In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast
259 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★★ - 9 ratingsThe usual format is this: we pick a song from the 1950s or 1960s (genres range from garage, R&B, Girl Groups, Motown and Doo-Wop), and discuss three versions of that song, or sometimes we just play a song we haven’t heard before and react to it. We’ve covered classics like “Little Bit o’ Soul” and “Psychotic Reaction” to rarities like “Jump and Dance” by the Carnaby, and “Ringo I Love You” by Bonnie Jo Mason (aka Cher). Our aim is to discuss what makes these songs interesting, ineffable, or even intolerable. We place special emphasis on the “moments” in these songs where, perhaps, a new interpretation will emerge from. A close look at song structure is also present in our discussions. If that sounds academic, maybe it is a little bit, but we like to keep the analysis in the spirit of the songs we speak of – which means we drink some spirits (for Erik, it’s bourbon, for Weldon, it’s Stambecco) – and that means by the third song, things can get a little wild. Basically, we talk about rock!
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Episodes
2021 Bo Diddley Awards!
December 26, 2021 03:00 - 1 hour - 74.4 MB2021 is almost over, so join us for the big, year-end AWARDS SHOW.! The categories are: Bo Diddliest Song from a Theme Episode, Bo Diddliest Cha-Cha, Bo Diddliest Video, and Most Better than the Beatles. There's the usual in(s)anity, and we also include some New Year's Resolutions. It's a chance for us to shut the door on another shitty year and blow the roof off the house before the tornados of 2022 do!!
Have Love Will Travel
December 19, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 81.8 MBEpisode 67 features a 4-pack of “Have Love Will Travel”! The first stop on the itinerary is Richard Berry and the Pharaohs' original 1959 version (4:04). This tune chugs along merrily and reminds rockers that the best songs come from the doo-wop dudes. Our journey takes us to San Diego, to hear what The Imperialites did with the song in 1964 (39:54). George Semper and his So Cal band make this one super soulful, with a flying finger guitar solo. It’s got a lot of “Louie Louie” in it, and yo...
Have Love Will Travel
December 19, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 81.8 MBEpisode 67 features a 4-pack of “Have Love Will Travel”! The first stop on the itinerary is Richard Berry and the Pharaohs' original 1959 version (4:04). This tune chugs along merrily and reminds rockers that the best songs come from the doo-wop dudes. Our journey takes us to San Diego, to hear what The Imperialites did with the song in 1964 (39:54). George Semper and his So Cal band make this one super soulful, with a flying finger guitar solo. It’s got a lot of “Louie Louie” in it, and yo...
From Above
December 12, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 80.2 MBFor episode 66, we do a song released in early 67 from Q65 – "From Above" (3:22) An angelic rock ballad from some ugly dudes from Holland! A lot of discussion of the enigmatic lyrics – with its depiction of a reversal of fortunes in a love relationship – and especially the use of the word “quarrelly.” A beautiful, diaphanous, shimmering feedback solo really sends this song soaring into the heavens and sends Erik to the madhouse trying to figure out how it was made (Weldon suggests God was i...
From Above
December 12, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 80.2 MBFor episode 66, we do a song released in early 67 from Q65 – "From Above" (3:22) An angelic rock ballad from some ugly dudes from Holland! A lot of discussion of the enigmatic lyrics – with its depiction of a reversal of fortunes in a love relationship – and especially the use of the word “quarrelly.” A beautiful, diaphanous, shimmering feedback solo really sends this song soaring into the heavens and sends Erik to the madhouse trying to figure out how it was made (Weldon suggests God was i...
Get A Job
December 05, 2021 05:00 - 2 hours - 84.4 MBIn the latest episode, we explore the world of work, expressed in song. Our first application comes from The Silhouettes, and their 1957 smash hit “Get A Job” (2:49). Rockin’ doo-wop backing here: an immortal vocable, plinky piano and crashy drums. The song is textbook early rock’n’roll – joyous, live-sounding, dumb – they’re on the payroll! Now it’s time to review the rookie Miracles, and Smokey Robinson’s inaugural song-writing effort, the 1958 answer song “Got a Job” (47:53). Man, is this...
