Is Garage Trendy?

[Axel Björnsson]

I see lot of bands out there claiming themself playing rock/pop with garage influence, the only problem is they don't sound garage/psych/rocknroll at all.

There are few "garage" bands playing at Iceland Airwaves this year (the biggest music festival in Iceland) Let's check them out..

 

Here we have this band called Weapons

 

Weapons is an indie/rock band from Reykjavík Iceland. Their music could be described as melody driven in your face indie rock influenced by good-feel indie, old-school garage and surf pop music.

 

ok lets take a look at one of their song. 

http://www.gogoyoko.com/song/3169

Yeah I hear Strokes, Maybe some Franz Ferdinand.. Surf Garage old school? 

 

 

Here is some old full grown band from Finland called 22 Pistepirkko. Very cool they're from Finland, hardcore people from Finland.

 

22-Pistepirkko are easily one of Northern Europe's most eccentric and evocative rock acts. The band's sound and diabolical dynamic is a luminous, surreal, guitar-based electro-pop and proto-garage-psychedelia blended with elements of acoustic folk and spaced-out bohemian blues-rock.

 

I get very exited when some band is coming playing music like this.. Wait they got a sound trial here. 

http://www.gogoyoko.com/song/228788

hmmm..????????????? What?

It's like they want to be more unique that they are. I just hear some cheasy advertisement pop going on here..

So what do you think is Garage trend? Is it "on" right know with the hip people? So what about these bands who are playing garage rock? What should we call them?

[Gunther Toody]

When I was in Europe every band I heard or saw that used "garage" (or "rockabilly" or "surf" for that matter) to promote themselves were not "garage" at all but more like punk. I figured out that it was these johnny-come-latelys way of saying they liked "garage" but were actually allowing to stay connected to bands they used to listen to like Bauhaus and shit like that (since that's what they sounded like to me). So in that sense, yes, it is trendy.

Most bands that call themselves "garage" nowadays sound like they learned the term from listening to the Cramps 20 years too late.

Kopper nailed it with his comment anyway...

[Lendell]

This poses an interesting questions.  What if the British Invasion never happened?  I have started a thread to explore this topic.

What if the British Invasion never happened?

 

Mole said:

Hey come on, you couldn't have lived without the British Invasion!!! The mood of your country at the time dictated it...how come no US band blew everyone away in late '63/early '64 to the same extent that the Beatles et al did? I'm not on some kind of nationalist trip, I'm not "proud" to be English [merely an accident of birth - i had no say in the matter!!], just saying that for a number of reasons and factors, the time was right for the Beat groups to find their place in the US. Wow, you WOULD NOT have the garage explosion of 65/66 without it!! A broad generalisation, but EVERY ONE of those cats was influenced by the English groups - OK, a fair point that they were bringing America's rich musical heritage back home in a sense [there's no doubt that 'rock n roll' is an American movement], but bring it they sure did.

Frank N. Stroud said:

I guess a lot of the meat of this discussion depends on what you consider garage and what you don't.

In my humble opinion, there is more to garage than just influences and all garage did not descend from the 60s British Invasion (which I think (Rock History Blasphemy Warning) we could have lived without in America) as many would have us believe. Buddy Holly was recording his songs (played in a garage) in the fifties using Lo-fi equipment and his drummer thumping a cardboard box on Not Fade Away.

For my part, if it's too clean,polished and processed, it ain't garage.

I call my music "Garage" cause that's where I write it, play it and often record it. I realize too, that the conventional definition of the "G" word probably means something different to most people.   

 

[John Battles]

Reg Presley said Buddy Holly and The Crickets were the first "Gare - edge" band in his esimation....You also had Link Wray and The Wraymen and The Wailers
, as well , active before Elvis even went into the army.
Lendell Ervin said:

This poses an interesting questions.  What if the British Invasion never happened?  I have started a thread to explore this topic.

What if the British Invasion never happened?

 

Mole said:

Hey come on, you couldn't have lived without the British Invasion!!! The mood of your country at the time dictated it...how come no US band blew everyone away in late '63/early '64 to the same extent that the Beatles et al did? I'm not on some kind of nationalist trip, I'm not "proud" to be English [merely an accident of birth - i had no say in the matter!!], just saying that for a number of reasons and factors, the time was right for the Beat groups to find their place in the US. Wow, you WOULD NOT have the garage explosion of 65/66 without it!! A broad generalisation, but EVERY ONE of those cats was influenced by the English groups - OK, a fair point that they were bringing America's rich musical heritage back home in a sense [there's no doubt that 'rock n roll' is an American movement], but bring it they sure did.

