In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast

This week, we take on one of the greatest "she done me wrawng" songs of all time - "Bad Little Woman" by The Wheels. We analyze the religious slant of the song written by these Northern Ireland velocity boys - is the singer's woman dating the literal devil?? Wild screams, a sparking organ, a malevolent atmosphere - this must have went over gangbusters at Belfast's Maritime Hotel on a stormy night. The American version of the song was credited to Wheel-a-Ways, and it's a totally different take...

Did The Tymes come up with their 1963 hit "So Much In Love" by repurposing the official song of the United States Army? That's Erik's theory, and we talk about it as well as the tune as doo-wop's "swan song" -its gentle and elegaic quality serves also as a goodbye to a more innocent era. Later in the 60s, Cleveland's The Munx did a bombing raid on the song, which belongs firmly in the "music for squares" camp. Luckily, in 1971, The Persuasions performed a pretty, and very masculine acapp...

At In The Past,  we always take things to the next level - some people are still satisfied with "Name That Tune," but we've invented "Name That Vid!" In this episode, your hosts read the Wikipedia descriptos of notable music videos, and  try to guess which tune it belongs to. If you grew up in the MTV/Much Music Generation, then you better think quick! As always, the boys use the premise to astutely analyze the past as we ponder the future...

We've weathered several recessions and a pandemic, but there's an ever-present threat of ... Green Fuz. It all started back in 1968, when The Green Fuz had everything go wrong at the Crossroads Cafe in Bridgeport, Texas, and there's been several sightings of the escaped mold spores ever since. The original is primo primitive, a legendary tune amongst the garage gang - just ask your local weirdo with a Prince Valiant haircut. But why is there a Max Roach solo in there? We of course discuss the...

The latter phrase comes early on in our discussion about band names - the good, the bad, and the shitty shitty! This is Part 2 of "Shitty Shitty Band Names!" - a popular new series that we're assured has created a lot of discussion around the family dinner table, and caused overturned tables at the local boozer. In this edition we talk about short names, long names, but we're going to save fat ones and skinny ones for a later episode!

If you have a dog, you have to understand your responsibilty - "Walking the Dog" isn't as simple as you might think. Therefore, we start with Rufus Thomasand his instructional record of the same name from 1963. Is it a goofy great? It's definitely great, because a million bands have covered it. The Rolling Stones took the dog out in 1964 and Brian Jones sounds appropriately woofy. The amazing Jackie Shane walked the dog her way when back in Nashville, which also gives us a chance to talk abou...

This week we pick a Canuck classic that's two songs in one - "No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature" by The Guess Who. The lyrics are faux-profound, but Burton Cummings' pipes and scattin' will spike your blood sugar. We scoured the record bins for our second version - a dirtbag bubblegum version by Steel Wool. They bring the song back to perfect popsong length by axing "New Mother Nature", but the guitar stings might be too long. The third in the pack definitely isn't sugar-free - The Shirelles...

It's time to revisit The Kinks Kanon and do "All Day & All of the Night." Have you ever noticed how weird the title is? Probably not, because of the Riff! It's dirty and has that "Louie Louie" fairy dust which produces misty brain fog where you can't remember how many duh duhs are in it. And Ray Davies savors syllables - apeman poet! The song travelled across the puddle and New York's Knickerbockers were one of the first to kover it. Their version adds sax and has a great sproing-y ...

The first in a series celebrating Goofy Greats!: the 1975 K-Tel compilation that turned a generation of kids onto novelty songs, old rock n roll and R & B, and some very questionable tunes, too (we're looking at you, Ray Stevens) ... we go back to our old friends The Royal Guardsmen and their enduring hit, "Snoopy vs. The Red Baron." A lighhearted song about combat during the escalation of the Vietnam War? Sign me up! There's a LOT of Canadian connections with this tune, including the fac...

We're a bit weary of garage rock tropes, so it's time to head to the country. First this week is "The Woods" by The Nickel Bag. This 66er advocates leaving the city, but should you follow this pied piper? I might - the swirling organ has me hyp - mo - tized!! That same year, the "Old Macdonald" nursery rhyme got rewritten by some LA weirdos - The Seeds called it "Mr. Farmer." Lots of seedy sibilance, and when has Sky Saxon ever ssssteered you wrong? Let's cross the pond to celebra...

This one's a doozy - 4 versions of "Be My Baby" and a close relative! The first-born by The Ronettes is so good it's disqualified from the Bo Diddley Awards. We discuss Ronnie's "vibrato in a phone booth," Hal Blaine's boom-crash, the smiley backing vocals and so much more! The second child comes from the same year of 1963, it's by The Georgettes. Girl group workhorse Rickie Page makes you almost forget the absence of the Wall of Sound! A visit from a kissin' cousin comes third, "Don't Worry ...

