Born In The Garage Vol. 9 Spanish Beat, Garage & Psychedelic Sounds 1965-1969

 

  

  Born In The Garage Vol. 9 shifts the spotlight to Spain to explore how beat, garage and the first psychedelic sounds took root during the second half of the 1960s. Spanish Beat, Garage & Psychedelic Sounds 1965-1969 brings together a generation of musicians striving to connect with modernity from within an environment shaped by censorship, limited resources and relative isolation from the major centres of Anglo-American youth culture.

  Driven by jangling guitars, ye-ye harmonies, occasional fuzz and infectious rhythms, these recordings capture the moment when hundreds of young Spaniards began creating their own version of the beat revolution. Some of these bands achieved considerable success, while others barely survived beyond a handful of singles, yet all shared the same desire to sound contemporary, restless and different.

  Far from being a mere imitation of what was happening in London, Liverpool or Los Angeles, Spanish beat and garage developed a distinctive character of their own, blending international influences with a uniquely local energy. This volume gathers some of the finest examples of that youthful explosion: songs made for dancing, for escaping everyday routine for a few fleeting minutes, and for proving that a generation determined to follow the rhythm of its own time existed here too.

Trashlist
01. Micky Y Los Tonys - Megaton Yeye (Créditos) (1965)
02. Los Brisk's - Si Mañana Será Así (1965)
03. Los Flecos - No Se Lo Digas (1965)
04. Los Huracanes - El Calcetín (1965)
05. Los Sirex - El Tren de la Costa (1965)
06. Los Buitres - Sensación (1965)
07. Don Felipe - El Fanfarrón (1966)
08. Los Watts - Al Rojo Vivo (1966)
09. Miguel Ríos - La Guitarra (1966)
10. Los Cheyenes - Bla, Bla, Bla (Me Cansas) (1966)
11. Los Salvajes - La Neurastenia (1966)
12. Alicia Granados - No Soy Un Guarismo (1967)
13. Los Canarios - Peppermint Frappé (1967)
14. Los Salvajes - Las Ovejitas (1967)
15. Brincos - Passport (1967)
16. Lone Star - Mi Calle (1968)
17. Los Iberos - Hiding Behind My Smile (1968)
18. Los Zooms - Algo Más (1968)
19. Formula V - Tu Amor, Mi Amor (1969)
20. Modulos - Ya No Me Quieres (1969)
21. Los Roller - Camino Cortado (1969)
22. Micky Y Los Tonys - Sulfer Soap (1965)

                                        

  A Teenage Sound Disaster by Mr. Fowley

Born In The Garage Vol. 8 – The Leather Boy Chronicles

 

  Among the many forgotten figures to emerge from the American music scene of the 1960s, few are as intriguing as Milan Radenkovich (1941-1971). Singer, songwriter, producer and consummate studio craftsman, he built a career that was as prolific as it was understated, leaving behind a remarkable body of work spread across a succession of labels and released under an astonishing variety of names, including Milan, The World of Milan, The Leather Boy and Rick Rodell.

  Never content to be confined to a single style, Milan moved effortlessly between Brill Building pop, beat, garage, blue-eyed soul and psychedelia. Alongside his own recordings, he wrote and produced for countless other artists, becoming one of those behind-the-scenes figures whose influence far outweighed the recognition he received.

  His untimely death in 1971, at the age of just twenty-nine, pushed his name into obscurity for decades. It wasn't until cult compilations such as Pebbles sparked a renewed interest in the lost sounds of the sixties that songs like "On the Go," "You Gotta Have Soul" and "Black Friday" finally found the audience they had always deserved.

  This session follows Milan's remarkable journey from his earliest recordings to his final work, combining his own releases with songs he wrote and produced for others. Taken together, they paint the portrait of one of the decade's most gifted and unjustly overlooked musical figures.

  Because sometimes the smallest credits tell the biggest stories.

  Let's dive into the tracklist...

1. The Leather Boy – "On the Go" (MGM, 1967)

  This musical journey through the career of Milan Radenkovich opens with "On the Go," the third and final single released under his best-known alias, The Leather Boy. Although it made little commercial impact at the time, the record has since become one of the standout titles in his catalogue, championed by collectors and revived through cult compilations such as Pebbles. It's the perfect introduction to one of the great overlooked figures of 1960s pop and garage.