Frank N. Stroud said:

I guess a lot of the meat of this discussion depends on what you consider garage and what you don't.

In my humble opinion, there is more to garage than just influences and all garage did not descend from the 60s British Invasion (which I think (Rock History Blasphemy Warning) we could have lived without in America) as many would have us believe. Buddy Holly was recording his songs (played in a garage) in the fifties using Lo-fi equipment and his drummer thumping a cardboard box on Not Fade Away.

For my part, if it's too clean,polished and processed, it ain't garage.

I call my music "Garage" cause that's where I write it, play it and often record it. I realize too, that the conventional definition of the "G" word probably means something different to most people.   

 

[Michelle Magnero]

I was one of the people talking about Vice, I don't know if you were talking about me but this post does bring up a good point about Black Lips- people seem to sometimes think that whatever the context of the conversation around them on GPH boards, any mention of that band is putting them down, but I don't necessarily think that is always the case- people post both positive, negative and mixed views about all sorts of bands- that is one of the things I like about the forums is that people always bring a new perspective. As far as what I was discussing in my post, I was looking at Vice from the aspect of a taste-making and how that avenue helped to widen the audience that BL had and bring them some success. My personal view on the band though is that they are innovators and making some great music. One of the sides of this discussion that I think critics neglect is the actual content of the music and the issues that it raises. People always focus on image and the idea of shock value which I think is basically outdated at this point anyway (personal opinion) :)
Cheers
Kyle Shantz said:

I loved the Strokes, but then they were my intro to "garage" in 2001.  I wouldn't have gone to see The Sonics two years ago in Toronto if it werent for them.  "Is This It" was a really good album (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOypSnKFHrE), I wont defend the other three. 

Ty Segal is amazing too in terms of new garage (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK64JbKdNPM) and (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj7oo_iLp9Q). 

Someone mentioned VICE, which I assume is hate for The Black Lips (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrNSjItTfes). 

Also good on the scene are Thee Oh Sees (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEtI5EZ4em4&feature=related). 

I hope I don't get banned for this post, there seems to be a lot of hate for new stuff...

[DEPRAVOS DE LA MOUR]

the black lips have "content" in spades. content understood as being great fucking "songs". that is really "it". the songs can walk away from them and do quite well on their own.

Michelle Magnero said:

I was one of the people talking about Vice, I don't know if you were talking about me but this post does bring up a good point about Black Lips- people seem to sometimes think that whatever the context of the conversation around them on GPH boards, any mention of that band is putting them down, but I don't necessarily think that is always the case- people post both positive, negative and mixed views about all sorts of bands- that is one of the things I like about the forums is that people always bring a new perspective. As far as what I was discussing in my post, I was looking at Vice from the aspect of a taste-making and how that avenue helped to widen the audience that BL had and bring them some success. My personal view on the band though is that they are innovators and making some great music. One of the sides of this discussion that I think critics neglect is the actual content of the music and the issues that it raises. People always focus on image and the idea of shock value which I think is basically outdated at this point anyway (personal opinion) :)
Cheers
Kyle Shantz said:

I loved the Strokes, but then they were my intro to "garage" in 2001.  I wouldn't have gone to see The Sonics two years ago in Toronto if it werent for them.  "Is This It" was a really good album (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOypSnKFHrE), I wont defend the other three. 

Ty Segal is amazing too in terms of new garage (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK64JbKdNPM) and (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj7oo_iLp9Q). 

Someone mentioned VICE, which I assume is hate for The Black Lips (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrNSjItTfes). 

Also good on the scene are Thee Oh Sees (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEtI5EZ4em4&feature=related). 

I hope I don't get banned for this post, there seems to be a lot of hate for new stuff...

[John Battles]

HI , MINA . I'M JOHN. I LIKE BOTH . A #$@!!* OF A LOT. (I know you know me. But , hey...)

