The Garage-Punk Hall of Infamy

[TeenFink]

let's set it up! what city? memphis? chicago? tacoma? san fran? nyc? boston? austin?

who would you nominate? what bands or musicians do you think BEST exemplify the trashy sounds, punk demeanor, bad reputations, stupidest (yet genius) lyrics, lo-fi approach, and thee most primitive sounds eminating from their beatup, retro gear??????

i would like to offer up the first nominee: THE MUMMIES!

[John Battles]

I DON'T THINK ANYONE WOULD THINK IT MALICIOUS OF YA. I INTERVIEWED CHRIS BRITTON FROM THE TROGGS. HE SAID THE DRAG PART OF DOING CABARET (OLDIES SHOWS , TO MY  COUNTRYMEN.) WAS  ''THE " BLUE RINSE BRIGADE" THAT COME TO SEE GERRY MARSDEN , AND PILE ALL THEIR WALKERS AND ZIMMER FRAMES LIKE SO MUCH SCAFFOLDING IN FRONT OF THE FIRE EXITS ''. I KNEW WHAT HE MEANT , BUT , WE DON'T SAY "ZIMMER FRAME" IN THE STATES , SO IT WENT OVER MY HEAD FOR A MINUTE.
 
Mike Humsgreen said:

Hmm on second thoughts sorry to anyone who uses disabled spaces, that was a bad joke.

[TeenFink]

LOL! oh man, sounds complicated. let's not take this too seriously, 'k?

Ken said:

Before the discussion list explodes with everybody throwing in their two cents...  What about using google docs or something to set up an actual nomination form?  That way we could easily count up entries/noms and maybe set up a few categories

I would be willing to host it on my website.

[The Ungodly 77s]

I agree: less is more.

I would, if I were setting up a "garage punk hall of infamy", stick to the bands that were the raunchiest, most subversive, and notorious (in both sound, appearance, and/or demeanor).

[Tyler]

Maybe i"m not old enough to have a real opinion on this (so none of this might not make any sense)...

But the only reason I can see someone calling a 60's band "garage punk" is because both the "garage" and "punk" terms have been associated retrospectively with those bands. Personally, I find lumping those two words together to describe a band FROM the 60's makes things really confusing when it is also used to describe a band like NewBombTurks.  For me, a band like say, the Seeds, is simply "60's punk" or "60's garage".

So, when I immediately think of the word "garage punk" I think of bands influenced by  60's punk AND the 70's sound....bands from the 80's to present who took influences from both "punk" eras, like the Rip Off records sound for example.
 At the same time though, I also think "garage punk" can be associated with specific bands from the late 70's punk era that were heavily influenced by 60's punk, like DMZ or the Saints....who at the same time, were also influenced by the  sound currently around them.

So in conclusion, when I see the word "punk" WITHIN the term "garage punk", I think of the  Post-Ramones Punk sound of the 70's.  When I see the word "garage" WITHIN the term "garage punk", it's referring to the garage rock (60's punk) sound of the 60's.

 I can only do these  "hall of fame infamy" lists in my head if I go decade by decade.

 ohn Battles said:

 To most people , I think , Garage PUNK or Rock means a lot of things.
 

[kopper]

I would pretty much completely agree with you, Tyler, except for the fact that Tim Warren screwed things up when he released "Garage Punk Unknowns" that was all '60s garage stuff. Bastard. No wonder we're confused!

Tyler said:

Maybe i"m not old enough to have a real opinion on this (so none of this might not make any sense)...

But the only reason I can see someone calling a 60's band "garage punk" is because both the "garage" and "punk" terms have been associated retrospectively with those bands. Personally, I find lumping those two words together to describe a band FROM the 60's makes things really confusing when it is also used to describe a band like NewBombTurks.  For me, a band like say, the Seeds, is simply "60's punk" or "60's garage".

So, when I immediately think of the word "garage punk" I think of bands influenced by  60's punk AND the 70's sound....bands from the 80's to present who took influences from both "punk" eras, like the Rip Off records sound for example.
 At the same time though, I also think "garage punk" can be associated with specific bands from the late 70's punk era that were heavily influenced by 60's punk, like DMZ or the Saints....who at the same time, were also influenced by the  sound currently around them.

So in conclusion, when I see the word "punk" WITHIN the term "garage punk", I think of the  Post-Ramones Punk sound of the 70's.  When I see the word "garage" WITHIN the term "garage punk", it's referring to the garage rock (60's punk) sound of the 60's.

 I can only do these  "hall of fame infamy" lists in my head if I go decade by decade.

 ohn Battles said:

 To most people , I think , Garage PUNK or Rock means a lot of things.
 

[Tyler]

If only he included the word "and" between "garage" and "punk"...everything would be peachy keen!

 
kopper said:

I would pretty much completely agree with you, Tyler, except for the fact that Tim Warren screwed things up when he released "Garage Punk Unknowns" that was all '60s garage stuff. Bastard. No wonder we're confused!
 

[John Battles]

MORE PEOPLE USED TO SAY "60's Punk" Than they do , now , I think....But , that confused younger people living on a steady diet of HC or 70's Punk. The "Garage Punk Unknowns " tag did'nt confuse me , but , Warren started that series before the phrase began to mean more to people than 60's Punk or 80's bands trying to play it (Some succeeding.). I can see where it would throw people off , now , but the band photos made it pretty obvious what was inside. It was'nt like the "Ear - Piercing Punk" comp with the misleading 70's Punk graphics. It's a great 60's Garage collection. Warren made it clear that he dug the 70's Punk bands , but was selective about it. In the liners to "Grave 7" he stressed The Ramones' (Then understated) importance , and that he'd release rarities by The Lurkers , Users , Sex Pistols ,etc., if he could get the rights. I think his comps , then were a hardsell.