We're back with a great garage tune that is the inverse? obverse? reverse? of 1965's "Satisfaction" - the tune is "(Don't Give Me No) Friction" by The Green Beans, released the same year as the Rolling Stones gem. The lyrics were written by a couple of middle-aged people, so it appears to be masquerading as hip, but of course our analysis finds deeeeeper meanings. It has a great chorus, a cavernous scream midway thru, and lotsa FUZZ! Australia's Misslng Links discovered the song like a g...

It's early February, and time for love & conversation ... so this week's song is the 1965 classic "She's About A Mover" by the Sir Douglas Quintet (2:57). A simple groove, great manly singing from SIr Doug himself, and a cavernous, carnivalesque organ sound will keep this in the canon for years to come. The song migrated to Germany later in the year and The Boots gave it a good home (42:29). The organ is comparatively chintzy & warbly, but this is a remarkable raucous racket with...

In this episode, we throw the book at The Equals and their 1967 non-hit, "Police on my Back." Written by the indestructible Eddy Grant, the debate centers around the song's rude boy narrative (Stratton 2013) and the question of the narrator's guilt or innocence. The next in the line up is The Stacattos (from South Africa). These guys mess the song up in interesting ways, but is it a social statement? Was the original? Well, on "Sandinista," The Clash made the song famous and it's taken o...

We recorded this a few days before the very sad passing of Mary Weiss on Friday, January 19, 2024. We hope that this episode honours her memory, and the other departed Shangri-La's, Marge & Mary Ann Ganser.  Love forever <3.Versions by The Shangri-Las, The Compacts, Die Crazy Girls, The Detergents, Twisted Sister.

Single File is back and we're talking about a real rager: Shelby, Ohio's Shepherd's Heard and their only record "I Know" b/w "But That's Life." The first sounds like a demented version of The Rascals' "Good Lovin'." The drums and vocals are CRAZY and they're both performed by the same guy, Kim Shepherd, who rightfully named the band after himself since he does most of the work! Kim takes a breather on the flip, "But That's Life", an organ-driven sorta ballad. Man, Jonathan Richman should cove...

Our podcast's New Year's Resolution? To be quicker! Hence, we present you with "We're Pretty Quick," a wild 1967 side  by New Mexico's finest, The Chob (4:32). There are covers by The Fuzztones and The Cannibals that fly by, too. But then we introduce The Lucky Seven Lightning Round Countdown, SEVEN other versions that we have progressively less time to listen to (for the first time) and react to! Take that challenge, Tik Tokers!!!

We end 2023 and start 2024 with some final thoughts and we pick our favourite songs out of all the Bo Diddley Awards nominees. Is the discussion insightful? Maybe. Incisive? Probably not. Insane? Always!!

The categories are:Bo Diddliest Girl Group Song: Dedicated to the One I Love - ShirellesHe’s Gone - Chantels Then He Kissed Me - Crystals Uncle Willie - Juliettes Mr. Scrooge - Orchids Bo Diddliest Video:Liar Liar - The CastawaysNow and Then - The BeatlesMust Be Santa - Bob DylanYou Really Got Me - Van HalenJack The Ripper - Screaming Lord SutchBo Diddliest Song From A Theme Episode:Open Up Your Door - Richard &amp; The Young Lions (Table Toppers)Oh Mom, Teach Me How to Uncle Willie - Dayligh...

We kept the tape rolling after the recent episode we did with John & Bobby from The Gruesomes and we said more stuff about John's favourite song ever - "Say It" by the Five Royales. Along the way, we solve the problems of modern music.

We know Pastronauts love it when John &amp; Bobby of The Gruesomes visit our podcast, but this one's extra exciting because it's two episodes in one! John has picked two of his favourite songs by the unsung Five Royales ("Think" and "Dedicated to the One I Love"), and then the four of us talk about 2 cover versions. This means versions by James Brown (who did "Think" twice!), The Shirelles, and The Mamas and Papas. Top notch analysis from two esteemed scholars of Garage Studies, p...

We enjoyed the eggnog so much last week that we decided to gift Pastronauts two more Holiday songs, and the talk that goes with it. 'Tis the season!!!

Forget about all those uncool Xmas tunes you hear in the malls - we've got the good stuff for this Holiday season! The first present for you is "Mr. Scrooge" by England's GREATEST 60S girl group, The Orchids (2:16). If Georgina Oliver isn't in your 60s British Music Icons Advent Calendar - then one listen to this, and she will be! Great backing from Pamela Jarman &amp; Valerie Jones. John Lennon gets coal in his stocking for puttin' 'em down on TV in '63. The next carol is by the legendary So...

Erik & Weldon discuss band names they hate. Will YOUR favourite band be included? - Listen and find out!!!

Let's not Beat(les) around the bush here - the Garage Studies world has been waiting for Weldon &amp; Erik to weigh in on the new Fab 4 tune, "Now and Then." We play it, talk about it, and also throw in some other AI versions of said tune. Along the way, there's questions from Erik and answers by Weldon, textbook slams, and a whole lot of goofiness and crucial digressions. What do the lads think? Is the song good, great, gear, or ghastly? More importantly, is it better than "Mr. Moonlig...

