group of some sort, but they definitely tried capturing the folk rock vibe that was so popular at the time, and wre one of the first rock and roll groups to attempt the often covered Dylan favorite "Baby Blue", which was a staple of many bands in the sixties and into the seventies.

 Five Empressions - Little Miss Sad / Hey Lover (1965)

Great one from a very popular Chicago band who changed their name to The Five Emprees.

Fogcutters - That's Where I'll Be / It's My World (1966)

A great girl put down 45 from a Colorado group. They had at least two more, both real good.

Baxters Chat - Don't Come Around Today / You're Alone (1967)

Groovy garage/pop with some baroque influenced Farfisa organ driving the whole thing. From somewhere in Kansas.....

Sceptres - Can't Get You Off My Mind (1965)

 Moody, lightweight garage from Montreal, Canada.

Third Booth - Sound Inc. / Mysteries (1967)

Most aficionados will recognize this one under the title "I Need Love" which was released on Independence records in 1968. This however, is the original release from this Peoria, IL group, and as you can see the A side was originally titled "Sound Inc." Check out a more detailed account here.

Cast Of Thousands - Girl Go Do What You Gonna Do / My Jenny Wears A Mini (1967)

Mistakenly thought of as Stevie Ray Vaughn's backup band, this bunch from Texas was an offshoot of The Allusions who were featured in #26. This is absolutely one of my favorites, although the flip is a bit on the goofy side...

Wailers - Tears / It's You Alone (1966)

Legendary Pacific NW combo who irritatingly gets confused with the reggae bunch. This is from a fine album they released in 1966.

Wolf Men - She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not / Watusi Beat (1986)

Although the main focus of this blog is on sixties groups, I had to include this "neo garage" 45 because of it's sheer authenticity. Both sides of this are truly fantastic, and they nail down the sound better than 98% of every garage rock band I've ever heard, including The Chesterfield Kings. They even go so far as to put a delta matrix number from 1965 in the trail off wax! How cool is that!!!

Sonics - Anyway The Wind Blows / Lost Love (1967)

The last 45 put out by the original lineup, and it kind of shows. The A side, a cover of a Mothers Of Invention tune shows a clear departure from "Psycho". I really like it nonetheless, especially the "Eight Miles High" ending. The flip shows shades of the old Sonics.

Rumbles Ltd. - Push Push / First To Know (1969)

In #19 we heard "Fourteen Years", a great moody tune from this very popular Omaha, NE combo. This 45, one of their last from '69, has a bubblegum flair to it, but is real catchy

Enjoy!