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
November 28, 2021 06:00 - 2 hours - 98.6 MBOn the latest episode of In the Past, we don't miss the metaphorical maracas! We take on The Rolling Stones' 1965 mega-hit, "Satisfaction" (3:38), and it really fires our imagination, because we talk about it longer than any other single song in ITP history! The FUZZ riff, Keith's dream, the vocal dynamics, Jack Nitzsche's tambourine, the other genres it encompasses, it's all there and more, But, as is always the case, we throw in two more versions. The Mods (1:17:07) were five Jersey shore ...
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
November 28, 2021 06:00 - 2 hours - 98.6 MBOn the latest episode of In the Past, we don't miss the metaphorical maracas! We take on The Rolling Stones' 1965 mega-hit, "Satisfaction" (3:38), and it really fires our imagination, because we talk about it longer than any other single song in ITP history! The FUZZ riff, Keith's dream, the vocal dynamics, Jack Nitzsche's tambourine, the other genres it encompasses, it's all there and more, But, as is always the case, we throw in two more versions. The Mods (1:17:07) were five Jersey shore ...
Better Than The Beatles: The Rondeaus
November 21, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBShortly after the Beatles recorded “Day Tripper” in 1965, a group of five ascot-wearing West Virginia teens – The Rondeaus - went into the studio to beat Lenon and McArtney at their own game (1:55). The vocals are wrong. The hi-hat is rusty (you could get tetanus from it if it scratched you!). The guitar solo is … simplified. And the bass isn’t even a bass!! These all-American boys take the worldly Beatles and make it innocent and relatable. But paradoxically, they also make it dirtier. Our ...
Better Than The Beatles: The Rondeaus
November 21, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBShortly after the Beatles recorded “Day Tripper” in 1965, a group of five ascot-wearing West Virginia teens – The Rondeaus - went into the studio to beat Lenon and McArtney at their own game (1:55). The vocals are wrong. The hi-hat is rusty (you could get tetanus from it if it scratched you!). The guitar solo is … simplified. And the bass isn’t even a bass!! These all-American boys take the worldly Beatles and make it innocent and relatable. But paradoxically, they also make it dirtier. Our ...
Castin' My Spell
November 14, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 81.1 MBSpooky season continues with the little-known but absolutely excellent rocker, "Castin' My Spell"! The Johnson Brothers concocted the original witches brew back in 1959 (2:40)– the list of gris-gris is sung with good-natured aplomb, but eviller things are bubbling under. The Johnny Otis Show came along a few months later and were clever enough to add a Bo Diddley beat to the voodoo incantation (37:05). JO and Marcie Lee make the song a delicious duet - why didn't Kenny & Dolly do this numbe...
Castin' My Spell
November 14, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 81.1 MBSpooky season continues with the little-known but absolutely excellent rocker, "Castin' My Spell"! The Johnson Brothers concocted the original witches brew back in 1959 (2:40)– the list of gris-gris is sung with good-natured aplomb, but eviller things are bubbling under. The Johnny Otis Show came along a few months later and were clever enough to add a Bo Diddley beat to the voodoo incantation (37:05). JO and Marcie Lee make the song a delicious duet - why didn't Kenny & Dolly do this numbe...
1, 2, 3 Red Light
November 07, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 74.9 MBWe chew on some bubblegum on this week’s episode: namely the 1910 Fruitgum Company and their 1968 confection "1,2,3 Red Light" (1:13) . Music for the neglected tweenage market! Was bubblegum rebellious or counter-revolutionary? P(r)eppy vocals, circus organ, tight harmonies and bass, snappy drums and sexual innuendo! We give the original song the green light to go, go, go!!! The next pack comes from some mysterios in 1969 named the Zig Zag People (53:40) These hepcats bully the bubblegum s...
1, 2, 3 Red Light
November 07, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 74.9 MBWe chew on some bubblegum on this week’s episode: namely the 1910 Fruitgum Company and their 1968 confection "1,2,3 Red Light" (1:13) . Music for the neglected tweenage market! Was bubblegum rebellious or counter-revolutionary? P(r)eppy vocals, circus organ, tight harmonies and bass, snappy drums and sexual innuendo! We give the original song the green light to go, go, go!!! The next pack comes from some mysterios in 1969 named the Zig Zag People (53:40) These hepcats bully the bubblegum s...
