HarvestmanMan
Ikon Class
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2011
- Location
- Cincinnati
I think "I know it when I see (hear) it" covers it pretty well, individually.
What is Sixties Garage?
- Thread starter Outside_Lookin_in
- Start date
tom kirby
Ikon Class
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2011
I agree with Harvestman. The definition of "What is '60s Garage" might just be near impossible to put into exact words. The chances that every individual will agree on exact wording to destinguish every recording the same is not only nearly impossible but also very improbable. To do that you would have to disregard individual taste and opinion. There are certain characteristics found in "Garage Music" but not all those characteristics are found in every recording defined as a "Garage Song'. As Harvestman said, "I know it when I hear it." "60s Garage is a "Sound" and that "sound" is subject to individual taste and opinion as well as the defined characteristics present, in part, in all Garage Music. As an example of what I'm trying to say is the panel who rated the songs for TBM. Those ratings were derived from the panels individuals taste and opinion along with the defined characteristics of a Garage song and it appears that there was seldom 100% consensus on every song included in that book.
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2011
- Location
- The shores of southern CT
The only 100% consensus reached during the entire 11 year song rating process (8 for TBM, and another 3 for Beyond TeenBeat Mayhem) was the lowest ranked song - achieved a perfect score of 1.000.
As I discuss in TBM, the only time "garage" mixes sound with defining physical traits - which is what this thread is attempting to establish - occurred during the "revival wave" that commenced in the mid to late 1970s. The time when "garage bands" sprang up. These bands were usually part and parcel of two camps: One now referred to as purists; solely focused on recreating something from an earlier decade by either copying every aspect (dress, instruments / equipment, and note for note remakes with original songs that mimic the 60s) or by relying on the past for their primary influences while dismissing / not allowing exact copying to dictate their sounds and style.
As I discuss in TBM, the only time "garage" mixes sound with defining physical traits - which is what this thread is attempting to establish - occurred during the "revival wave" that commenced in the mid to late 1970s. The time when "garage bands" sprang up. These bands were usually part and parcel of two camps: One now referred to as purists; solely focused on recreating something from an earlier decade by either copying every aspect (dress, instruments / equipment, and note for note remakes with original songs that mimic the 60s) or by relying on the past for their primary influences while dismissing / not allowing exact copying to dictate their sounds and style.
Ned
Ikon Class
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2011
- Location
- Litchfield County
Mike -
You hit the nail right on the head - perfect & to the point.
Ned
You hit the nail right on the head - perfect & to the point.
Ned
tom kirby
Ikon Class
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2011
Thanks Mike, I always learn something when you write. I was surprised the "revival wave" began in the mid to late '70s. I thought that the comps like BFTG, Pebbles, Nuggets and Teenage Shutdown were early to mid '80s things and thats what started that wave and that was when the term "Garage Music" and "Garage Bands" came into use. Learn something new every day.
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2011
- Location
- The shores of southern CT
You're correct, Tom, the real wave gained momentum worldwide in the early 1980s, but, there were some groups around that started much earlier, following the initial release of the Nuggets compilation LP.
The Droogs are most likely the earliest group to be inspired by the sounds captured on the Nuggets comp, if going by their debut single from 1973. By the time the revival era took hold worldwide (1980-81) the Droogs had moved beyond the scene -sort of akin to the Chesterfield Kings progression from strict 1966 garage sounds to more straight ahead rock & roll devoid of their earliest style.
The scenesters and fanzine writers called this style "60s punk" initially; Greg Shaw calling the term to worldwide use. However, the word punk quickly became more aligned to the then current wave of bands following the Ramones, for example, so by 1975-76, punk belonged to those bands, as it rightly should have.
I also find 60s punk to be something that was erroneously tagged - a branding forced to be the defacto term for the obscure teenaged music recorded in the mid to late 1960s. First, the idea that kids formed bands to rebel is pure fiction - that's what the '70s era bands like the Ramones, Sex Pistols, Clash, etc did - to rebel against boring arena rock and tedious musicianship.
Teenagers in 1966, for example formed bands for fun and to attract girls. They were not out to change the world or even rid the world of Herman's Hermits, like Tim Warren mocks in his early Back From The Grave liner notes. And most of them performed the popular hits of the day when they played at dances. Nearly all of them were totally aligned with the current trends of the day. To use the word "punk" as some idyllic concept is ridiculous form a 60's era look-back. The sound of the smallest percentage of 45rpm singles recorded by teenaged groups may have that raw or non-commercial sound we now call punk, but that is the extreme, and not the norm from the era.
That's why Greg Shaw ditched the term '60s punk in favor of 'garage bands' as as 1981, a term which is much better, but again, hardly one that is all encompassing or defining.
The Droogs are most likely the earliest group to be inspired by the sounds captured on the Nuggets comp, if going by their debut single from 1973. By the time the revival era took hold worldwide (1980-81) the Droogs had moved beyond the scene -sort of akin to the Chesterfield Kings progression from strict 1966 garage sounds to more straight ahead rock & roll devoid of their earliest style.
The scenesters and fanzine writers called this style "60s punk" initially; Greg Shaw calling the term to worldwide use. However, the word punk quickly became more aligned to the then current wave of bands following the Ramones, for example, so by 1975-76, punk belonged to those bands, as it rightly should have.
I also find 60s punk to be something that was erroneously tagged - a branding forced to be the defacto term for the obscure teenaged music recorded in the mid to late 1960s. First, the idea that kids formed bands to rebel is pure fiction - that's what the '70s era bands like the Ramones, Sex Pistols, Clash, etc did - to rebel against boring arena rock and tedious musicianship.
Teenagers in 1966, for example formed bands for fun and to attract girls. They were not out to change the world or even rid the world of Herman's Hermits, like Tim Warren mocks in his early Back From The Grave liner notes. And most of them performed the popular hits of the day when they played at dances. Nearly all of them were totally aligned with the current trends of the day. To use the word "punk" as some idyllic concept is ridiculous form a 60's era look-back. The sound of the smallest percentage of 45rpm singles recorded by teenaged groups may have that raw or non-commercial sound we now call punk, but that is the extreme, and not the norm from the era.
That's why Greg Shaw ditched the term '60s punk in favor of 'garage bands' as as 1981, a term which is much better, but again, hardly one that is all encompassing or defining.
