Live Set: Proto-Punk (1963-1975)
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1 Bo Diddley - 1963 - Road Runner (live): You might not associate Bo Diddley with garage rock, but listen to that guitar. Not only that, this song was covered by the likes of The Pretty Things, The Zombies, The Animals and The Who.
2 The Kingsmen - 1963 - Louie Louie: Not many bands were investigated by the FBI for obscenity, but this Seattle band was.. And that’s about as punk as can be. The FBI didn’t catch it, but there is a “fuck” faintly yelled in the recording
3 The Surfaris - 1963 - Wipe Out: This was actually a b-side. Surf and garage weren’t just musically the forefathers of punk, but the lifestyle as well. A true don’t give a fuck attitude. I hope I come back in the next life as a surfer.
4 Link Wray and His Ray Men - 1963 - The Black Widow: Another b-side instrumental. Mark E. Smith of The Fall said “The only people I really looked up to were Link Wray and Iggy Pop.” Wray’s earlier hit “Rumble” holds the distinction of being the only instrumental banned.
5 The Triumphs - 1964 - Surfside Date: Like the Trashmen, The Triumphs were a land-locked middle American band doing surf music. They were from Milwaukee
6 The Trashmen - 1964 - Bad News: Speaking of which, here they are, Minneapolis’ greatest surf band. This was their third and final single to chart, reaching 124.
7 The Sanshers - 1964 - Gonna Git That Man: I don’t know anything about this band, and there isn’t much mention of them at all on the internet, which makes the multi-volume collection Girls in
the Garage (where I discovered this) all the more essential.
8 The Primitives - 1964 - The Ostrich: The first single by The Primitives, which you know Craig loves, cause two of the members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who would of course become The Velvet Underground.
9 The Kinks - 1964 - You Really Got Me: a blues song at heart but with a power-riff that inspired both the punks and the headbangers. I can’t imagine what it was like hearing this for the first time in 1964.
10 The Novas - 1964 - The Crusher: “Do the hammerlock you turkey necks!!” A Dallas/Ft. Worth garage band that are not only proto-punk, but proto-death metal vocal-wise.. Their touring vehicle was a hearse with their logo on the side. The Crusher was a wrestler, I think.
11 Jerry Lee Lewis - 1964 - Mean Woman Blues [live in Hamburg]: If you have been checking out my shlepdreamsofvinyl.blogspot.com album blog, this one was a recent entry. One of the epic moments of my life as a music listener was putting this album on while going to work on a Monday morning. RIP Killer. Behave down there.
12 Los Saicos - 1964 - Demolicion: Proto-punk pioneers out of Lima, Peru that I had not heard prior to researching this show, and now they are going on the shortlist of bands to hear more of very soon.
13 The Fugs - 1965 - Slum Goddess: This one was on one of my first Shlep comps 20-some years ago. The Fugs were a NYC band that were political satire early on in an era that didn’t take themselves too seriously, but weren’t fucking around either (think Dr. Strangelove). They weren’t super talented, but that’s part of the proto-punk definition/charm.
14 The Sonics - 1965 - Cinderella: Probably the quintessential proto-punk band. To give you some perspective, this is from their second album.. Virtually every song on their debut could have qualified for this show. Out of Tacoma, Washington… I had the good fortune of seeing them in Oakland with The Legendary Stardust Cowboy
15 The Who - 1965 - My Generation: Sure, it is easy to argue that The Who shouldn’t be on this list, but fuck that. First, so many British punk bands in the 1970s were influenced by them (look up Who covers) and second, if you can erase their later indulgences (which definitely have merit) and focused just on their early stuff, like songs by The Stones, The Kinks, even The Beatles (Helter Skelter), they belong.
16 Monks - 1965 - Oh, How to Do Now: The spirit animal of punk rock, Monks were formed by five American G.I.s stationed in then West Germany. They released one proper album. An essential one. Nick turned me onto these guys when they got a CD release in 1995. They are the band in the cover “poster” for this set.
17 The Rats - 1965 - Rat’s Revenge [Part 1]: Another band in this set that I can find very little about, with the exception that they were from Akron, Ohio. What makes this song qualify even more as proto-punk is that even though it was released in 1965, it was actually recorded two years earlier.
18 The Syndicats - 1965 - Crawdaddy Simone: This might be one Craig is familiar with as it is led by future icon of Yes, the prog-rock band that you can still purchase used vinyl and very likely find 50 year old roaches and seeds in the gatefold. Impressive career for Mr. Howe. He even collaborated with Frankie Goes to Hollywood. What a world!
19 The Missing Links - 1965 - You’re Driving Me Insane: An Aussie entry into this pantheon. The Missing Links were known for smashing their instruments.. Can’t verify they were the first, but certainly had to be close.
