They Are All My Friends In Garage Punk

After resting for a couple of days and trying to get some other shit under control, you are rewarded
with the wonderful 8-disc internet-only series "They Are All My Friends In Garage Punk", created and posted originally by share-blogger legend Katrakyla.....if you guys just RECENTLY got into the share blogging thing, sorry, you missed the "golden age".....and if THIS sad blog is going to be your "future golden age"......ughhhhh. Anyway, this is a great and wonderful set from a great and wonderful blog/blgger, enjoy as I have NO CLUE as to my next move here, I'll think of something, but this closes out the Katrakyla archive I think.

Well....Disc 1 ("Flips, Flops, and Fly By Nighters") starts off with a (farily lame IMO) interpretation of the Remains great "Don't Look Back" from Bojax, certainly of historical curiosity and little else..we tear through 24 tracks of varying familiarity and quality, I always DID like William Penn & the Quakers version of "California Sun", The Rockin' Ramrods' fab "The Girl Can't Help It", the Invaders shredding of "Let's Dance", and we also get some charms from the Litter ("Legal Matter"), and the Ferraris' "Can't Explain"......good beginning to the set.

Disc 2 ("Sumthin Fer Nuthin") is a collection of 29 fairly obscure treasures, "Light My Fire" by the
Tombstones, "Pain" by the great Phil & the Frantics, and the Psychopaths "Till the Stroke of Dawn". This is stuff more reminiscent of "Back From the Grave" than of "Nuggets", I think, not that there is ANYTHING wrong with THAT!.The Possums, Serfmen, Cavemen, and Missing Lynx, among others contribute quality material.


Disc 3 ("World of Acid") takes the opposite direction, more of a psych-Nuggets turn and that is fine as well....a bizarre sounding "Unknown Artist" takes a shot at "Purple Haze", a song I really never needed to hear again anyway, least of all in this format. But, PLENTY of psych gems here...."Horse" bu Sam Gopal, Catfish Knight's "Death Lies", Toby Jug's "Elastic Ladyland", and even more obscure shit ala Ocelot, Purple Scruf, Villiage S.T.O.P, and Grant's Blue Boys, whose track is moderately good but merit mention here because my son's name is Grant.

Disc 4 ("A Dog Strikes His Father", I don't name em), is loaded, Checkmates International, Talismen,
Diplomats, Shamrocks and more. Oddest track is probably Other Half's "Flight of the Dragon Lady". Pretty much a collection of pretty obscure stuff. Disc 5 ("Mechanical Switch") bring us one from the always great Morning Dew, Rouges Inc, the Back Street Boys (No, not THOSE Back Street Boys), final track "Everything Is Red" by Mechanical Switch for whom the disc was named is a good one.

Katrakyla must have enjoyed Bojax version of "Don't Look Back" a good deal more than I did, as it not only leads off Disc 1 of the series, but Disc 6 ("This Side Up") as well.....don't ask me. Otherwise, no repeaters (I don't think), couple tracks from the Run-A-Rounds, Jaged Edge, Last Knights (I have commented on this before I think but HOW GODDDAMN MANY bands of that era thought it was clever as hell to use the word "Knight" in lieu of "Night"? I bet it's close to 30. You'd think the quality drugs of the era would have brought forth a bit more creativity, unless that is what passed for it at the time.

Disc 7 ("Don't Put Me On") has an interesting take on "The Kids Are Alright" from Legend, more William Penn & the Quakers (underappreciated band IMO), So....But So What, American Teens and Butch, Peggy & Little John (you wanted obscure, no?) And finally, the series switches totally back to the psych realm, "Outta Psychodelic's Cave!", with some of the oddest sounds in the entire set, Judy Frankilin & the Hippies, Tommy T's Federal Rserve, Sam Marina & the Moon, and the James Boys.....