Theme episode time! This one's a simian sensation, so we start off with Chuck Berry's 1957 baboon tune, "Too Much Monkey Business" (2:32:31). Is it anti-monkey, or anti-business? It may not really be about monkeys. but it's rock n roll poetry! The next in the evolutionary order is "Mickey's Monkey", sung by Smokey of Motown's The Miracles (59:37). A dance craze song, this one has a great hook, boozy organ, bongos, and the tasteful licks of one of our fave axemen, Marv Tarplin. Movin' thru the...

Wouldn't you love it if we published every day? Well, we can't do that, but here's Buddy Holly's magical 1957 b-side "Everyday" as compensation (3:35). A concerto for hambone, celesta, and hiccupping hillbilly vocals! A gentle, innocent, and hopeful rock'n'roll hay ride ... it's special! In 1964, surf duo The Rogues had a date with the song in the studio and it's a real rollycoaster ride! (1:09:54). Is this first bubblegum song ever? It has yakety sax and a "Louie Louie" reference, which mean...

Live! From Room 711 of the Georgian Court Hotel in Vancouver, BC - it's Erik &amp; Weldon broadcasting in the same spot for the first time in In The Past history!! We say hello to Ike &amp; Tina Turner's 1965 tune, "Goodbye, So Long" and then gab about it behind its back. Up second is a Raiders-y version by one of the many bands named The Uniques. It's a real cut up kinda cut! Third is a reprise by Ike &amp; Tina from 1970 - does this version show development and maturity? Yes, by ...

This week the boys talk about the girls - it's doo wop time and we start with the fabulous Chantels and their 1957 debut, "He's Gone" (1:32). Picture perfect in every way, from Arlene Smith's powerful voice and glittering, subtle songwriting to the beautiful backing from Lois, Sonia, Jackie, and Renee. A real Teenage Symphony to God! In 1964, podcast favourite The Royalettes adopted the song and here's where the strings come in (Teddy Randazzo's, that is ...) (1:00:45). Sheila Ross skip...

It's Episode 152 and we're finally gettin' to "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks (1:06). Knife, amp, and THEE garage rock riff! But is it FUZZ? Is the song's repetitiveness a representation of obsessive thoughts of lust? Is it choral music? Yep Yep Yep! In 1966, The 13th Floor Elevators got the song and made it long (1:01:24). There's solos, acoustic jug, and the bassist adds another Kinks riff to the mix ... Remember Van Halen? In 1978, they were just beginning their climb to the h...

Some people flip houses, but we at In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast flip singles. Yes, it's a return to the tried-and-true Single File format, and this week the subject is The Huns from Arlington Heights, Illinois, and their rampaging 1966 everblack, "Destination Lonely / Winning Ticket." The first side is a furious, fuzz-laden foray powered by the energy of Mom's snickerdoodles. The reverse is less terse and has a lot of verses: a jangly folk-rock number that's eight miles high! Th...

We celebrate Episode #150 with 1 artist, 5 great songs, and 0 misses! The spotlight is on Bo Diddley, and 5 of our favourite tunes by him. The beat starts with 1955's "Bo Diddley" (2:41). The second selection introduces you to Bo's legendary maracas rattler, Jerome Green, with "Bring it to Jerome" (1:02:06). A Bo ballad is up next with "Mona" and he sure moans for her (1:24:50)! We start "Crackin' Up" with Bo at (1:47:17) and you might worry that there is "No More Lovin" after song five...

No one's gonna protest about this week's songs! Three of the greatest garage tunes PERIOD - with some astute social commentary as well?! The first missile we hurl is "Social End Product" by New Zealand refuseniks The Bluestars (1:59) A proto-punk anthem with a pounding rhythm, dive-bombing bass, extra-enunciated vocals, and a FUZZ riff for the ages. The second dissentful ditty comes from Bermuda boys The Savages, who riotously remind us "The World Ain't Round, It's Square" (51:46)...

This week we talk about "Let's Talk About Girls"! The original was done by Tucson's The Grodes (aka The Tongues of Truth) (1:10). This gem features slinky guitar &amp; organ, deft drumming, and a psychedelic pulse of a bassline. Not to mention Jagger-esque vocals and a fun, fantastic chorus! The most famous version (due to Nuggets) is by patron Saints of the podcast, The Chocolate Watchband (1:04:46). Huh! Singer Don Bennett takes the tune out of teen-town and makes an ADULT...

Ch-Chk! This week we step out of the garage to discuss many people's favourite song, "Save It For Later" by The (English) Beat (1:27). A ringing guitar sound, soaring strings, and cheeky lyrics with some clever Catcher in the wry-ness. Dave Wakeling's timeless tune has a meaningful feel &amp; an appealingly feelingful meaning! A lil later, his elder Pete Townshend showed his reverence for the song, making a quiet, beautiful, and vulnerable epic out of it (1:08:25). In 1999, Harvey Danger part...