2. Milan with His Orchestra – "Santa's Doin' the Twist" (Migon, 1962)

  Milan's recording career began in 1962 with this delightfully offbeat Christmas novelty, released as Milan with His Orchestra (also credited on some pressings as Milan And His Orchestra). Long before garage and psychedelia entered the picture, a young Milan was riding the twist craze that swept America in the early sixties. The song was written under the name Rick Rodell, one of the many aliases he would adopt throughout his career, already hinting at the stylistic range and versatility that would become his trademark.

3. Milan – "Innocence" (End, 1963)

  A year later, Milan resurfaced under his own name with "Innocence," his first single for End Records (END-1123). Backed with "Winter Time," it captures him in a world far removed from the garage sound that would later earn him cult status. Instead, he embraces polished orchestral pop and teen pop in the finest New York tradition of the early sixties. It was another step in a career that would see him reinvent himself time and again before arriving at the sound for which he is best remembered.

4. Lou Christie – "You and I (Have a Right to Cry)" (Roulette, 1963)

  Milan's talents soon extended well beyond his own recordings. Originally issued as the B-side of Lou Christie's third single, paired with the hit "How Many Teardrops," this beautifully crafted ballad was written under the Rick Rodell pseudonym. It shows that, even in 1963, Milan was already making his mark behind the scenes as a songwriter and producer. The single reached No. 46 on the Billboard Hot 100, and both sides were later included on Lou Christie's self-titled debut LP.

5. Milan – "Winter Time" (End, 1963)

  Released as the B-side of "Innocence," this tender ballad completes Milan's first single under his own name. Together, the two songs capture an artist still firmly rooted in the polished teen pop of the early 1960s, before his music gradually evolved towards the garage, blue-eyed soul and psychedelic sounds that would later earn him a cult following.

6. The Souvenirs – "How Many Teardrops?" (Decca, 1963)

  Issued by Decca in 1963, this was the one and only release by the short-lived British group The Souvenirs. The A-side, "How Many Teardrops?", was written by Rick Rodell, while the flip side, "I Could Have Loved You," was penned by British singer Mike Berry. It's an intriguing little single that shows Milan's songs were already finding their way to British artists, extending his reach well beyond the American pop scene.

7. Milan – "I Am What I Am" (20th Century Fox, 1964)

  Milan's second single also served as the title track and opening cut of his only LP, I Am What I Am (1964). One of the key recordings from his early solo career, it finds him firmly rooted in sophisticated orchestral pop, with the polished arrangements and meticulous production that characterised his early work, before he embraced the grittier garage and psychedelic sounds for which he is best remembered.

8. The American Beetles – "Don't Be Unkind" (Roulette, 1964)

  This single is one of the many projects that featured Milan Radenkovich as a producer, arranger and songwriter. Although "Don't Be Unkind" was not written by him, the B-side, "You Did It To Me," bears the Rick Rodell credit, making the release another example of the prolific behind-the-scenes work that kept Milan busy throughout the mid-sixties.

9. Milan – "Over and Over Again" (20th Century Fox, 1964)

  The B-side of "I Am What I Am," Milan's second single for 20th Century Fox. While the A-side opened his only LP, "Over and Over Again" completed a release that further established him as a gifted pop singer and songwriter. Richly arranged and elegantly produced, it belongs to the sophisticated pop world of his early years, long before garage rock became his musical calling card.

10. The World of Milan – "Cry, Lonely Boy" (ABC-Paramount, 1965)

  Released under the new alias The World of Milan, this was the first record to signal a change in direction. The lush orchestral pop of his earliest work began giving way to a more contemporary sound, while still retaining the vocal harmonies and Brill Building craftsmanship that shaped his songwriting. The flip side, "Luva-Luva," would later be rediscovered on the retrospective compilation Hell Bent for Leather.

11. The Leather Boy – "Jersey Thursday" (Parkway, 1967)

  Released by Parkway Records in 1967, this striking reinterpretation of a Donovan song became one of Milan's most celebrated recordings. Greg Shaw, founder of Bomp! Records and curator of the influential Pebbles series, famously wrote that "what Milan did to Donovan's songs has to be heard to be believed." That endorsement helped transform this exceptionally rare single into one of the most sought-after records among garage collectors.