I heard putting"100% PSYCHOTIC REACTION" ON THE COVER OF A"GRAVE " COMP WAS HIS WAY OF APPEALING TO THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR , PEOPLE WHO'D ONLY HEARD ANY OF THIS STUFF ON OLDIES RADIO , BACK WHEN YOU COULD ACTUALLY HEAR "NUGGETS" TYPE SONGS  ON THOSE STATIONS , WHICH WAS'NT A BAD THING AT ALL .

[Daibhid James]

Old School Division; Hasil Adkins, King Unzebewicz, The Shaggs, Esqueritta, The Stooges, The Silver Apples

Old School Punk Division; Eater, The Germs (first cassette), Beastie Boys (first ep), DRI, The Mentors, Suicide

Neo Garage Division; Mummies, Bloodshot Bill, Deja Voodoo, Old Skull, Transylvania 5000

Psychobilly Division; King Kurt, Tenpole Tudor, Frenzy

[John Battles]

I was going to mention Hasil. His APPROACH was Garage Punk , even if his music was wild Rockabilly. It's also true of Cordell Jackson , the Mother of D.I.Y. . Do people consider Tenpole Tudor "Psychobilly"? Seems he was around before The Meteors , Guana Batz , Demented Are Go , etc. , were happening. He was into this Celtic/Olde English thing that's very interesting. Bloodshot Bill , again , rare , non - pussy Rockabilly , but, arguably Garage Punk in approach.

Silver Apples and Suicide ,to me ,fall under the banner of "Electronic music that does'nt suck"

Were they still active ( THE LATE , GREAT , Cub Koda WAS KING USZNIEWICZ , AND tHE WIGGINS SISTERS DON'T SEEM INTERESTED IN REFORMING, THOUGH , TWO OF THEM DID , ONCE.) , King Uszniewicz vs. The Shaggs would be the ultimate Battle of The Worst Rock'n'Roll Bands . Don't get me wrong , love 'em both.

Deja Voodoo are hilarious. They sound liek a Cramps bootleg , almost. They did a "REUNION" WITH bLOODSHOT BILL FILLING IN ON DRUMS.

EATER JUST HAD A ONE OF A KIND SOUND....yES , IT WAS pUNK , BUT , WHERE DO YOU PLACE IT?   Classifying Esquerita is difficult , too , but , he's definitely an Artist from the 50's who fucked shit UP! ( He recorded and released records in the 60's , too.).

Stooges speak for themselves , but, you're on to something , here.  It's not just one group or style.

[Mike Humsgreen]

I think Tenpole Tudor was just fun, putting it in a box like Celtic or olde English makes it sound like he was taking it too seriously! But I would say any hall of fame would need to be different based on geographical locations. So for instance New York would have a garage rock hall of fame completely different to Detroit.

The UK would have a hall of fame that would see more British invasion type stuff along with the glam punk, and I would put Tenpole Tudor in with them. Maybe he wasn't quite like the Addicts but then Adam and the Ants was doing a similar thing about historically inaccurate highwaymen.

John Battles said:

I was going to mention Hasil. His APPROACH was Garage Punk , even if his music was wild Rockabilly. It's also true of Cordell Jackson , the Mother of D.I.Y. . Do people consider Tenpole Tudor "Psychobilly"? Seems he was around before The Meteors , Guana Batz , Demented Are Go , etc. , were happening. He was into this Celtic/Olde English thing that's very interesting. Bloodshot Bill , again , rare , non - pussy Rockabilly , but, arguably Garage Punk in approach.

[Mardy Pune]

I'll throw the Beguiled into the mix. A fucking great band.

[John Battles]

 DIG ME HARD , mIKE , I WAS'NT TRYING TO PUT AN ALL - ENCOMPASSING LABEL ON TENPOLE TUDOR. THAT WOULD'NT BE FAYRE...I MEAN , FAIR. BUT IF THEY / HE DID ANYTHING THAT COULD BE LABELLED "PSYCHOBILLY" , I MISSED IT. YOU'RE RIGHT , THO' ADAM ANT TRIED TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR, DRAWING FROM HISTORICALLY INACCURATE SOURCES (NICE ONE !) ....BUT, BRITAIN COULD BE BEST SERVED IF WE ALSO REMEMBER FREAKBEAT , EARLY PSYCH , THE TROGGS , PRETTY THINGS , DOWNLINERS SECT , SCREAMING LORD SUTCH , AND PROTO PUNK , LIKE THE DEVIANTS , THIRD WORLD WAR , STACKWADDY  , JESSE HECTOR IN GENERAL , AND THE PINK FAIRIES, TO NAME A FEW....
Mike Humsgreen said:

I think Tenpole Tudor was just fun, putting it in a box like Celtic or olde English makes it sound like he was taking it too seriously! But I would say any hall of fame would need to be different based on geographical locations. So for instance New York would have a garage rock hall of fame completely different to Detroit.

The UK would have a hall of fame that would see more British invasion type stuff along with the glam punk, and I would put Tenpole Tudor in with them. Maybe he wasn't quite like the Addicts but then Adam and the Ants was doing a similar thing about historically inaccurate highwaymen.

John Battles said:

I was going to mention Hasil. His APPROACH was Garage Punk , even if his music was wild Rockabilly. It's also true of Cordell Jackson , the Mother of D.I.Y. . Do people consider Tenpole Tudor "Psychobilly"? Seems he was around before The Meteors , Guana Batz , Demented Are Go , etc. , were happening. He was into this Celtic/Olde English thing that's very interesting. Bloodshot Bill , again , rare , non - pussy Rockabilly , but, arguably Garage Punk in approach.