Enough of the big names - Beatles and Dylan have dominated the podcast for too long! This week we're talkin' bout the Moody Blues and their 1965 album track "And My Baby's Gone" (1:10). A little known slice of (squeaky) blue eyed soul an' R&amp;B - it even has a faint "Bayou via Birmingham" feel because of the Allen Toussaint-esque piano rhythm. And it's the first song we've ever done with a guitar "swole-o" - listen and find out! ... In '66 or '67 (no one really knows), the awesomely-named B...

Have you ever wondered what Erik & Weldon do when they sign off? They keep drinking and talking about music!! That's what we did right after we recorded our latest episode, on Bob Dylan's "Girl From The North Country." We had a folk cover left over, by a mysterious troubador named Hamilton Camp, and we decided to press "play" on the proceedings.  We discovered something very exciting about the man, especially if you grew up watching syndicated TV in the 80s - listen and learn!!

This week we're staying in the world of the Big B's of the 60s - but now it's Bob Dylan and his achingly beautiful 1963 ballad "Girl from the North Country" (3:07). Erik thinks it's a meditation on being forgotten, written at a time before Bob was famous. We get deep into the song, including the lyrics, the "place" of the song, and the moaning mouth organ! Then, in 1965, Link Wray did the song! (1:18:59). This one rawks. 'Nuff said. The third version is by Kansas kids The Blue Thi...

If Bug Music gives you the horrors, stay away from this one! An early slice of Beatlemania, "She Loves You", is on the docket this week (2:11). We discuss why people don't really rate The Beatles of this period: is it the "yeah yeah yeah"'s? Is it because it's a single and not really an "album track"? After you hear this, you're going to go full mop-top! Version two is by Patron Saint of the Podcast, Mary Wells (1:09:12). Sadly not arranged by Sonny Sanders, but we like the wood block in this...

We're re-doing an episode from the very early days of the podcast, when we didn't have our snappy patter & schtick down like we do now - the folk-punk classic "My Flash on You"! All versions are from 1966 : the original by Love is at 1:25, and we focus on FUZZ and Fashion (the drummer Snoopy's short-sleeved shirts). Thee Sixpence (soon to become The Strawberry Alarm Clock) play it FASTER at 55:58. And The Menerals from Texas add even more FLASH at 1:20:00!

This episode is bigger than bubblegum! We chew on Tommy Roe's 1966 hit, "Sweet Pea" and we find it both delicious and diatonic (2:19). It has that wicked drum break, but the jangly guitar and bright organ also make the song POP! The second stick comes from Mexico's great girl garagers, Las Chic's (40:16). This is one of them refritos which we talked about long ago ... they make a cute song even cuter, and Weldon thinks they sound a bit like Shonen Knife or Trixie's Big Red Motorbike. Manfred ...

We're back in the Garage Studies classroom to discuss the poetic masterpiece, "Just Like Me"! The first version by The Wilde Knights (1:25) gets us talking about iambic dimeter, and the poetry of John Skelton &amp; Robert Frost. As one does. More importantly, the song has a mmmarvelous, Mike Mitchell-esque guitar solo. In late 1965, Paul Revere &amp; The Raiders made the song a hit (44:28). They slow the song down, cut the bridge, and replace the strange, clipped enunciation of the orig...

Pastronauts Rejoice! We're finally taking you to the Land of 1000 Dances! The first dance goes to Chris Kenner, the author and soulful belter of the original one-chord wonder (1:30). CK mixes the sacred and secular, and Allen Toussaint and the band give the song a swampy New Orleans groove. Next, we cut a rug with Cannibal &amp; The Headhunters (30:05). Were these guys an actual band, or a vocal group?! These guys add the famous "na na na"'s - which gets us talkin' about the doo-wop influence...

In this theme episode, we feature a trio of tunes with the proven percussive potency that makes you want to bash the nearest table like a raving Ringo … in fact, many of you tabletop thumpers have probably clattered the cutlery to at least one of these. First up is “Have I The Right” by The Honeycombs (4:57). The band is famous for having the hive-hairdo’d Honey Lantree as their drummer, but the whole band provides the backbeat on the chorus of this one. Wild, warbly guitar lines and Dennis D...

This week's episode traces the evolution of one of the most beloved songs of the 60s: "Good Lovin'"! (A tune that should have an exclamation mark in the title). Lemme B. Good was the first to pitch woo in spring of 1965 (0:48). Exuberant vocals, crashing piano chords, horny horns &amp; galloping drums will make your heart pitter patter. Rudy Clark wrote the original version's lyrics, but he decided he needed a Cyrano to help him express his true feelings, so he turned to Art...

Our fifth edition of the ever-popular Better Than The Beatles series focuses on the first, and greatest, manufactured pop group: The Monkees. Literally cast into the limelight of pop superstardom, The Monkees, at their peak, outsold the Beatles while simultaneously filming weekly episodes of their zany and ultra-hip eponymous hit TV series.You’ll go bananas for our first foray: Last Train To Clarksville (2:19). This infectious oldies radio anthem leaves the station at Paperback Writer and jum...