12. The World of Milan – "One Track Mind" (Brunswick, 1966)

  The second and final single released under the The World of Milan banner finds Milan moving decisively towards a tougher, garage-influenced sound. More direct and energetic than his earlier work, it captures an artist in transition and offers a tantalising glimpse of the rawer approach he would soon embrace as The Leather Boy.

13. The Leather Boy – "Black Friday" (Parkway, 1967)

  The B-side of "Jersey Thursday," "Black Friday" ranks among the darkest and most compelling recordings in Milan's catalogue. Like its companion track, it remained virtually forgotten for decades before being rediscovered by collectors of 1960s garage and psychedelia, eventually earning its place as a genuine cult favourite.

14. The World of Milan – "Shades of Blue" (Brunswick, 1966)

  The flip side of "One Track Mind," this beautifully crafted recording reveals the more melodic and sophisticated side of The World of Milan. Although the single attracted little attention on its original release, both sides now rank among the finest examples of Milan's songwriting and production during the mid-sixties.

15. The Leather Boy – "You Gotta Have Soul" (Flower, 1967)

  Issued as the very first release on the newly launched Flower Records, and credited to Milan (The Leather Boy), "You Gotta Have Soul" would play a key role in Milan's posthumous rediscovery. Decades later, Greg Shaw included the track on Pebbles Vol. 11, introducing it to a new generation of garage fans and helping to restore Milan's reputation among collectors of obscure sixties recordings.

16. The Chanters – "Free As A Bird" (MGM, 1967)

  The B-side of "Bongo Bongo," this single was produced by Milan for the mysterious all-female group The Chanters. Alongside producing the record, he also wrote the A-side, making it one of the more intriguing projects of his career. Very little is still known about the group, adding yet another small mystery to Milan's remarkable body of work.

17. Breeze – "I Get Groovy Feeling" (Flower, 1967)

  One of the singles released on Flower Records, the short-lived label launched by Milan in 1967. Like many of the imprint's releases, it reflects his ambition to blend pop, soul and garage into concise, commercial productions aimed at the youth market. It offers another glimpse of Milan's lesser-known work as a producer, songwriter and label owner.

18. High Voltage – "Plastic People" (Flower, 1967)

  Another Flower Records production, "Plastic People" finds Milan beginning to embrace the psychedelic influences that were reshaping popular music in 1967. While still rooted in the immediacy of pop and garage, the record hints at the more adventurous direction his work would soon take.

19. The Doughboys – "Candy Candy" (Bell, 1967)

  By the time this single appeared, The Doughboys had already established themselves as one of New Jersey's leading garage bands. Milan's involvement with the record marks another collaboration from one of the busiest periods of his career, when his talents as a songwriter and producer were increasingly in demand.

20. The Unclaimed – "Memories of Green Eyes" (Philips, 1967)

  Written and produced by Milan, "Memories of Green Eyes" was released by Philips in 1967, backed with "Jingle Jangle." Years later, it was revived on the retrospective compilation Hell Bent for Leather, where it emerged as one of the finest examples of Milan's work behind the scenes.

21. Ice Cream – "Epitaph to Marie" (Capitol, 1968)

  In an unexpected detour into bubblegum pop, Milan wrote and arranged both sides of the only single released by Ice Cream, issued by Capitol Records in 1968. It's yet another reminder of his ability to move effortlessly between musical styles while retaining his unmistakable touch as a songwriter and arranger.

22. The Licorice Schtik – "The Kissin' Game" (Dot, 1968)

  Milan handled both the songwriting and the arrangements for this Dot Records single. "The Kissin' Game" and its B-side, "Flowers Flowers," were later rediscovered on the retrospective compilation Hell Bent for Leather, shining a light on another overlooked corner of his remarkably varied career.

23. The Downtown Collection – "Washington Square" (Strobe, 1968)

  Milan produced this 1968 Strobe Records single for The Downtown Collection. Although the band left little trace on the American pop scene, the release serves as another reminder of just how active Milan had become as a producer during the second half of the decade, lending his talents to a wide variety of artists and projects.

