Teenbeat Mayhem launch date......

[michaelvee]

.. got it yesterday, Mike, and it's truly AWESOME! I appreciate the "foreword" i.e. your "introduction to Garage", pardon Teenbeat. Feels so good to read someone who shares my own idea of music (and youth culture) at 100%. The only thing I don't believe is you did not - like me - live the 60s but picture the whole shebang in hindsight! incredible!!! (excellent writing-style, btw, as fas as I can judge)

huge compliments from Italy!

 

[MopTopMike]

Thanks, Mr. V.

I tried to explain the focus of the book, and the relevance of the title to the best of my capabilities in various chapters.

 

[massb]

I got mine last monday and all I can say is (forgive my limited english proficiency..):
wow!

I want to thank you Mike (and all the members of garage-o-meter cabinet) for the fantastic job you did!!

 

[depravedskippy66]

Mike, what is the significance - if any - of what appears to be a white flag next to many of the artist entries in the book? I looked for an explanation but could not find one, or I simply did not look hard enough!

 

[Michael W]

Mike, what is the significance - if any - of what appears to be a white flag next to many of the artist entries in the book? I looked for an explanation but could not find one, or I simply did not look hard enough!

If Mike doesn't mind me answering ... this is explained on page 52 which describes how the entries are structured. To quote "A flag icon identifies a confirmed locale, verified through copyright registration at the Library of Congress, or firsthand information from a member of the group. When the flag icon is absent, the location noted is accurate based upon research, but not 100% confirmed via the criteria set above."

 

[depravedskippy66]

If Mike doesn't mind me answering ... this is explained on page 52 which describes how the entries are structured. To quote "A flag icon identifies a confirmed locale, verified through copyright registration at the Library of Congress, or firsthand information from a member of the group. When the flag icon is absent, the location noted is accurate based upon research, but not 100% confirmed via the criteria set above."

Thank you, Michael. As I said, I obviously did not look hard enough!

 

[Mr.Segment]

Thank you Mike for your efforts. This is something I am going to have as a reference guide for the rest of my life.

And to those of you stiffing Wandering kind by Dean Carter, are you f*cking deaf!? 3? Really?

 

[Mr.Segment]

This, who some of us have been buying copies of lately, as it is a recent quantity find: Was this really unknown ? Why isn´t the flip rated in TBM? Certainly a strong 4 in my book.

 

[Patrick the Lama]

Got mine today and opened the parcel with trembling hands... what a trip! Posted some brief comments and promotion on my Facebook page that don't need to be repeated here, but I am curious if there is an official, designated space for TBM feedback and inquiries? I think it would be a good idea, perhaps as a blog or an open forum. The idea would be something that is easy to access (no login etc) and lies open for all to see.

Anyway, thanks a million Mike, everyone knows the incredible amount of work that went into this, and it shows.

Glad to see our Acid Archives book got a namecheck also. :)

 

[MopTopMike]

Mr Segment - I didn't have access to the 45 or a dub of "Don't Mess around With My Dream" when doing the sessions. It will be rated and noted in "Beyond TeenBeat Mayhem", alongside other tunes which have since come into the archives.

 

[MopTopMike]

Thank you Mike for your efforts. This is something I am going to have as a reference guide for the rest of my life.

And to those of you stiffing Wandering kind by Dean Carter, are you f*cking deaf!? 3? Really?

Why do you people get all riled up? Of course many songs will not jive with your personal tastes. That is what a consensus rating result is all about.
I'd hate to think of the tomato throwing that would have resulted if I rated all the songs myself!

Here is the tally for "Wandering Soul" 5-2 4-4 3-3 2-1 3.700

 

[Frantic]

FOOD FIGHT!!!!!

 

[Mr.Segment]

FOOD FIGHT!!!!!

Damn right!

I guess Dean Carter´s vocals on that song rub some people the wrong way. Or something. Also bearing in mind AP excluded it from the Carter retrospective.

But first and foremost, the book is a damn fine guide! Also big kudos for the descriptions. Finally a way to avoid those pesky unison vocal tracks each time I´m buying "blind" to surprise my ears

 

[anophelesrecords]

got mine on Friday. Enjoying it daily and thanks Mike M. for the great effort. My biggest quibble is that subjective, somewhat fine line drawn between a group's releases for a particular sound, for example, the Spike Drivers "Strange Mysterious Sounds" and Six Feet Under's "Freedom" not making the sonic cut, but I understand the criteria as stated in the book, so at least they are represented with other releases. Good to see Blues Company "I'm Comin'" only got a 3, if only because it gives me some optimism that someone with a purification fixation will want to unload a mint copy to me for a nice price!

 

[Frantic]

Damn right!

I guess Dean Carter´s vocals on that song rub some people the wrong way. Or something. Also bearing in mind AP excluded it from the Carter retrospective.

I provided Alec with the master tape for that one and believe it or not he forgot about it and it didn't get on the cd

 

[Mr.Segment]

I provided Alec with the master tape for that one and believe it or not he forgot about it and it didn't get on the cd

Scandalous!

 

[Michael W]

Thank you Mike for your efforts. This is something I am going to have as a reference guide for the rest of my life.

And to those of you stiffing Wandering kind by Dean Carter, are you f*cking deaf!? 3? Really?

I was on the rating team, but I can't find in my database what score I gave this, it must have come up in one of the later miscellaneous sessions. Just had a listen and the guitar riff is cool but his singing is quite croonery and the lyrics come across as somewhat cliched and insincere. For me, one of the defining characteristics of great teenbeat garage songs is the rawness, enthusiasm and sincerity of the expression.
You have to bear in mind the criteria that Mike gave us for each rating level. A 3 does not mean it is a piece of garbage, it means it is a solid, average teenbeat number. I think people are making the mistake of thinking that a 3 means that everyone hated it. Also bear in mind that we were listening to hundreds of songs over a several week period, with all the acts starting with the same first letter, e.g. C in this case. When you listen like that you get a good overview of the music and of course there are very few out and out killers and the vast majority are average. Based on my listen then I would give it a 4.

 

[MopTopMike]

Thank you, Mr. W, for explaining the point of view as one who participated in the voting process from day one back in the fall of 2004, until the last session in May of this year.
3 ratings denote an average tune, certainly not a "hated" one, 2 a little less than average, and a 1 means most everyone did not ever need to hear it more than once, if that.

 

[greenfuzz]

When you listen like that you get a good overview of the music and of course there are very few out and out killers and the vast majority are average.

This is exactly correct. Listening at times to 30 or 40 songs at a crack, it takes a standout to really perk the ears. A large chunk sound very similar, hence the large number of '4' and '5' ratings.

 

[Mr.Segment]

This is exactly correct. Listening at times to 30 or 40 songs at a crack, it takes a standout to really perk the ears. A large chunk sound very similar, hence the large number of '4' and '5' ratings.

But would this not also be a weakness in the rating process? Surely one get's a bit jaded along the way and may not hear what, on repeated listenings, would be a standout track after all? I've certainly re-discovered songs within my own collection that I at first were very disappointed with. (not talking about the Carter track now)