In this episode, we go for a wild ride with a golden oldie that still smells factory fresh, "Brand New Cadillac" by Vince Taylor &amp; His Playboys (1:53). Hear how this 1959 bopper is a "crossroads", deal-with-the-devil ditty, as signalled by the otherwordly opening string strumming. In 1964, The Renegades took the song to Finland, renaming it "Cadillac" and passing it off as an original - a clearcut case of grand theft auto (1:01:04) !! This model goes from 0 to 95 in seconds, f...

In this episode, we go down a Rabbitt hole and discuss one of the early songwriting efforts of the man who ruled the musical world of 1980 - Eddie Rabbitt! In 1966, his tune "Ball and Chain" (co-penned by Tricia Carr, who we also talk about) was released as a single by Scottish freakbeat merchants The Anteeeks (1:30). Yes, the spelling is correct, as is the band's use of fuzz. The song has a great riff and a great bridge, but is it enough to win this week's Bo Diddley Award? The Scottish dias...

While some might see Lulu as an exemplar of cherubic innocence, one listen to "Try To Understand," written by the boss songwriting duo of Lori Burton &amp; Pam Sawyer (see Episode 70) will clear up that misconception (1:27). This song is from the POV of a player, a female Casanova who's trying to keep her main man and her side piece (but which is which?) ... a big production, a "Bacharach stack" of grand pianos and Lulu's booming vocals make this a beautifully bombastic track! Little Ha...

This week we discuss the song that Francis Rossi wrote on the toilet while trying to escape family life - the pop-psychedelic masterpiece "Pictures of Matchstick Men" by Status Quo (1:53). With that in mind, it's possible that the tune is a fever dream fantasy of familicide, with the wah-wah parts imitating his newborn baby crying ... who knew that there could be such a push-and-pull between the domestic and the psychedelic? (- The Beatles, probably) ... The second snapshot is by&nb...

"Then He Kissed Me" by The Crystals is a somewhat underrated pop product of the early 1960s, so it's time to shine the spotlight on this brick in the Wall of Sound, featuring the powerful vocals of La La Brooks, the production of Phil Spector, the arrangement of Jack Nitzsche, and the Brill Building words of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich (1:07). What a cast!! We then take a detour to see how the song's opening guitar riff inspired Lou Reed and John Cale's pre-Velvets band, The Primitives, on...

In the latest episode, Erik &amp; Weldon answer the question: "what's purple and goes buzz buzz buzz?" The answer is the Electric Prunes, who psyched out the world in 1966 with "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night) (1:44). Unlike most people who tell you about their dreams, the Prunes keep you listening with some seriously spacy sounds. We analyze all the parts of this moody masterpiece, and Erik recounts a close encounter with some Taiwanese hornets. In '67, Rasputin &amp; the Mad Monk...

This week, we tell tall tales about one of the all-time greats - 1965's "Liar Liar" by The Castaways (1:30). A song with rolling organ that opens up with a snare crack, released in the same month as "Like A Rolling Stone"... but this one's way better because of the weird falsetto , the deadpan verses, surf drums, a wild scream and the newly-rediscovered SENSATION NOTE! How do they fit in so much greatness under two minutes? In 1966, SoCal's Mustangs sped through the song in even l...

You can think of this as a belated Valentine's Day episode - featuring the brainless, bashing Bo Diddley-beat balladry of "Makin' Love", originally done by The Sloths in 1965 (1:18). If Animal from The Muppets was a one-man band, this would be his signature song. While other LA bands were folkin' it up on the Sunset Strip, the Sloths were fearlessly flying the flag for freaky, frazzled, garage R&amp;B. Listen in to find out what the "Sensation Note" is! The next year, some other SoCal sc...

This time it’s personal ...Sergeant Erik and Chief Inspectors Bobby Beaton and John Davis, of the Gruesomes, embark on an investigation of one of the most notorious garage rock cold cases of all time: the mystery of Jack The Ripper! We seek the truth regarding:Who released the song first?Who covered whose version?Why are there SO MANY versions of this ill-advised, tasteless song?!Clarence Stacy &amp; Group commit the first crime, with their largely unreported original version (7:12).You’...

We should have a long talk ... about the shoulda-been-a-hit "Say Those Magic Words", written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. The McCoys open the oration with a very twangy sound - there's more guitar hooks here than the Fishin' Musician! It's bubble-gummy, but also a little bit psych, what with the delay effect at the end of the chorus. The Birds (the ones from England with Ron Wood) present their rebuttal at (45:15). A cool guitar tone that sounds like a Hammond Organ and a very vampy vocal pe...

Super Gorilla! We suspect we are the first podcasters to discuss "The Rat's Revenge, Pts. 1 &amp; 2" by The Rats (aka The Decades), anyone wanna challenge us? "Part One" and its unforgettably STOOPID riff comes first (3:05). As the "Back From The Grave" liner notes note, the song cycle is an homage to the real hero of the AIP "Beach Party" movies, Eric Von Zipper and his Rats Motorcycle Club - but it's so much more than that! To truly understand the weirdness of the 1960s, you must list...