24. The Head Shop – "Listen with a Third Ear" (Epic, 1969)

  By 1969, Milan had taken a decisive step into psychedelic territory with The Head Shop, the ambitious studio project he produced and largely masterminded. "Listen with a Third Ear" captures this new direction perfectly, revealing an artist who had travelled a long way from the polished orchestral pop of his earliest recordings.

25. The Head Shop – "Head Shop" (Epic, 1969)

  The opening track from The Head Shop's only album, produced by Milan for Epic Records. Now widely regarded as a cult classic of American psychedelia, the LP represents the culmination of an extraordinary musical journey that had begun seven years earlier with "Santa's Doin' the Twist," Milan's recording debut. It stands as the final chapter in the remarkable artistic evolution of one of the decade's most versatile studio talents.

26. The Leather Boy – "(My Prayer) To You" (Flower, 1970)

  The last known recording Milan made before his untimely death in 1971, at the age of just twenty-nine. Released as the B-side of "You Gotta Have Soul" under the credit Milan (The Leather Boy), it brings this session to a natural close, celebrating one of the most enigmatic, versatile and unjustly overlooked figures to emerge from the American music scene of the 1960s.

Trashlist
01. The Leather Boy – On the Go (MGM, 1967)
02. Milan with His Orchestra – Santa's Doin' the Twist (Migon, 1962)
03. Milan – Innocence (End, 1963)
04. Lou Christie – You and I (Have a Right to Cry) (Roulette, 1963)
05. Milan – Winter Time (End, 1963)
06. The Souvenirs – How Many Teardrops? (Decca, 1963)
07. Milan – I Am What I Am (20th Century Fox, 1964)
08. The American Beetles – Don't Be Unkind (Roulette, 1964)
09. Milan – Over and Over Again (20th Century Fox, 1964)
10. The World of Milan – Cry, Lonely Boy (ABC-Paramount, 1965)
11. The Leather Boy – Jersey Thursday (inédito, 1966)
12. The World of Milan – One Track Mind (Brunswick, 1966)
13. The Leather Boy – Black Friday (inédito, 1966)
14. The World of Milan – Shades of Blue (Brunswick, 1966)
15. The Leather Boy – You Gotta Have Soul (Flower, 1967)
16. Chanters – Free As A Bird (MGM, 1967)
17. Breeze – I Get Groovy Feeling (Flower, 1967)
18. High Voltage – Plastic People (Flower, 1967)
19. The Doughboys – Candy Candy (Bell, 1967)
20. The Unclaimed – Memories of Green Eyes (Philips, 1967)
21. Ice Cream – Epitaph to Marie (Capitol, 1968)
22. The Licorice Schtik – The Kissin' Game (Dot, 1968)
23. Downtown Collection – Washington Square (Strobe, 1968)
24. The Head Shop – Listen with a Third Ear (Epic, 1969)
25. The Head Shop – Head Shop (Epic, 1969)
26. The Leather Boy – (My Prayer) To You (Flower, 1970)

A Teenage Sound Disaster by Mr. Fuzzley

Born In The Garage Vol.7 Fuzz, Freaks & Forgotten Nuggets (1964–1967)

 

  If there was ever a golden age of garage rock, it was surely the period between 1964 and 1967. These were the years when thousands of teenagers discovered that a couple of guitars, an overdriven amplifier and plenty of attitude were all it took to start a band. The result was an explosion of singles that captured the restless energy of a generation like nothing before or since.

  Fuzz, Freaks & Forgotten Nuggets takes us straight back to that moment. A journey through garage rock at its rawest and most exciting, when the British beat boom, rhythm & blues and the first stirrings of psychedelia collided in suburban garages, teenage clubs and independent recording studios across America.

  The session brings together some of the genre's best-known names alongside a wealth of unfairly overlooked bands. The Seeds, The Electric Prunes, Shadows Of Knight, Paul Revere & The Raiders and The Knickerbockers rub shoulders with The Groupies, The New Breed, The Noblemen, Last Word, The Electras and The Bugs, all united by the urgency, rawness and youthful spirit that defined the garage sound.

  As the needle moves from one groove to the next, razor-sharp riffs, swirling organs, blistering fuzz, beat-inspired harmonies and the first hints of psychedelia begin to emerge. Acid rock and hard rock were still waiting just over the horizon, but the seeds of everything that followed were already beginning to take root.