Werewolves!
October 31, 2021 04:00 - 2 hours - 103 MBFor Episode 60, we’re celebrating every garage rock fan’s favourite high holiday: All Hallow’s Eve! So we’ve assembled a pentagram of terrifying tunes - and ALL FIVE are about werewolves! The first bite comes from The Frantics (5:15). Their 1960 instro “Werewolf” evokes the chill of nighttime and the horror of human transformation with some Vincent Price-esque narration and many atmospheric effects. Our second stab at the topic comes from Morgus and the Daringers, released that same year (30...
Hallowe'en Spooktacular!
October 31, 2021 04:00 - 2 hours - 103 MBFor Episode 60, we’re celebrating every garage rock fan’s favourite high holiday: All Hallow’s Eve! So we’ve assembled a pentagram of terrifying tunes - and ALL FIVE are about werewolves! The first bite comes from The Frantics (5:15). Their 1960 instro “Werewolf” evokes the chill of nighttime and the horror of human transformation with some Vincent Price-esque narration and many atmospheric effects. Our second stab at the topic comes from Morgus and the Daringers, released that same year (30...
Single File: The Jolly Green Giants
October 24, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 45.3 MBSpokane’s favorite speedsters, the Jolly Green Giants take on Roy Lee Johnson’s 1963 R&B eponymous instructional dance song, “Busy Body” (1:34), the A-side of their sole single. The BPM's will make your body busy! A killer riff, cranked Fender amp and belligerent vocals place this suspect firmly in the Pacific Northwest in 1966. We also discuss backbone slippage and other horrible dancefloor injuries. The B-side is “Caught You Red Handed” (41:47) and Weldon likes it even better than the feat...
Single File: The Jolly Green Giants
October 24, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 45.3 MBSpokane’s favorite speedsters, the Jolly Green Giants take on Roy Lee Johnson’s 1963 R&B eponymous instructional dance song, “Busy Body” (1:34), the A-side of their sole single. The BPM's will make your body busy! A killer riff, cranked Fender amp and belligerent vocals place this suspect firmly in the Pacific Northwest in 1966. We also discuss backbone slippage and other horrible dancefloor injuries. The B-side is “Caught You Red Handed” (41:47) and Weldon likes it even better than the feat...
Stupidity
October 17, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 73.7 MBTake a lesson from THREE, who do The Stupidity!! Solomon Burke 1963 (1:31) A celebration of universal, life-affirming stupidity. You get hit with King Solomon’s voice and his band’s horns and it knocks you silly! As always, rock and roll dumbness leads to selfless, liberating transcendence: Erik & Weldon at their most philosophical on this one. The Undertakers 1964 (44:34) These underrated Liverpudlians “beat" up and strip down the original. Another soaring tenor, Jackie Lomax, and also s...
Stupidity
October 17, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 73.7 MBTake a lesson from THREE, who do The Stupidity!! Solomon Burke 1963 (1:31) A celebration of universal, life-affirming stupidity. You get hit with King Solomon’s voice and his band’s horns and it knocks you silly! As always, rock and roll dumbness leads to selfless, liberating transcendence: Erik & Weldon at their most philosophical on this one. The Undertakers 1964 (44:34) These underrated Liverpudlians “beat" up and strip down the original. Another soaring tenor, Jackie Lomax, and also s...
Keep On Running
October 10, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 71.3 MBIt's Canadian Thanksgiving, so get ready to be stuffed - with versions of "Keep on Running", that is. The appetizer is Jackie Edwards' original version (1:47). Or we think it's the original - a rare case where our intrepid hosts don't know it all! At any rate, this one is smooth and (rock)steady - JE isn't worried about not getting the girl. The main course is Spencer Davis Group's 1965 hit version (25:04). This one has FUZZ guitar and MUFF bass. Lead crooner Stevie Winwood sounds like he's ...
