In our last part ‘Garage Rock Part 1’ we began to explore the many Garage Rock and Bands that were a huge part of the 1960s music scene. The Beatles and the British Invasion did have an impact on the creation of many bands that were formed due to the growing influence and popularity of rock and roll music. However, many Garage Rock Bands existed before as well as during the era of the 1960s. Often people talk about the music of the 60s and these bands are a large part of the sound they are speaking of. The sound was simple, raw and extremely catchy.
Many of the groups that comprise it began as local regional bands playing at local dances and clubs. Often their first popular songs were only known in the regions they were from; however, for many that local sound spread to other areas and led to national success. Sometimes, that success was limited to only one or two national hits. However, those hits were huge and memorable until this very day.
The Beau Brummels
The Beau Brummels were one of the several groups that were originally mistaken for a British group. The band was actually from San Francisco and formed there in 1964. They are credited as being one of the foundations for the San Francisco Sound. Their debut single was “Laugh Laugh” and reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1965. The song was produced by Sylvester Stewart who was later known as Sly Stone. The song is also listed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the “500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll”.
The Swingin’ Medallions
Formed in 1962 were from Greenwood, South Carolina. They began playing in local clubs and frat parties. They became popular in the American South where they were also known as a ‘beach music group’. However, they achieved national success in 1966 with their song “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love)” which reached number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Syndicate of Sound
Begining in San Joe, California in 1964 the band had an unpolished, simple and catchy sound. They are often seen as an influence on later psychedelic rock bands. Their biggest hit was released in 1965 with the song “Little Girl” which peaked at number 8 in 1966 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Shadows of Knight
They formed in 1964 in Chicago and became the most popular group of the many garage bands in the city. The group played in local clubs around the city and became the house band at a teen club “The Cellar” which attracted many followers. The group released the song “Gloria” in December of 1965 which became a huge hit song in the region. The song then gained national attention and reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Blues Magoos
They hailed from New York City and are noted as being at the forefront of psychedelic rock. The band was formed earlier with a different name in 1964. They officially became The Blues Magoos in 1966 and released their biggest selling single. “(We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet” reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 that same year.
The Gentrys
Originally formed in Memphis, Tennessee and consisted of seven members, the group began in 1963 at Treadwell High School and performed at local dances and other events. They became a very popular group regionally; however, in 1965, they found national success with the huge hit “Keep on Dancing”. The single reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. It had a very catchy beat and is interesting in the fact that it stops and starts several times during the song. The group made several appearances on popular teen shows of the day such as Shindig, American Bandstand, Hullabaloo and Where the Action Is.
RetroTVCentral made a very entertaining video of this song that combines the music with several 60s TV shows.
The McCoys
Begun in Union City, Indiana in 1962. There were some band member changes as well as name changes, but the group became very popular in the Midwest. However, they gained attention outside the region and released their biggest hit “Hang On Sloopy” which went straight to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1965. An interesting fact about the group is that guitarist Rick Zehringer went on to play with both Johnny Winter’s band as well as the Edgar Winter Group as Rick Derringer.
Garage rock, and the bands who were part of it, are strongly tied to what we often call the music of the 1960s. There were many bands and some were limited to one big national hit with some additional minor hits. Many did remain popular in the regions they began in. These groups, even the ones with only one major national hit, are incredibly important to the history of rock and roll music. The groups and their hits songs are truly unforgettable. Several important garage rock bands still need to be explored.
Continued at ‘Garage Rock’ the 60’s Part 3
– Jack B. Stephens
Media Console
Media Console with Mahogany Finish The heart of this unit is the specially designed turntable compartment. Cleverly tucked into the top of the unit, the record player can be accessed through a hinged lid that remains hidden when not in use.
Record Crate
retro crates are made from 1/2″ thick rough pine, spruce or fir. Stackable up to three high. Stack with open side of the crate horizontally, vertically or any combination
Sources and Info:
Top 11 Garage Rock Songs – Page 2 of 2 – Rock Cellar Magazine
Continued from Page 1 6. Just Like Me by Paul Revere & the Raiders By mid-1965, Paul Revere & the Raiders had scored a minor hit, Steppin’ Out, and were hired as regulars on Dick Clark’s TV show Where the Action Is. Raiders manager Roger Hart paid $5,000 to the Wilde Knights to use their …
List of garage rock bands – Wikipedia
The following is a list of notable garage rock bands. It is not exclusive to collective bands, but also includes solo acts who have created music in this style (usually backed by accompanying musicians). The list features artists from the US and Canada, but also includes similar acts from other countries.
Garage rock – Wikipedia
Many young people were inspired by musicians such as Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, and Eddie Cochran, whose recordings of relatively unsophisticated and hard-driving songs from a few years earlier proclaimed personal independence and freedom from parental controls and conservative norms. Ritchie Valens’ 1958 hit ” La Bamba” helped jump-start the Chicano rock scene in Southern California and provided a three-chord template for the songs of numerous 1960s garage bands.
The 50 Best Garage Rock Songs of All Time
As far a genres go, garage rock is pretty broad. Its gritty, simplistic approach first rose to prominence in the mid ’60s, simultaneously drawing inspiration from and coexisting with everything from surf rock and psychedelia to bubblegum and British Invasion bands.
The Beau Brummels
remembering 1950s, 1960s, 1970s rock and roll
The Story Behind: The Swingin’ Medallions, “Double Shot of My Baby’s Love” – REBEAT Magazine
Each month in “The Story Behind,” I’ll look at the history of a well-known Top 40 hit based on interviews I’ve conducted with individuals who performed some of the most familiar pop hits of the 1960s and ’70s.
Shadows of Knight | Biography & History | AllMusic
Chicago, Illinois had one of the liveliest garage rock scenes around in the early to mid-’60s, and the Shadows of Knight were at once one of the most popular and among the toughest acts on the Windy City’s teen scene; they were also one of the few who achieved genuine stardom nationwide.
Blues Magoos
remembering 1950s, 1960s, 1970s rock and roll
The Gentrys | Biography & History | AllMusic
Find The Gentrys biography and history on AllMusic – The Gentrys got their start in Memphis, TN, in…
The Gentrys – Wikipedia
The Gentrys were an American band of the 1960s and early 1970s, best known for their 1965 hit ” Keep on Dancing”. A cover by the Bay City Rollers charted No. 9 in the UK in 1971.
The McCoys
Formed in Union City, Indiana in 1962, this group was initially comprised of guitarist Rick Zehringer, his brother Randy on drums and bass player Dennis Kelly. Starting out as Rick And The Raiders, then The Rick Z Combo, the group later added organist Ronnie Brandon, becoming The McCoys soon after Randy Hobbs replaced the college-bound Dennis Kelly.
