In Dan’s Garage…#90

Holy smokes! It feels like forever since I last did this. Did everyone have a good summer? Mine was pretty busy, and I wish I had a lot more leisure time to do fun things like get this blog out more frequently! The best thing about the end of the summer is that the NFL starts up, and Major League Baseball is winding down towards the playoffs and eventually the World Series in October. It doesn’t look too good for the Yankees this year, too many injuries, poor pitching, and that debacle with A-Rod (I personally can’t get rid of this guy soon enough) makes for a lousy season, although I’m quite surprised they did better than expected. As for my beloved New York Giants, they started their NFL season with a sloppy performance in a game which they could have won. Oh well.   I really can’t believe that I’ve gotten up to 90 posts so far and there’s a whole bunch more to come! I’m very grateful to the 200+ friends that have signed on through Google to follow this blog, and as Gomer Pyle would say…"thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! and SHAZAM! we’ve gotten over 350,000 hits on this baby! Keep those mice clicking!   As usual, I’ve gathered up a nice little potpourri of sounds here that range from straight up garage, to whimsical psyche. I hope everyone enjoys it. Thanks again for all the kind words and keep the comments coming. It’s a great ego boost!

Clefs Of Lavender Hill – Stop! Get A Ticket / First Tell My Why (1965) The first 45 released by these Miami, FL legends, and arguably their best, although they had excellent output throughout their short career. They recorded an album that Date records never released. Those assholes.

Me And Dem Guys – Black Cloud / Come On Little Sweetheart (1965) From Jackson, MI (not Grand Rapids), these guys had a very complicated existence recording for several labels including this one, which was named after a chain of clubs that they were booked at in Michigan. Both sides of this 45 are great frat-garage/rock. If you want to read an in-depth story of the band click HERE.

“You Know Who” Group – Roses Are Red My Love / Playboy (1965) Ahhhh….here we go again with the “You Know Who” group, as if to say that they were The Beatles or something in disguise. What a hoot! Four guys in Lone Ranger masks yeah, yeah, yeahing, and Ooooohing all over their records trying to fool impressionable young teens hungry for “Liverpool” like sounds into thinking it was The Fab 4 incognito. The genius behind all of this was a savvy guy named Bob Gallo (a nice Italian boy), a producer engineer, and entrepreneur who’s credited with either producing or engineering some of Rock And Roll’s greatest hits including The Crest’s “Sixteen Candles”, & Wilbert Harrison’s “Kansas City”.

Countdowns – Skies Will Be Happy To See You / She Works All Night (1967) A rather obscure bunch from Holyoke, MA gives us a lightweight, yet solid two sider from 1967.

Pretty Things – Honey I Need / I Can Never Say (1965) Oh so very cool 45 by The Pretties, and in my opinion their BEST. Yeah….better than Rosalyn, LSD, or, Come See Me. It’s the understated nature of it all, with the 12 string acoustic guitars backed by that pounding rhythm section. Truly great.

Seeds – Try To Understand (1966) The Seeds are a real chore to try to figure out in regards to their output on GNP Crescendo. “Pushin’ Too Hard” was released twice with different B sides and this example is from the second release. Sky delivers the familiar “Oohhh”s on this one like he did on “Can’t Seem To Make You Mine”.

Syndicate Of Sound – Rumors / The Upper Hand (1966) The Syndicate’s follow up to the awesome “Little Girl”. I really like this one better than “Little Girl”, although the B side is kind of non the blue eyed soul side.

Avengers – Everyone’s Gonna Wonder / Take My Hand (1967) I remember when I bought this 45. I was at a record show in Albany, NY at the Sheraton Hotel and it was a rather huge affair because there was a featured appearance by Peter Tork of The Monkees and Bobby Hart (of Boyce And Hart of course) and it was months before the big hyped up Monkees reunion of the 80s. All I remember was that they did a short performance and Tork sang “Shades Of Gray”, and I don’t know what the hell Hart did. I got some stuff autographed and I don’t want to say that Tork was a dick, but he seemed a little fed up with the Monkees thing only wanting to sign TWO items. I guess I don’t blame him. There were a lot of what I call “Star Trek” types with junk like Monkees cards and lunch boxes, et,al. Anyway thanks Pete. Oh yeah..the record show. I’m plowing through mounds of 45s and come across this one and said HOLY SHIT THE AVENGERS! thinking it was the “Be A Caveman” guys.Well…I was wrong. I guess this group was out of Wellington in New Zealand and weren’t exactly a group of garage punkers, but a pop band. I HATED this 45 for the longest time thinking I got sandbagged, but after a while it grew on me. Very finely crafted pop from the mid 60s.

Coloring Book – Smokestack Lightning / You Make Me Feel Good (1966) Slow, tense version of the Howlin’ Wolf classic with an eerie 12 string guitar and harmonica in the distant background. The flip gets the same treatment. From California.

Distortions – Behind My Wall / A Love That Loves You (1966) This is what we here in these parts call “meaningful folk rock”. The A side sort of reminds me of “I Am A Rock” lyrically. Very pretentious but with a naïve quality that I like. From Birmingham, AL

Fountain Of Youth – Day Don’t Come / Sunshine On A Cold Morning (1968) Superb pop/garage/psyche by a band from Texas. All their other releases are worth seeking out. “Witness People” is featured on IDG #88.

Grains Of Sand – Nice Girl / Drop Down Sometime (1967) Yup, the same guys that did “That’s When Happiness Began” on Valiant Records. This one’s not quite as aggressive though, yet it has a “Lovin’ Spoonful” quality to it.

Truth – I Can / A Day Like Today (1968) Supposedly a group out of Chicago, but I really can’t say for sure. Excellent organ driven psyche.

Thorinsheild – Lonely Mountain Again (1968) Another offering from this LA psyche trio. Also featured in IDG #88

Window Frame – You Have The Choice / Before And After (196?) Geez…try doing a search on these guys. All I get are links to home improvement projects. Anyone out there got any info on this decent psyche 45 from Michigan??????

GET IT HERE