This week we listen to 4 GARAGE versions of what some boomers say is the greatest song of all time: Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone." We think the very first cover of the tune was done by the Soup Greens, presented to the world only one month after BD released the original. (1:47) They don't bore us, they get to the chorus! In their soupy hands, the song becomes a frat rock rager - with a burbling organ, boom-crash drums, and a great clattering ending. Mike Mitchell &gt; Mike Bloomfield by ...

In 1959, R&amp;B Renaissance men Don &amp; Dewey released the first version of the soon-to-be-classic, "Farmer John" (1:01). These guys were multi-instrumentalists and multi-talented - this one's sure to be a hit at your upcoming barnyard blitz. Two years later, Carl &amp; the Commanders brought out the next in the crop, an even faster take with wild drums, some tickling of the ol' ivory, and it ends with some slapback handclaps (42:42). in 1964, The Premiers pr...

This week we bequeath to you an episode on the rockin' 66er, "Readin' Your Will" by The Human Expression (2:25). The original acetate is a raw 'n' snotty intervention, with singer Jim Quarles condemning his friend for his dissolute rock 'n' roll lifestyle while backed with cool gallopin' drums and an overall "Steppin' Stone" vibe. The etymology of "blow your mind" is discussed here. The next deed is done by The Hypnotic Eye, way back in 2012 (50:49). Their version is a punky boy/g...

In late 1963/early 1964, a new dance craze blew through the Windy City: the Uncle Willie! In this episode, the first of 2023, we listen to 6 songs that range from R&B, girl group, and garage - all of them will have you putting your hands on your hips and letting your feet slip ... it's as easy as it can be!

Say Toodle-oo to 2022 with In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast! We have 4 categories for this year's Bo Diddley Awards:1. Bo Diddliest Tambourine Tune (new!)2. Bo Diddliest Video3. Bo Diddliest Song From a Theme Episode4. Most Beautiful Song (new!)All that, and resolutions - get away from the family for a few hours!!

This show finds us investigating the iconic 60s sound of jangle - we start with the most famous treble-makers of the decade, The Byrds and their beautiful 1965 B-side, "She Don't Care About Time" (1:16). Erik diagrams the science of jangle and we do a deep dive on Gene Clark's inscrutable, ineffable lyrics. And those harmonies!! Next, go deeper into the jangle jungle with 1966's "You Wouldn't Listen" by The Ides of March (1:07:58). These Chicago cacophonists add some R&amp;B flavour, do...

The new episode aims to sate Pastronauts with 4 versions of the garage gem, “Hungry.” The main course is the 1966 original from Paul Revere &amp; the Raiders. This one has FUZZ, pulsing organ, and some terrific cha cha tambo along with a lusty vocal performance from the great Mark Lindsay. That same year, Canadian/British combo The 5AM Event altered the ingredients somewhat for more Freakbeat-influenced fodder. Since Lindsay’s “Hungry” was so horny, these guys take that literally and ad...

In the new episode, we take some giant steps and discuss 4 songs from the 60s about our Earth's best friend, the oblate spheroid you can't avoid - The Moon! We launch with 1961's "Blue Moon", by The Marcels (1:51). This one has been a golden oldie from the start, but you have to listen with fresh ears: Freddy "Fricative" Johnson's low basso profundo will paradoxically send you to the celestial sphere the song sings of, while it sends Weldon into the Linguistics lab. The second moonshot ...

What happens if you bring a tambourine to a gang fight? That question is answered by Don Covay's "Sookie Sookie", released in 1966 (1:02). A song with a great groove but chorus amnesia - and the most intimidating tambo work we've ever heard. Listen to us talk about the history of the banana peel in comedy as well. The second "Sookie" is from '67, by The Primitives (49:27). These guys add some freakbeat touches, the "Taxman" bassline, and true to their name, some apropo Paleolithic grunt...

In our latest, we celebrate some German garage gibberish: "Balla Balla", originally done by The Rainbows in 1965 (1:44). Grab a lager and listen to some Schlager! Die zweite Version is by the American twist King Chubby Checker, aided by De Maskers from The Netherlands (37:18). Chubby retitles the song "Baby Baby Balla Balla" and adds more lyrics so it .... uh ... makes sense. The band cooks and Chubby growls ... it'll put your heart at ease! More Dutch delight comes in the guise of Pee ...

Duh duh duh -- Grab your partner, it’s Louie Louie time – again!! One cover and three “soundalikes” of Richard Berry’s bartalk-ian classic. First in the parade is I. Kadez’s Nashville version of “Louie Louie” from the portentous month of November, 1963 (2:51). We think this might be the first cover that uses the Kingsmen version as a template. Listen in to find out the mystery vocalist behind the pseudonym. Second up is the first duplicate, “12 Months Later,” by another mystery band, The Shee...