  Most of the material comes from the United States, the epicentre of the garage explosion, although a handful of tracks remind us just how quickly the sound spread to any corner of the world where there was an electric guitar, a cheap amplifier and the urge to make a glorious racket.

  Twenty-three direct, unpretentious songs overflowing with personality. Music made by teenagers who could hardly have imagined that, decades later, their records would become prized possessions among collectors and garage devotees around the world.

  Because before the stadiums...

before the big budgets...

before rock stars...

there were garages.

  And that's where it all began.

Trashlist
01. The Premiers - Farmer John (1964)
02. Don Snyder – Tiger A Go-Go (1964)
03. Merrell and the Exiles - She’s Gone (1965)
04. Raymarks - Louise (1965)
05. The Knickerbockers - Lies (1965)
06. The Strangeloves - Night Time (1965)
07. The Seeds - Out Of The Question (1965)
08. Emperors - I Want My Woman (1965)
09. The Bugs - Slide (1966)
10. Wig - Crackin' Up (1966)
11. The Groupies - Primitive (1966)
12. Kenny & The Kasuals - Journey To Time (1966)
13. The New Breed - I Got Nothin' To Say To You (1966)
14. Noblemen - Short Time (1966)
15. Last Word - Don't Call Me I'll Call You (1966)
16. Bud & Kathy - Hang It Out Today (1966)
17. The Electras - Dirty Old Man (1966)
18. Paul Revere & The Raiders - Good Thing (1966)
19. Brogues - I Ain't No Miracle Worker (1966)
20. Underdog - Love's Gone Bad (1967)
21. The Electric Prunes - Long Day Flight (1967)
22. Shadows Of Knight - Potato Chip (1967)
23. The Electras - Pregnant Pig (1967)

A Teenage Sound Disaster by Mr. Fuzzley

Born In The Garage Vol.6 Acid Fuzz & Heavy Dreams (1967–1970)

 

  By the late sixties, something was beginning to change. The beat and garage sounds that had dominated the first half of the decade were evolving into something louder, heavier and far more psychedelic. Amplifiers grew bigger, fuzz became thicker, and songs ventured into increasingly uncharted territory.

  Acid Fuzz & Heavy Dreams captures that moment of transformation. It was a fascinating period when garage punk, acid psychedelia, embryonic hard rock and the first glimmers of proto-heavy all coexisted in the same swirling musical landscape. There were no fixed rules yet, and that was precisely what made the era so exciting.

  Throughout this session you'll encounter bands stretching the boundaries of traditional garage into darker, heavier and more electrified territory. Street-level psychedelic anthems like "Plastic People," lysergic excursions such as "Flying Thru The Sky" and "Psychedelic Pill," walls of blistering fuzz and records that already hint at the crushing power soon to be unleashed by bands like Blue Cheer, MC5, The Stooges and Black Sabbath.

  Cult favourites including SRC, The Amboy Dukes, The Litter, Josephus and Damnation of Adam Blessing appear alongside far more obscure groups that left behind little more than a handful of recordings before fading into obscurity. Yet they all shared the same ambition: to push rock music towards something louder, freer and less predictable.

  The result is a collection of overdriven guitars, voices drifting somewhere between reality and hallucination, crushing riffs, hypnotic organs and performances charged with raw electricity. Music born in basements, small recording studios and smoke-filled clubs where sheer volume was becoming an artistic statement in its own right.

  Born In The Garage Vol. 6 documents one of the most exhilarating moments in rock's evolution.

  The precise moment when garage began dreaming in acid...

and hard rock opened its eyes.