For my money all these discs form an essential set, a unique
internet-only labor of love, that sits alongside "USA Garage Greats", "Fuzzface", and others we haven't gotten to yet such as "The Day After the Sabbath" (Currently up around 85 discs), or "Sir Psych Presents", and "Psych Crackle Pop", both at around 50-60 discs , don't know if I'll ever do them, especially the latter two as overlap, (at least in my memory, I will check) renders them fairly redundant. Anyway, I was thinking about going all Andy Kauffman and alienating my new found, comp-loving minions by doing up, oh, maybe the "Best Budgie Post Ever" (shut up they were BAD ASS), or maybe (heh heh) some Grand Funk Railroad? heh, heh.....I'd
behave myselves if I were thou!

DISC 01-01 BOJAX-Don't Look Back/02 HIGH SPIRITS-Bright Lights Big City/03 THE BROGUES-Someday/04 WILLIAM PENN & THE QUAKERS-California Sun/05 COACHMEN FIVE-I Will Cry Today/06 BARONS-Drawbridge/07 FERRARIS-Can't Explain/08 REDDLEMEN-I Can't Go This Way/09 ROCKIN RAMRODS-The Girl Can't Help It/10 HAYMARKET RIOT-Something Else/11 HARVEY RUSSELL & THE ROGUES-Slipin' and Slidin'/12 BARRACUDAS-Honest I Do/13 INVADERS-Let's Dance/14 MO-SHUNS-What Can I Say/15 THEE MIDNIGHTERS-Looking Out a Window/16 WANTED & CO-My Baby Don't Care/17 EMBLEMS-Lumberjack Jack/18 CORDS-Trink/19 PILGRIMS-Maudy/20 MOTIFS-Telling Lies/21 KINGS COURT-Midnight Hour/22 THE BUGS-Pretty Girl/23 SONS OF ADAM-Baby Show the World/24 THE LITTER-Legal Matter

DISC 02-01 BAND OF WYNDAND-Day-Time Nite-Time/02 BATMAN-Un Mauvais Farceur/03
BOBBY J & THE GENERATIONS-Lost In Time/04 CAVEMEN-All About Love/05CHADWICJS-The Only Way to Do It/06 CHALLENGERS-Moon, Send My Baby To Me/07 CUTAWAYS-I'll Never Fall In Love Again/08 EX-CALS-Like a Dream/09 EYE ZOOMS-She's Gone/10 INSIDE TRAXX-Livin and Lovin This Way/11 INVADERS-St James Infirmary/12 JOHNNY & THE NITE RYDERS-I Had a Girl/13 MARKS V-Pay/14 MINIMUM DAILY REQUIREMENTS-I'm Grounded/15 MISSING LYNX-Behind Locked Doors /16 PHIL & THE FRANTICS-Pain/17 POSSUMS-Steppin Stone/18 PSYCHOPATHS-Till the Stroke of Dawn/19 RAVENS-Sleepless Nights/20 SERFMEN-(I Want You) Back Again/21 SERFMEN-Chills and Fever/22 SPIRITS-Almost There/23 TOMBSTONES-Light My Fire/24 TROLLS-I Don't Recall/25 UNDERTAKERS-Love SO Dear/26 UNTOUCHABLE MEN-It Won't Be Wrong/27 WAPHPHLE-Goin Down/28 WILLIAM PENN & THE QUAKERS-No More Love/29 YOUNG MEN-Go!

DISC 03-01 PRETTY-Mustache In Your Face/02 RAW MEAT-Stand By Girl/03 CEREBRUM-Eagle Death/04 GOLD-Favours From the Sun/05 LIVING END-Sheep/06 UNKNOWN ARTIST-Purple Haze/07 PURPLE CANTEEN-Brains In My Feet/08 GROUNDSPEED-In a Dream/09 GRAFFITTI-He's Got the Knack/10 VILLIAGE S.T.O.P.-Vibration/11 TOBY JUG-Elastic Ladyland/12 SAM GOPAL-Horse/13 SRC-Up All Night/14 GRANT'S BLUE BOYS-If I Were a Carpenter/15 CASTLE FARM-Mascot/16 PURPLE SCURF-Heavy Switch/17 SRC-Day Star/18 CHEESMANS SQUARE-Circles/19 CATFISH KNIGHT-Death Lies/20 SOLID GROUND-Sad Now/21 OCELOT-What Have You DOne TO Your Honey