Visiting professors Bobby Beaton and John Davis of The Gruesomes are back to lecture young garageniks about the legacy, impact, and mechanics of what is, in Dr. Beaton's words, "the paramount garage experience"!! That is, of course, the song "City of People", originally heard in 1966 by The Illusions (2:15). A song all the Gruesomes hold in both scorn and esteem, which they laugh at and love in equal measure - listen to what they have to say about it! There's also a version by The Creeps from...

This Halloween we continue to howl at the moon with 5 more songs about those scary wolfmen (and wolfwomen)! We start the horrific cavalcade with "Rockin' Werewolf" by Robbie the Werewolf from 1964 (2:38). Just try and get the chorus of this fun strummin' folk number out of your head, but keep the crucifixes away while Robbie is rockin' ... wait, is that only for vampires? Our second song is a Shatnerian soliloquy on lycanthropic transformation: "Wolfman" by The Muleskinners (38:29). Listen in...

This week's show is a pre-Halloween extravaganza that takes you to the Twilight Zone and points beyond (i.e., Idaho)! The Serlingesque shenanigans start with "Out of Limits" by The Marketts (1:57). The famous 4-note riff is present, along with triangle, organ, castanets, and French horn! The Marketts manage to throw the sound of Western and spy movies into the mix, too - whooo! The sinister second is a truly weird number: weird because it's either by Barry Ray OR Rich Cutcher and the Wildwood...

What do you give the podcast listener who has everything? Answer: an episode on Them's 1966 garage hymn "I Can Only Give You Everything", which has everythang: a gravedigger riff with fuzz, overdriven organ, pounding drums, a snarling vocal performance, some wild modulation and a messed up chord change (1:51)! Ain't that enough? Of course not! A couple of months later, the co-songwriter and producer of Them's initial onslaught, Scotland's Tommy Scott waxed his own interpretation (56:53)...

In the latest episode we make sense out of nonsense, meaning we crack open three 'goofy greats' and feast on the goo inside! Back in 1956, The Chips released "Rubber Biscuit," a rockin' doo wop number with insane vocables that we find hides a serious message (1:39). Two years later, David Seville went to visit the "Witch Doctor" (58:54). We don't know if he won his crushes heart, but the squeaky-voiced Doc did give Seville one of the greatest choruses ever. Finally, in 1972 the Italian legend...

Watch it now, watch it! We're talking about quatro versions of "Wooly Bully" this week, but we have to go back to 1962 to listen to the origins of the insanity, namely the tune "Hully Gully, Now" by Big Bo &amp; the Arrows (1:11). The bass is incredible. The organ is incredible. The vocals (by Little Smitty)... will leave you incredulous! Words can't capture the wildness of this wooly antecedent, but the dirty job falls to us and we get our hands and ears dirty. In 1965, Sam The S...

Randy Newman's 1970 rocker "Have You Seen My Baby" is the subject of this week's episode: the original is in a rollicking Fats Domino barrelhouse-style with RN's love-it-or-leave-it voice (0:48). The lyrics are about a deluded romantic, and the arrangement is melancholically delightful. She ain't his baby! The following year, the Roy Loney-era Flamin' Groovies waxed the track to stunning effect (56:48). Their transparently rockin' version leads us into a considered discussion...

4 of Weldon's fave girl group songs on this one! We start off with "Party Lights", a smash hit for Claudine Clark in 1962 (1:15). She wrote and sang this clever little ditty, but the word is she also played piano as well. CC begs, pleads, uses her best Lowtower and even throws a tantrum but her mama ain't letting her go to join the kids across the street. That same year, some soon-to-be-legends were also looking to get the party started: The Supremes made a minor splash on the cha...

In the new episode, we make some pretty music while watching the world go by - listening to 4 versions of a classic from Nuggets helps! The original "Night Time" was done by The Strangeloves in 1965 (1:11). It's a table-topper and guitar chopper, with a cool barrelhouse piano riff, bashing drums, clever lyrics and a cool , sort of meta spoken-word section. In 1966, Swedish snotsters The Sooner or Later waxed their wild rendition (52:18). The main riff gets played by the drums...

In 1962, The Isley Brothers released "Nobody But Me," a big production of upbeat braggdoccio with wild vocals, raunchy saxes, piano, and some "no, no, no"s in the middle section (1:08). The song didn't really catch on, but two years later a Mersey versh appeared courtesy of beat merchants The Mojos (34:02). Their dual vocals somewhat detract from the original's mouthy message (how can two guys be the best at the Mashed Potato? - there can be no ties in garage rock!), but our Liverpool la...

Mourn (or celebrate) the end of summer with these four odes to the (hot) dog days, all from 1967! Our first number is "C'mon Summer's Happening" by The Hot Dog Stand (1:52). This mysterious mob of studio musos create an unbelievably peppy little piece of commercial cotton candy, with an odd mix of funky guitar and Wonderbread vocals. Sink your teeth into something more substantial with "Long Cool Summer" by The LPTs (38:36). Another group of studio specialists, masterminded by Lou Beatt...