Hang On Sloopy
October 03, 2021 05:00 - 2 hours - 101 MBThe song that could be called the true rival of “Louie Louie”: there’s a lot of lore around this tune. 2:02 My Girl Sloopy – The Vibrations (1964) The original "Sloopy"! A live-ly song with a Latin flavour – the percussion is in your face and goes to your feet! We discuss the too-soon fadeout and the perennial Snoopy/Sloopy confusion. And what in the heck is a Slow Berns? Find out here. 43:49 My Girl Sloopy – James Henry & the Olympics (1965) Ruff, tuff, garage of the Pacific Northwest v...
Always a B-Side, Never a Bride: Oh Yeah, Maybe Baby
September 26, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 43.1 MBWarning: our latest episode may give some listeners a funny feeling, a fever, and even the chills. But don’t worry – it’s not Covid, it’s The Crystals! More specifically, “Oh Yeah, Maybe Baby,” (1:49) the song you’ll hear if you capsize their 1961 single, “There’s No Other Like My Baby” (discussed in Episode 33). A slow song that happens fast! Patsy Wright’s charming, quavering vocals capture the chords of young love perfectly. Spectorian elements also abound: pulsating percussion … palpabl...
Always a B-Side, Never a Bride: Oh Yeah, Maybe Baby
September 26, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 43.1 MBWarning: our latest episode may give some listeners a funny feeling, a fever, and even the chills. But don’t worry – it’s not Covid, it’s The Crystals! More specifically, “Oh Yeah, Maybe Baby,” (1:49) the song you’ll hear if you capsize their 1961 single, “There’s No Other Like My Baby” (discussed in Episode 33). A slow song that happens fast! Patsy Wright’s charming, quavering vocals capture the chords of young love perfectly. Spectorian elements also abound: pulsating percussion … palpabl...
Beatnik Coffee Time
September 19, 2021 04:00 - 2 hours - 98.1 MBSongs about the 1950s and 60s pop culture figure of the “beatnik" and their love of the roasted bean! The first cup is a strong one - "Café Bohemian” by the Enchanters (8:28): A mostly-instrumental song that evokes the weirdest, wildest joint you could ever imagine at nighttime. Think guys with eye-patches, strange women with long cigarette holders, and maybe even a jittery striped-shirted poet waiting in the corner to go on stage. All this, and bongos (and some dirty sax & guitar) too! The ...
Beatnik Coffee Time
September 19, 2021 04:00 - 2 hours - 98.1 MBSongs about the 1950s and 60s pop culture figure of the “beatnik" and their love of the roasted bean! The first cup is a strong one - "Café Bohemian” by the Enchanters (8:28): A mostly-instrumental song that evokes the weirdest, wildest joint you could ever imagine at nighttime. Think guys with eye-patches, strange women with long cigarette holders, and maybe even a jittery striped-shirted poet waiting in the corner to go on stage. All this, and bongos (and some dirty sax & guitar) too! The ...
I Can't Explain
September 12, 2021 04:00 - 2 hours - 89.1 MBIn our newest episode, we explain the greatness of “I Can’t Explain.” Obviously, we begin with The Who, and the original version from 1964 (1:26). It features a ‘gravedigger riff’ (a riff so good, garage bands have been digging it back up for years), but also Pete Townshend’s rhythm chops, and Keith Moon’s drums as a lead instrument. It’ll have you throwing shapes like a mid-60s London Mod! The next version is by the pride of Gary, Indiana – no, not the Jackson 5 – Oscar & the Majestics (53:...
I Can't Explain
September 12, 2021 04:00 - 2 hours - 89.1 MBIn our newest episode, we explain the greatness of “I Can’t Explain.” Obviously, we begin with The Who, and the original version from 1964 (1:26). It features a ‘gravedigger riff’ (a riff so good, garage bands have been digging it back up for years), but also Pete Townshend’s rhythm chops, and Keith Moon’s drums as a lead instrument. It’ll have you throwing shapes like a mid-60s London Mod! The next version is by the pride of Gary, Indiana – no, not the Jackson 5 – Oscar & the Majestics (53:...