The deal is , I know a lot of people who like Rockabilly , but , it seems The Sonics are the only Garage band they're allowed to like. You could go to the beach , and name every grain of sand after a Garage band. I don't know why people limit themselves....I don't meet a lot of people who like Garage bands , unless it's new stuff with virtually no Garage influence . MAYBE MY TAKE ON IT IS DIFFERENT. I'VE ONLY BEEN LISTENING TO BOTH FOR OVER 30 YEARS. TO ME , LIKING ROCKABILLY AND NOT GARAGE , OR VICE VERSA , IS LIKE LIKING YOUR DAD AND NOT YOUR MOM !
 
Mina said:

I haven't met any new people who digg garagerock or rockabilly.. 

 

Oh and I hated the Strokes, thank god they're gone and forgotten. 

[Retroman68]

if it gets trendy it wont last, folks have gotta really dig lo fi to stick at it. Those guys just following a fad will soon disappear into the next thing that sounds cool . 

[Retroman68]

I agree but then again there are those who like garage and psych, it's the later end of the sixties. Rock-a-billy Trash & Surf may not appeal to them as such. With the Sonics you get tough rock and roll and it isn't too distant from the rock-a-billy thing :)

John Battles said:

HI , MINA . I'M JOHN. I LIKE BOTH . A #$@!!* OF A LOT. (I know you know me. But , hey...)

The deal is , I know a lot of people who like Rockabilly , but , it seems The Sonics are the only Garage band they're allowed to like. You could go to the beach , and name every grain of sand after a Garage band. I don't know why people limit themselves....I don't meet a lot of people who like Garage bands , unless it's new stuff with virtually no Garage influence . MAYBE MY TAKE ON IT IS DIFFERENT. I'VE ONLY BEEN LISTENING TO BOTH FOR OVER 30 YEARS. TO ME , LIKING ROCKABILLY AND NOT GARAGE , OR VICE VERSA , IS LIKE LIKING YOUR DAD AND NOT YOUR MOM !
 
Mina said:

I haven't met any new people who digg garagerock or rockabilly.. 

 

Oh and I hated the Strokes, thank god they're gone and forgotten. 

[SarahJayne]

 Haha, John! I've noticed that in a lot of different social circles too. When I was younger the punk kids hated on rockabilly (which they never even educated themselves on!), yet it was ok to like Johnny Cash and Eddie Cochran.

 The rockabillies didn't like 'long hair 60s shit' but were cool with the Sonics.

 The hipsters didn't like rockabilly or psychobilly, but liked the Cramps. Etc. Etc.

 In my late teens I gravitated to (still very underground) psychobilly because the psychobillies embraced all of it : D. The more I got into early psychobilly the more I realized a lot of the songs were covers of garage and psych bands. Hence I am who I am today.

[SarahJayne]

 Love them. I'm a big fan/pusher of Icelandic bands in general. Dead Skeletons! Two Step Horror! GoGo Darkness! Singapore Sling! Amazing stuff, imo.

Axel Björnsson said:

well wow.. these are just MY lo fi demos. not my band.. but thanks for checking it out lol.

 

This is my band. We're going to a studio in Berlin in next month and record our first real album :)

These are our best recordings so far but it will be so much better..

The Dandelion Seeds - Beautiful Stranger [Mono] by Alex Nehru

 

The Dandelion Seeds - Love and Sweet Dreams by Alex Nehru

[SarahJayne]

I like a lot of the new bands that have a garage and/or psych influence, yet are adding their own twist to it.

 As far as trendy goes, it's def. gained in popularity over the years, but I'm ok with that. 60s garage bands were inspired by the British invasion who in turn were largely inspired by girl groups. So if it weren't for trendy commercialized music, garage may not have existed : P.

[dave]

Oh, yeah, it's very trendy now, but we saw the same thing happen in '95, when the Gories/Oblivions/Mummies were long-gone and the left-overs were mainly 3rd-string types. The press esp. likes to have a flavor of the month. The wild groups seem to be an endangered species. This site is great for community, but it doesn't help that record stores (filled w/ real vinyl) are few in number now, there's no way to connect w/ friends, listen to music and get turned onto new sounds. Now instead of brick and mortar stores we see words up on a screen, and somehow it takes away from the emotional impact. Gettin' a li'l off-topic here, but my point is that it's tough to find ballsy relevant rock & roll, while it's trendy to like bland 'retro' bands...