20 The Barracudas - 1965 - Baby Get Lost: All that I can find out about these guys, and really, all that matters is that they are from Glen’s domain, Louisiana. Maybe he knows more about them
21 The Preachers - 1965 - Who Do You Love?: Again, Bo Diddley started this set for a good frickin’ reason.. He is the king of garage (aka proto-punk). His Beach Party album is essential. So many bands have covered this song. Didn’t Jesus and Mary Chain? This is badass.
22 Rocky and the Riddlers - 1966 - Flash & Crash: Seattle didn’t just show up in the late 1980s. The weather must have played a real part.
23 The One Way Streets - 1966 - Jack the Ripper: And just like there must be something in the water in Washington state, Ohio has contributed a ton of great shit to the pantheon.
24 The Botumles Pit - 1966 - 13 Stories High: Just found it on a garage comp… can’t find anything about them except that they were also The Suedes… I didn’t dig deeper after that. As I prepare this a week ahead of time, I am about to get into the tequila… Friday!!
25 David Clayton Thomas & the Boss Men - 1966 - Brain Washed: You recognize that voice? Yeah, it is the lead singer of the Canadian band Blood, Sweat and Tears. God bless the Canadians.
26 Them - 1966 - I Can Only Give You Everything: Who knew Beck essentially just ripped off Van Morrison’s best songs? I didn’t.
27 Q65 - 1966 - Cry in the Night: A Dutch band that is garage/proto-punk, but was known as part of the mid-60s “Nederbeat” scene.
28 The Bluestars - 1966 - Social End Product: A band from Auckland, New Zealand, now best remembered for this song which is critical of the monarchy.
29 The 13th Floor Elevators - 1966 - Reverberation (Doubt): Where proto-punk and psychedelia flirt. They were far more garage than psychedelic. Highly influential to this day.
30 Downliners Sect - 1966 - Glendora: British “beat boom” band, and sorry to just use someone else’s quote, but it is so appropriate- Critic Richie Unterberger wrote: "The Sect didn't as much interpret the sound of Chess Records as attack it, with a finesse that made the Pretty Things seem positively suave in comparison."
31 The Zakary Thaks - 1966 - Bad Girl: These guys were from Corpus Christi, Texas and opened for the 13th Floor Elevators. They were included on both the Nuggets and Pebbles essential box sets.
32 The Buzz - 1966 - You’re Holding Me Down: Not The Buzz that backed Bowie on his early singles, but rather the sole single from the Scottish “freakbeat” band that was produced by the great Joe Meek.
33 The Cave Men - 1966 - It’s Trash: Apparently the b-side to their only single. These guys were from Florida. Getting into Glen territory.
34 William the Wild One - 1966 - (They Call Me) Willie the Wild One: Biker proto-punk! Wish I could ask Ray if he knew this one.
35 Murphy and the Mob - 1966 - Born Loser: The guy I discovered this from simply wrote: “proto Johnny Thunders”.
36 The Montells - 1966 - You Can’t Make Me: A garage rock band out of Miami that endured some slight controversy when then DJ Morton Downey, Jr. (aka Doc’ Downey).. Too much to go into here, you can read it on their Wikipedia page, Glenbo!
37 The Benders - 1966 - You Can’t Tame Me: Another entry from a Wisconsin band. Wow, the state used to not be a total shitstain.
38 The Illusions - 1966 - City of People: The only single from the St. Clare, Michigan band, led by Tom Strascyk, who would go on to lead the equally obscure psych rock band Attack. (I don’t know them either, but will search them out).
39 The Shames - 1966 - My World Is Upside Down: The sole single from the garage band out of Ipswich, Massachusetts. I hope they got out of Massachusetts before Affleck and the brigade came along.
40 The Hush Puppies - 1967 - Look for Another Love: From what I can gather, the sole single by the L.A. band, released on, of all labels, Playboy Records. Wish I had that story to share.
41 The Beaux Jens - 1967 - She Was Mine: Another b-side that usurped the flip, this from an obscure Michigan band that seems to make the comps every decade.
42 The Humane Society - 1967 - Knock, Knock: I think this is the Simi Valley, California’s only single, which was backed with a version of “Tip Toe thru the Tulips (with Me)” which I am gonna have to look up.
43 Unrelated Segments - 1967 - Story of My Life: Another entry from a Michigan garage/proto-punk band who enjoyed regional success though only released three singles. Taylor, Michigan to be precise, if that means anything. Michigan sounds awful, except for Detroit, which is gloriously awful!
44 The Velvet Underground - 1967 - I’m Waiting for the Man: Simply one of the greatest songs (and bands) in rock history. This is like my 4th favorite song of all-time. Glen and I met as caddies in 1984 in St. Paul and this cool caddymaster sub, Mark LaBossier, would hook us up with tapes of cool bands. I listened to this album for over a year before I realized it wasn’t modern.