Trashlist:
01. Wildwood - Plastic People (1968)
02. The News – Blue Shoes (1968)
03. Spontaneous Generation - Up On My Time (1968)
04. Smith Vinson – Hallucinations (1969)
05. Mastermind - Turn Of The Head (1969)
06. Watkin's Phase - Hard Way To Go (196?)
07. Tyde - Psychedelic Pill (1969)
08. Spaced - Flying Thru The Sky (196?)
09. SRC - Up All Night (1969)
10. Chateaux - Reverence Man Part (1969)
11. The Amboy Dukes - You Talk Sunshine, I Breathe Fire (1968)
12. The Shy Guys – Black Lightening Light (1968)
13. Bhagavad Gita - Long Hair Soulful (1967)
14. The Litter – Blue Ice (1969)
15. Josephus – Condition (1970)
16. Damnation of Adam Blessing – Cook Book (1969)
17. Bearded Clam – Please Don't Leave Me Blue (1970)
18. Tribal Sinfonia - Something Has You Turned Around (1970)
19. Bump - Spider's Eyes (1970)

A Teenage Sound Disaster by Mr. Fuzzley

Born In The Garage Vol.5 Asian Beats Special

 

  When the story of sixties beat, garage and psychedelia is told, it almost always begins in the United States or Britain. Yet while young audiences in the West were discovering The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Kinks, something equally exciting was taking shape on the other side of the world.

  Asian Beats Special takes us on a journey through some of the most vibrant, overlooked and exhilarating music scenes to emerge across Asia during the sixties and early seventies. Here, rock 'n' roll, the British beat boom, surf, garage and yé-yé pop were absorbed, reinvented and transformed into something unmistakably local, producing records that still sound fresh, inventive and wonderfully alive.

  The journey passes through Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, South Vietnam and Hong Kong, revealing an extraordinary variety of styles along the way. From the driving electric sound of Naomi & The Boys, Lara & The Trailers and D'Swooners to the irresistible Japanese pop of Mie Nakao and Margaret & Bunnys, not forgetting the superb Malaysian recordings of A. Romzi, M. Said, Roshana Othman and Ramli Othman.

  Special attention is given to the Singapore scene, one of Southeast Asia's great musical centres during the sixties. It was here that the so-called Singapore Sound emerged, an explosive blend of Western influences and local sensibilities that produced some of the most exciting recordings in the region. Artists such as Rita Chao, Naomi & The Boys and Lara & The Trailers remain among its finest ambassadors.

  As the session unfolds, fuzz guitars, soaring vocal harmonies, infectious dance rhythms, unforgettable melodies and flashes of psychedelia reveal just how completely the youth explosion of the sixties became a truly global phenomenon. Although many of these records remained virtually unknown outside their home countries for decades, they now stand among the most fascinating chapters in the hidden history of popular music.

  Born In The Garage Vol. 5 temporarily leaves behind the garages of Detroit, London and Los Angeles to explore a musical landscape where the beat acquired new accents, new melodies and an unmistakable identity of its own.

  A collection of songs that reminds us the youth revolution of the sixties spoke not only English...

but Japanese, Malay, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean and Cantonese as well.

Trashlist:
01. Jing Ting – The Joke (China)
02. Yoon Il-Loh – Guitar Boogie (South Korea)
03. D'Swooners – Please, Please, Trina (Philippines, 1968)
04. Mie Nakao – Sharock No.1 (Japan, 1968)
05. Naomi & The Boys – Bad Loser (Singapore, 1968)
06. Lara & The Trailers – Run for Your Life (Singapore, 1967)
07. Rita Chao – Yummy, Yummy, Yummy (Singapore, 1968)
08. Margaret & Bunnys – Aeba Suki Suki (Japan, 1968)
09. Nancy Sit – Love Potion #9 (China, 1967)
10. Fatimah Huri – Impian Semalam (Singapore, 1963)
11. M. Said & Les Remaja – Temasah Ria (Malaysia, 1968)
12. A. Romzi & The Hooks – Dendang Remaja (Singapore, 1967)
13. A. Ismail & Les Coasters – Seruan Pertiwi (Singapore, 1967)
14. A. Ismail & Les Coasters – Perosak Jiwa (Singapore, 1967)
15. Roshana Othman – Hanya Do'a Ku (Malaysia, 1968)
16. Ban Sao Băng – Bức Thư Tình Trên Lô Cốt (South Vietnam, 196?)
17. Amir Hamzah Iringan & The Nite Walkers (Singapore, 1969)
18. Ramli Othman & The Hunters – Chari Ganti (Malaysia, 197?)
19. Kelsom Hashim & Plastic Deers – Pemuda Mudi Sekarang (Singapore, 1971)
20. A. Halim & De'Fictions – Hari Bahagia (Malaysia, 1970)
21. A. Romzi – Salamat Hari Raya (Malaysia, 1970)
22. M. Osman & The Siglap Boys – Hari Raya (Singapore, 1967)
23. Ismail J & The Kilat – Selamat Hari Raya (Malaysia, 1972)