DISC 4-01 WILD THING-Wierd Hot Nights (Suffer Baby)/02 BARE FACTS-Bad Part of Town/03
ROCKIN RAMRODS-Go Away/04 EMPERORS-I Want My Woman/05 INTERNS-Hard to Get/06 TIGERMEN-Tiger Girl/07 DIMENSION-The Pilot/08 PREACERS-Stay out of My World/09 COACHMEN FIVE-I'm Comin Home/10 OTHERS-Revenge/11 DRY ICE-Uncertain Love/12 CHANGING TYMES -The Only Girl I /13 SOUND ON SOUND-Girl You've Got To Turn Me On/14 LORDS-One of these Days/15 CHILDREN-I Can Feel It/16 CHECKMATES INTERNTIONAL-Thinkin At You/17 TALISMEN-I Know a Girl/18 SHAMROCKS-Skin of My Teeth/19 OTHER HALF-Flight of the Dragon Lady/20 COBRAS-If I Can't Beleive Her/21DIPLOMATS-Route 66/22 REAL LIST-Pick Up the Marbles/23 CORRUPTION INC-She's Gone

DISC 05-01 SPECTRUM-Baby Let Me Take You Home/02 MORNING DEW-Look at Me Now/03 RAINY DAYS-I Can Only Give You Everything/04 FORGOTTEN TYMES-Won't You Be With Me/05 HIDES-When I See the One I Love/06 MICHAEL JOHN AND THE PENDULUMS-You're Wrong Girl/07 SHADES OF DARKNESS-She Ain't Worth all That/08 DIFFERENT PARTS-Why/09 ROMANS-The Drag/10 BIG BEATS-Beware/11 ROGUES INC-People Say/12 BACK STREET BOYS-Money/13 OMENS-Girl Get Away/14 OUTCRY-Can't You Hear (My Heartbeat)/15 SCRUFFY GROUP-Do/16 FAROS-I'm Calling You Back/17 SWINGING MACHINE-Comi On Back Home/18 IDES-Only Your Love/19 ROGUES-She's the One/20 SHADOWS-It Breaks My Heart/21 LIGHT BRIGADE-Baby You Don't Care/2MECHANICAL SWITCH-Everything Is Red

DISC 06-01 BOJAX-Don't Look Back/02 DANNY BUNK &
THE INVADERS-Ain't Going Away/03 CHASERS-I'm Sure/04 CHECKMATES-Hey Girl/05 CORIALS-Tell Me Please/06 ESQUIRES-Settle Down/07 HUMAN BEINZ-My Generation/08 JG GIANTS-Caught You Red Handed/09 JAGGED EDGE-You Can't Keep a Good Man Down/10 JAGGED EDGE-How's She Hurtin Me/11 JOHN &PAUL-I'm Walking/12 RONNIE KING & THE PASSIONS-Girl Break Away/13 LAST KNIGHTS
-Twenty Four Hours a Day/14 MODS-Rittual/15 BOB MORRISON-I Looked in a Mirror/16
NERVOUS SYSTEMS-Bones/17 PRISONERS DREAM-Autumn Days/18 RUN-A-ROUNDS-I Can't Take You Back/19 RUN-A-ROUNDS-I Couldn't Care Less/20 SPECTRES-No Good, No  Where World/21 SUNSHINE REIGNS-Acelia Dulfin/22 THIS SIDE UP-Why Can't I Dream/23 ULTIMATES-Little Girl/24 'YOU KNOW WHO' GROUP-Hey You and the Wind and the Rain