45 The Beatles - 1968 - Helter Skelter: McCartney is a motherfucker… he did more out there shit than Lennon, and I love John Lennon, but he simply is not just the “Yesterday” guy. This song is insane - though you’ve likely heard it so many times it is hard to realize. It is about a roller coaster, but Charles Manson made it about a race war. Unintended sinistry (yeah, I’m sticking with that as a word), but there is a darkness to the song.
46 Randy Alvey and the Green Fuz - 1969 - The Green Fuz: All you need to know… The Cramps covered it. Sounds like Kurt Cobain.
47 MC5 - 1969 - Kick Out the Jams: I ordered this special from that cool record store on Grant Ave in Novato, the one Craig was friends with and I didn’t know what to expect in 1992 as there was no streaming services, and when I heard “KICK OUT THE JAMS, MOTHERFUCKER” I knew I was entering new territory. Detroit.
48 Legendary Stardust Cowboy - 1968 - Paralyzed: I don’t even truly recall how I came across “the Ledge”. I got really into “outsider music” between 2012-2015 and Slim took me to see The Sonics and Legendary Stardust was opening. I was already so into that dude, and I was right up front at that little Oakland venue, and he played so hard his pants fell down so he was performing in his tighty whiteys.
49 The Shaggs - 1969 - Philosophy of the World: The ultimate “outsider” album. Frank Zappa described them as “better than the Beatles”. Frank was kind of an asshole, a genius, yes, but even so.. They were three daughters that some hick tried to make into a performing act. They are terrible, yet glorious. I have a slight headache just writing about them.
50 The Stooges - 1969 - I Wanna Be Your Dog: Okay, when you think “proto-punk”, this is the first band that has to come to mind. Iggy, baby. And while there are a dozen songs that could be played, I have to go with the quintessential one. By the way, one of the great compilations is by Iggy citing his influences. I will send it to anyone who wants it.
51 Can - 1971 - Mushroom: Growing up in the 1980s, Can were just sort of a rumor at best. In the 1990s, some of the cooler artists of the time started espousing them (sadly, I believe Courtney Love was one, but respect if I remember correctly). One of the greatest bands of all time. This sounds post-punk. They were a decade ahead of their time. Their first four albums are essential.
52 T. Rex - 1971 - Rip Off: I mean, any T. Rex song would count.. But this isn’t one of his dreamier, a little more straight ahead… a good song for a punk band to cover. Too bad this guy died so young (car accident).
53 The Flamin’ Groovies - 1971 - Teenage Head: Title track of one of the great rock albums.. Same year as Sticky Fingers, and Jagger was a fan. Later did the classic “Shake Some Action”.
54 The Neon Boys - 1972 - That’s All I Know: Pre-Television and Voidoids Tom Verlaine and Richard Hell.
55 New York Dolls - 1973 - Subway Train: I don’t think I have to say anything here. One of the handful of bands you probably think about when you think of proto-punk. The weirdest thing is that David Johansen was briefly more popular as Buster Poindexter in the late 1980s. It is a strange and beautiful world.
56 Blast - 1973 - Damned Flame: Belgium band, and this song is considered one of the purest raw punk songs ever released. You decide. Belgium. We should all have the hall pass to fuck a Belgiun cousin. Thank goodness this set is almost over.
57 Hawkwind - 1973 - Urban Guerrilla: Never been a Motorhead fan, but am human, and so I love Lemmy, who is on bass. “Silver Machine” you’ve heard so many times. So this is what you get. Dig it. Can you dig it? Guessing Scary Larry dug this song.
58 Brian Eno - 1974 - Here Come the Warm Jets: Brian Eno is a musical genius.. And I don’t think I can tell you anything. However, next time you pee in a public restroom, if it doesn’t already, this song WILL come to mind. I think it might have been a “water sports” anthem. I am not looking that up. Let me know.
59 Death - 1975 - The Masks & Worlds of Tomorrow: First black punk band of note. Probably not “proto” but they deserve to be here, because Living Colour is not the representation.
60 The Modern Lovers - 1972 - Roadrunner: Not truly released til 1976, but a nice bookend to the Bo Diddley that started this… goodnight my music friends. Love you.
Thanks for coming to my “proto-punk” show. I’ve always loved the music that stood out among the more staid sounds of the 50’s/60s and early 70s that eventually culminated in punk. Like any art, context is everything. Frankly, proto-punk, post-punk and new-wave are more fascinating, though I will eventually do a true punk show. Tonight’s set was culled from many lists, sources, experiences, but honestly, there was a guy named Offler who created a playlist I found that had hundreds of songs, and I just settled in on his list- he hit all the right marks - and I whittled it, changed a few, etc. Bottom line, as “DJ’s”, it isn’t our music, and frankly, what influences us are other people..other music fans. That is the soul of this endeavor. I hope you enjoy tonight!
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