Three Great Garage Tunes from Cha Cha Records!
September 05, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 80.5 MBAs you well know, 2021 is the Year of the Garage Rock Cha Cha! Therefore, this episode hones in on three great garage tunes from the Cha Cha record label out of 1960s Chicago. The Hatfields set the pace for the race at (2:20) with their 1967 slab “The Kid from Cincy." Propulsive garage with a churning organ, machine gun drums, and great lyrics which get our full attention. Hats off to the Hatfields! Next up is the intoxicating “Little Girl Gone” by Mogen David & the Grapes of Wrath (49:38...
Single File-Double Pack: The Bobbettes
August 29, 2021 05:00 - 2 hours - 96.2 MBHot take: the first five Bobbettes records are perfect rock’n’roll records. As proof, we give two 45s by these Harlem Queens a spin and it’s a sure bet their heps! will put some pep in your step. First up is 1957's familiar hit, "Mr. Lee" (2:00) Formerly a diss track, this one has pure rock ‘n’ roll joy! Guitar stings!! Ebullient backing vocals!!! It's an all-time great, but don't overlook the B-side, "Look at the Stars" (58:45), which is a Caribbean-flavoured dance tune with a vivid vocal p...
Single File-Double Pack: The Bobbettes
August 29, 2021 05:00 - 2 hours - 96.2 MBHot take: the first five Bobbettes records are perfect rock’n’roll records. As proof, we give two 45s by these Harlem Queens a spin and it’s a sure bet their heps! will put some pep in your step. First up is 1957's familiar hit, "Mr. Lee" (2:00) Formerly a diss track, this one has pure rock ‘n’ roll joy! Guitar stings!! Ebullient backing vocals!!! It's an all-time great, but don't overlook the B-side, "Look at the Stars" (58:45), which is a Caribbean-flavoured dance tune with a vivid vocal p...
50th Episode!: Louie Louie, Volume 2
August 22, 2021 04:00 - 2 hours - 109 MBWe've made it to 50 episodes! To celebrate, we're presenting another chapter in our study of the world's greatest song, "Louie Louie" ... In 1964, The Angels (of "My Boyfriend's Back" fame) recorded a super-fun version, and it's one of the all-time best, with some great Jersey girl heys! and hos!, and a solid rock band backing them. The drummer even pays tribute to Lynn Easton's frantic fills! (2:35). That same year, HB & the Checkmates sprang out of Springfield, Oregon and they flipped the ...
Always a B-Side, Never a Bride: The Seeds
August 15, 2021 07:00 - 54 minutes - 37.6 MBThe latest instalment of our look at notable b-sides to singles we have previously discussed lets us talk about TWO "backtracks" to "Can't Seem to Make You Mine." The first flip-side is "Daisy Mae," which The Seeds released in 1965 (3:03). It's a 50s rocker, but it's so much more than a throwback throwaway! Unwholesome, manic, and boneheaded are words that describe this song's appeal, and ours as well! At 24:34, we spin the 1967 re-release's reverse, "I Tell Myself." We're telling ourselves ...
Go Go Gorilla
August 08, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 68.4 MBIn Episode 48, we go ape! The first in this week's troop of songs is the OG - the original "The Gorilla" - by none other than The Ideals, who had a hominid hit with the track back in 1962 (1:09). We present some wild theories; ask who is higher in the rock-roll hierarchy: monkeys or gorillas?, while also closely examining the song's elegant rhyme scheme and prosodic structure. The next King Kong song comes from The Shandells, whose on-the-loose version of "The Gorilla" is way wild for 1964 ...
Go Go Gorilla
August 08, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 68.4 MBIn Episode 48, we go ape! The first in this week's troop of songs is the OG - the original "The Gorilla" - by none other than The Ideals, who had a hominid hit with the track back in 1962 (1:09). We present some wild theories; ask who is higher in the rock-roll hierarchy: monkeys or gorillas?, while also closely examining the song's elegant rhyme scheme and prosodic structure. The next King Kong song comes from The Shandells, whose on-the-loose version of "The Gorilla" is way wild for 1964 ...