DISC 07-01 1ST CENTURY SOUND-Feelin Down/02
AMERICAN TEENS-Shake Shake Baby/03 AMERICAN TEENS-A Brand New Love/04 BARONS-Don't Come Back No More/05 BUTCH, PEGGY, AND LITTLE JOHN-It Must Be Love/06 CHAPARRAL TRIO-Roxanne/07 CURFEWS-She's Mine/08 DISRAELI-What Will The New Day Bring/09 EXECUTIONERS-Don't Put Me On/10 GARY & KYLE-Stay With Me/11 GNATS-That's All Right/12 LEGEND-The Kids Are Alright/13 MIKE
LYMAN & THE LITTLE PEOPLE-I Need You/14 MIKE LYMAN & THE LITTLE PEOPLE-Message To Pretty/15WILLIAM PENN & THE QUAKERS-Coming Up My Way/16 ROCKATONES-Bad Girl/17 RINGERS-Daydream/18 SHEFFIELDS-Nothing I Can Do (Destination)/19 SO....BUT SO WHAT-I Will Cry/20 SO....BUT SO WHAT-Clear and Bright/21 SQUIREMEN FOUR-What's On Your Mind/22 WHAT FOUR-Whenever/23 WHATS NEW-Get Away/24 RONNY WILLIAMS-Move a Little Closer Baby


DIS 08-01 GARY & THE COUNTS-Just the Way It USed To Be/02 ROBB LONDON & THE ROGUES-Bitter Tears/03 THE CAVEDWELLERS-Sinking Feeling/04 THE BOUNDERS-They Call The WInd Maria/05 JAMES BOYS-Bad Reputation/06 THE CATALINAS-Barbara/07 JUDY FRANKLIN & THE HIPPIES-Let Me Go/08 STEVE LEE-She's Afraid To Answer/09 STATE OF CONFUSION-My Fellow Amricanas/10 THE RED BARON-Gonna Get You In the End/11 SCOT HIGH & THE HIGHLANDERS-SureFine/12 THE JADS-Miss Pretty/13 TOMMY T'S FEDERAL RESERVE-Take the Midnight Train/14 CHANCES R-I'll Have You Crying/15 THE MEMORIES-Mercy Mercy/16 THE LOYAL OPPOSITION-Telling Lies/17 DANY WYANT-Want You/18 THE KYND-Clouds/19 THE EXCEPTIONS-Still On the Run/20 5 OF A KIND-Please Tell Me They Were Wrong/21 THE TRIUMPHS-Better Come And Get Her/22 ANTHONY & THE AQUALADS-
You Feel the Power/23 THE VINE STREET BOYS-Come On Over/24 THE LOVE TONES-Stop This Thinking of You/25 THE AZTECS-Just to Satisfy You/26 PUAL LONDON & THE FLAMING EMBER-Don't Beleive In Anybody/27 SAM MARINA & THE MOON-Tell Her Now/28 ROSS LONDON & THE ROGUES-Standing Under Big Ben/29 GARY & THE EASTMEN-I Love You



Back tomorrow with someting else. If I knew what it was right now I would tell ya, but I guarentee tha I am in no danger of running out of interesting material.......mostly just depends on my moods, and I'd LOVE to hear from  anyone who'd like a certain favorite band profiled, some off the wall comps, ANYTHING. I want to keep this as long as there is interest, but I get the feeling (Am I right? Wrong?) that maybe interest may be waning, likely due to my post-first, links later style (I know a lotta people don't like that, it's the only way I can  really keep it straight), maybe due to the large size of the posts (I thougt it might be unique to post large groups of albums, rather than the typical one-a-day style, LOTS more work (for all of us), is it overwhelming? Let me know of any changes you'd like to see in the blog,I'd like to hear
ANYTHING. I'm also thinking of actually posting a "survey" oon  (I MAY abort that) so I can get to know my audience (location, age, gender, preferences, dislikes) in order to try to keep the blog of the highest value/usefullness to music lovers that I possibly can do......just looking at the future, what are your thoughts, they REALLY DO matter!