A Teenage Sound Disaster by Mr. Fuzzley

Born In The Garage Vol.4 Underground Echoes: Wild Garage, R&B & Freakbeat Cuts (1964-1970)

 

  If Born In The Garage Vol. 4 proves one thing, it's that the musical revolution of the sixties didn't happen only in London, Liverpool or New York. Beneath the surface of the chart hits existed an entire network of bands absorbing rhythm & blues, beat, soul, garage and psychedelia, then reshaping those influences into something rawer, tougher and far more exciting.

  Underground Echoes takes us straight to the heart of that scene. A journey through the wilder side of British and European beat, where razor-sharp guitars, overdriven amplifiers and a deep love of American R&B combined with the youthful attitude that would help pave the way for many of the sounds still to come.

  Here you'll find well-known names from the freakbeat underground such as The Birds, The Riot Squad, The Primitives, The Loot and Les Fleur De Lys alongside far more obscure groups that left behind little more than a handful of singles, yet still earned their place in the hidden history of sixties rock.

  The session moves effortlessly between hard-edged beat, high-voltage garage, electrified rhythm & blues and the first flashes of psychedelia. These are records born in smoke-filled clubs, modest recording studios and tiny stages where raw energy mattered far more than technical perfection. Decades later, they still retain the sense of danger and spontaneity that made the era so unforgettable.

  Although Britain provides much of the soundtrack, the journey also reaches Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand, a reminder that the beat explosion was far more widespread than the usual histories would have us believe.

  Twenty-two tracks where fuzz begins to take hold, riffs grow heavier and the spirit of garage collides with rhythm & blues and freakbeat to create a sound that remains every bit as thrilling today as it was nearly sixty years ago.

  A journey into the underground echoes of an unforgettable decade.

Trashlist
01. Fingers Lee & The Upper Hand – Midnight Race (UK, 1967)
02. The Voice – Train To Disaster (UK, 1966)
03. The Birds - Dust in My Pants (Australia, 1970)
04. David John and The Mood - Bring It to Jerome (UK, 1965)
05. Wayne Gibson & The Dynamic Sounds - Bad Little Woman (UK, 196?)
06. Wayne Gibson & The Dynamic Sounds - Baby, Baby, Baby Pity Me (UK, 1965)
07. Ian & The Zodiacs – Na-Na-Na-Na-Na (UK, 1966)
08. Les Fleur De Lys feat. Sharon Tandy - Hold On (UK, 1967)
09. The Good Vibrations - Dum Dum Dum Doo Ray (Call Me Lightning) (Germany, 1970)
10. The Ricketts – Action Painting (Germany, 196?)
11. The Birds – That's All I Need You For (UK, 1966)
12. David John and the Mood - To Catch That Man (UK, 1964)
13. Him And The Others – She's Got Eyes That Tell Lies (UK, 1966)
14. Bo Street Runners - And I Do Just What I Want (UK, 1965)
15. The Scorpions - (Ain't That) Just Like Me (Netherlands, 1964)
16. The Primitives - You Said (UK, 1965)
17. The Outsiders - Kinda Dead (Sweden, 1967)
18. The Riot Squad - Working Man (UK, 1966)
19. Ray Columbus and The Invaders - Yo-Yo (New Zealand, 1964)
20. The Talismen - You Break My Heart (UK, 196?)
21. The Habits – Need You (UK, 1966)
22. The Loot - Try to Keep It a Secret (Uk, 1969)

A Teenage Sound Disaster by Mr. Fuzzley

Born In The Garage Vol.3 Sonny Flaharty Special!

 

  One of the aims of Born In The Garage has always been to rescue artists who, despite building remarkable careers, never received the recognition they deserved beyond their local scenes. Sonny Flaharty is one of those forgotten figures.