Duck Dancin'
August 01, 2021 07:00 - 2 hours - 83 MBWe really shoot our waddle this week: FOUR songs from the 60s about ducks and dancing! First up is "The Duck" from 1965 by Jackie Lee (1:20). We note the religious undercurrents to this seemingly frivolous ode to our feathered friends, and we also question if The Duck is the least (or most?) erotic dance ever. Next in line is The Autographs from the same year, and their wild waterfowl wingding, "Do The Duck" (40:48). The guys in the band boldly quack where no one had quacked before, and the ...
Duck Dancin'
August 01, 2021 07:00 - 2 hours - 83 MBWe really shoot our waddle this week: FOUR songs from the 60s about ducks and dancing! First up is "The Duck" from 1965 by Jackie Lee (1:20). We note the religious undercurrents to this seemingly frivolous ode to our feathered friends, and we also question if The Duck is the least (or most?) erotic dance ever. Next in line is The Autographs from the same year, and their wild waterfowl wingding, "Do The Duck" (40:48). The guys in the band boldly quack where no one had quacked before, and the ...
It Ain't Me, Bob!: Be Kind To Me
July 25, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBRecorded WAY back in March, in a late-night session: Michael Hurley’s “Be Kind To Me” is a shaggy, shambling folk tune that fits in well with our tradition of playing “party in the studio” songs (1:59). It’s also the first song we’ve played with a mouth trumpet solo! We really get into the Dylan-y elements of the song, which is why it’s in our “It Ain’t Me, Bob” series. Don’t worry, we’re still a rock’n’roll podcast – so we play the original version of the song, a barrelhouse R&B stomper by ...
It Ain't Me, Bob!: Be Kind To Me
July 25, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBRecorded WAY back in March, in a late-night session: Michael Hurley’s “Be Kind To Me” is a shaggy, shambling folk tune that fits in well with our tradition of playing “party in the studio” songs (1:59). It’s also the first song we’ve played with a mouth trumpet solo! We really get into the Dylan-y elements of the song, which is why it’s in our “It Ain’t Me, Bob” series. Don’t worry, we’re still a rock’n’roll podcast – so we play the original version of the song, a barrelhouse R&B stomper by ...
Return Of The Gruesomes!
July 18, 2021 07:00 - 2 hours - 99 MBBobby Beaton and John Davis of The Gruesomes return to the show! They asked if they could talk about the garage classic "Don't Tread On Me" by Kit & The Outlaws (1:29), and by golly we said yes! They are meritorious music micro-analyzers, and they also point their mad scientist microscopes at two 80s versions by The Nomads (53:33) and The Gravedigger Five (1:30:20) with a lot of laughs along the way. There's even a bonus rendition, "Satán Sal De Mí" by Las Munjitas del Fuzz, from 2016 (2:21...
Summer of '66
July 11, 2021 07:00 - 2 hours - 103 MBWe celebrate the long, lazy days of summer with a long frantic road trip of an episode – 4 songs, all from 1966, all about the joys of summer. Dip your toes into the water with the Englishmen and their bossa-influenced jangler “Summer Is Here” (2:10). After that smooth and silky introduction, “Let’s Go To the Beach” with Larry & the Loafers (33:10). Surfing is optional, partying is mandatory! Then hit the road with The Beach Bums and their ultra-chromatic Beach Boys homage, “Florida Time” (1...
Single File: The Azaleas
July 07, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 66.9 MBAs a supplement to Episode 42, we present a new series where we investigate and discuss a particularly obscure or noteworthy single: something that can’t be denied on both sides!! And what better way to start than with Norfolk, Virginia’s wildest girl group, the Azaleas?! Side A is a blatant retread of Gary US Bonds’ 1961 non-hit, “Not Me”, retitled “Hands Off” (2:02). A crazy organ sound, lots of “lowtower,” and the sound of a group of people who are enjoying demolishing the studio and the ...
Not Me
July 04, 2021 07:00 - 2 hours - 85.7 MBBack in 1961 - In The Past's favourite rock'n'roll year after 1966 - Gary U.S. Bonds released an amazing track called "Not Me", which due to the squares, never hit the Top 40 like it should have (1:17). We celebrate this American road trip of a song while we revel in its "in the red" levels and the Virginia rebels behind the "Norfolk Sound." Later on, The Orlons managed to make the song a hit in 1963 and we talk about Rosetta Hightower's low growls , Stephen Caldwell's froggy vowels, and ad...
Always a B-Side, Never a Bride: Easy To Cry
June 27, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 42.5 MBWella Wella! Back in February we recorded three episodes in one night, and this is the one that has been sitting on the shelf the longest. But it's still fresh as a daisy! in this installment of "Always a B-Side," we capsize the 1965 single by England's own The Little Darlings to hear the flip of their flop release, "Little Bit o' Soul" (discussed in Episode 18). The song is "Easy to Cry", which has a Bo Diddley beat, some clangin' guitars, and wailin' vocals (2:53). We discover that the D...
Always A B-Side, Never A Bride: Easy To Cry
June 27, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 42.5 MBWella Wella! Back in February we recorded three episodes in one night, and this is the one that has been sitting on the shelf the longest. But it's still fresh as a daisy! in this installment of "Always a B-Side," we capsize the 1965 single by England's own The Little Darlings to hear the flip of their flop release, "Little Bit o' Soul" (discussed in Episode 18). The song is "Easy to Cry", which has a Bo Diddley beat, some clangin' guitars, and wailin' vocals (2:53). We discover that the D...
Always a B-Side, Never a Bride: Easy To Cry
June 27, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 42.5 MBWella Wella! Back in February we recorded three episodes in one night, and this is the one that has been sitting on the shelf the longest. But it's still fresh as a daisy! in this installment of "Always a B-Side," we capsize the 1965 single by England's own The Little Darlings to hear the flip of their flop release, "Little Bit o' Soul" (discussed in Episode 18). The song is "Easy to Cry", which has a Bo Diddley beat, some clangin' guitars, and wailin' vocals (2:53). We discover that the D...
Don't Be Shite
June 20, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 46.4 MBIt's almost summer, so let's get it started with a reality check: no AC, mosquitos, too many people at the beach, and the world's worst "summer song" ever: "Don't Be Shy" by Shwayze and some other guy (1:15). Man, this song sucks. A terrible, awful raw machine drum sound that drills into your brain, stoner vocal fry from a 'singer' who sounds like Beck with a cold, incomprehensible song structure, a beastly bouquet of 1999's most bogus sounds (Bran Van 3000/Sublime) but from 2008! - and the...
96 Tears, Part 2
June 13, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 61.6 MBIn Part 2, we banter about the bands who have reached the 96th Tier (the highest echelon) of "96 Tears" cover versions. First up is Zeus's favourite band, Los Thunder Boys from Costa Rica (1:08) . Their 1966 rendition is fast, surfy, and sans organ?!?!?! How do they get away with it? Well, the drummer has us ridin' the big wave of the Middle Eight, and we go gaga over the singer's growly, passionate, and vulnerable vocals so you don't even notice the keys are desaparacido. Fast forward to 1...
96 Tears, Part 1
June 06, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 51 MBIn this episode, we use the Socratic Method (and Google) to answer the Supreme Question: “What makes ‘96 Tears’ so good?” In Part 1, we soully focus on ? and the Mysterians original version, recorded & released in the peak garage rock year of 1966, and you can't spell 1966 without "96"! Among the many Mysterian mysteries we uncover is the correct pronunciation of the singer’s name, the secret of the organ riff, and how a song that doesn't have a rave-up freak-out can still be classifiably in...
Bright Lights, Big City
May 30, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 74.9 MBHow are you going to keep them down on the farm after they hear our show on “Bright Lights, Big City”? We start our tour with Jimmy Reed’s 1961 original version (0:55), with the marital harmonies of Jimmy and Mama Mary Reed seeming to drift out of a divey, spit-and-sawdust saloon, punctuated by Earl Phillips’ startling cymbal crashes and Bill Putnam’s pleasing production. After we listen to the Rolling Stones’s 1963 version, Erik makes the hot take scene and says the Stones never sounded bet...