  Born in Dayton, Ohio, Flaharty began his career during the fifties with a direct, youthful brand of rock 'n' roll, leaving behind recordings such as "My Baby's Casual" and "Heartbreak Station." But to judge him solely by those early singles would be to miss the bigger picture. Over the course of more than a decade, he worked as a singer, songwriter, producer, arranger and occasional talent scout, leaving his mark on a remarkable variety of recordings that today form a fascinating musical world of their own.

  Throughout the sixties, Flaharty evolved alongside groups such as The Mark V and The Young Americans, moving from rock 'n' roll and teen pop towards garage, sunshine pop, psychedelia and sophisticated studio pop. Songs like "Hey Conductor" and "You Bring These Tears To Me" reveal a songwriter with an instinctive gift for memorable melodies and beautifully crafted vocal arrangements.

  His restless creativity also led him behind the scenes. Flaharty wrote and produced for a number of other artists, with his collaborations with The Unbelievable Chuck Gregg standing among the most intriguing. These wonderfully eccentric recordings remained unreleased for years before eventually surfacing through Counterpart Records. Likewise, compositions such as "Get Right With Your Man," recorded by Soul, Inc., demonstrate the breadth of his musical interests during this period.

  The final part of this session reveals a musician eager to explore new directions. Projects such as The Sonny Flaharty Application and The Grey Imprint show Flaharty keeping pace with the rapid musical changes of the late sixties and early seventies, embracing psychedelic influences, more ambitious arrangements and increasingly sophisticated production techniques.

  Spanning the late fifties to the early seventies, this session is not intended as a definitive anthology, but rather as an invitation to discover one of the musicians who helped shape the hidden history of American rock from the industry's outer fringes.

  A restless, versatile and consistently underrated artist whose work deserves far more than a footnote.

Trashlist:
01. Sonny Flaharty & the Mark V – Hey Conductor (Philips, 1967)
02. The Sonny Flaharty Application – Odyssey (Counterpart Records, 1969)
03. The Sonny Flaharty Application – The Marble Orchard (Philips, 1968)
04. Sonny Flaharty – My Baby's Casual (Spangle, 1958)
05. Sonny Flaharty – Heartbreak Station (Epic, 1960)
06. Sonny Flaharty – Teenage Warchant (Huron, 1961)
07. Sonny Flaharty – Mystery Of Love (Huron, 1961)
08. Sonny Flaharty And His Young American's – Coconut Stomp (Paq Records, 1963)
09. Sonny Flaharty And His Young Americans – Hurricane (Falcon Record Co., 1963)
10. Sonny Flaharty And His Young Americans – Whole Lotta Shakin' (Alco Records, 1964)
11. Sonny Flaharty And His Young Americans – Please Be Real (Alco Records, 1964)
12. The Unbelievable Chuck Gregg – Insane (rec. 1963) (Counterpart Records, 1969). Written and produced by Sonny Flaharty. Recorded 1963 at Counter Part records in Cincinnati, Ohio. Back ground vocals performed by Sonny Flaharty and The Young Americans
13. Unbelievable Chuck Gregg – Walkin' At Midnight(Counterpart Records, 1972). Written by Sonny Flaharty. Recorded in 1967. Sonny Flaharty & The Young Americans did the back vocals & instruments.
14. The Unbelievable Chuck Gregg – Ebony Eyeballs (Counterpart Records, 1972). Recorded in 1967. Sonny Flaharty & The Young Americans did the back vocals & instruments.
15. The Unbelievable Chuck Gregg – Insane (Alternate Version). Recorded 1967 at Counter Part records in Cincnnati, Ohio. Back ground vocals performed by Sonny Flaharty and The Young Americans.
16. Marque V – When I Close My Eyes (Warner Bros. Records, 1967)
17. Marque V – Can't Buy My Soul (Warner Bros. Records, 1967)
18. Soul, Inc. – Get Right With Your Man (Rondo, 1968). Written by Sonny Flaharty
19. The Sonny Flaharty Application – Husbands Of Young Wives (Counterpart Records, 1969)
20. Sonny Flaharty & The Grey Imprint – Hold On To It Mother!!! (Counterpart Records, 1972)
21. Sonny Flaharty & the Mark V – You Bring These Tears To Me (Philips, 1967)
22. The League – Hey Conductor (Columbia Stateside, 1967). Written by Sonny Flaharty

A Teenage Sound Disaster by Mr. Fuzzley