We keep counting down and chewing up James Miller's list of the Top 50 Canadian songs ever - in this episode we go from numbers 24 to the much-anticipated Number One song! Listen to your intrepid hosts risk their Canadian citizenship to knock some mythical Maple Leaf musos off their high horses (or mooses?)! Corey Hart impressions! 2002 women singer-songwriter anthems!! A Neil Young song sung by a (different) CAVEMAN?!?!? All this, plus we play some Canadian garage and soul classi...

Episode 101 features our heroes discussing James Miller's list of the top 50 Canadian songs of all time. If you're a Canuck, listen to us revise our nation's musical history! If you're not from the Great  White North, then you'll hear about a host of hosers who had hits you've never hitherto heard !! What songs should move up the list, or down? Which songs should be on that weren't? And which tunes should be off? (Part 1 goes from 50-25).

After almost two years at the crease, we at In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast are proud to celebrate reaching our first century: 100 episodes. And we've never missed a week since we started! To mark this achievement, we've selected four songs to discuss our own dogged determination: two of them are 80s anthems, and two are garage rockers from the snarling 60s. The usual crucial digressions and textbook musical theory are in play. Get a delicious beverage and come celebrate 💯 with u...

We return to The Hollies' 1965 tearjerker, "So Lonely" because there are so many good versions we couldn't fit in our June 19 episode! The first in part 2 is The Henchmen, who created a garage derangement of the song in 1966, with organ and cool-dude-attitude vocals (2:07) That same year, The Ashes produced a haunting folk-rock take (34:49). Sparse, subdued and Cowboy Junkies-esque, with lonesome harmonica, shaky tambourine and forlorn female vocals. The Fugue we...

A small but determined pressure group has been ... well ... pressuring us to finally talk about some obscure orchestral pop psychedelia. Worried for our lives, we capitulate and chat about J.A. Freedman's 1969 slice of Piccadilly Sunshine, "Dance with the Man in the Teapot" (2:15). No three-chord garage rocker this! An account of a crazy costume party which throws in everything but the kitchen sink - piano/organ, trombones, oboe, bass, and Beach Boys "ba ba ba"'s! Should we have w...

In this episode, we chew on a sweet piece of 1966 bubblegum, "Stop! Get a Ticket" by The Clefs of Lavender Hill(1:11). People say it's Beatle-esque, but we think it's better described as Hollies-esque, The handclaps (and drumbeats) will be what you remember the most, but don't sleep on the "race for your love" lyrics or you're gonna lose your baby! In 1967, Cleveland's Statesmen paid the fare and released their version of the song (36:02). It's slower and less peppy, BUT they add organ and FU...

In 1940, bluesman Bukka White recorded "Parchman Farm Blues," a lament about being imprisoned in the infamous Mississippi State Penitentiary (2:30). Insightful lyrics, impassioned vocals, great slide guitar, and some nice accompaniment from Washboard Sam to boot! Even though he denied it, jazzman Mose Allison adapted White's song in 1958, titling it "Parchman Farm" and giving the song a controversial punchline (43:43). His version was an unlikely dance hit amongst the British Mods, with an in...

In this episode, we prescribe Buffy Sainte-Marie's 1964 beautiful folk-drone masterpiece "Cod'ine"(1:08). It's a harrowing tale of opiate addiction, and Buffy delivers a hair-raising, frightening vocal performance that'll scare you straight. Dare we say "it's as relevant today ..."? We also discuss her immense legacy, especially her incredible appearances on Sesame Street in the 70s. The first garage verzh we present is by Matthew Moore Plus Four, who retitle the song "Codyne (She's Rea...

Listen in this week to a textbook discussion of the process of garagification: the transmogrification of Fred Neil's "That's The Bag I'm In" from a corny folk ditty to a titanic garage tune. Casey Anderson gets us started with the first released version of the song , way back in 1962 (5:18). A very Greenwich Village rendition, from the era represented by "Inside Llewyn Davis." In 1965, the mysteriously and awfully-named Dalek/Engam: The Blackstones rearranged the song and ma...

Prepare to cry, because this week's episode centers on the sad &amp; spangly song "So Lonely", originally done by The Hollies in 1965 (1:21). A perfect pop tune! The riff is beautiful &amp; bright, sad &amp; sharp, but it's underpinned by heavenly harmonies and some surprisingly groovy drum fills by Bobby Elliott. The Everly Brothers essayed the number in 1966, and those Kentucky kids sing for their supper (and our tears) ... the vocals are so incandescent that you'll git a funny feelin...

In this episode, we study one of the greatest rock songs of all time, "Wild Thing." The original versh is by the aptly-named Wild Ones, some New York neanderthals who recorded Chip Taylor's made-to-order tune in 1965 (1:57). Next up is The Troggs' 1966 cave-painting (44:00). True to form, we reinterpret the song by finding the sweet side of this savage number. The ocarina solo also has us pondering the pastoral aspects of the song. Textbook stuff! After the USA and the UK, let's go to G...

Well looky here - we have The Kinks up first this week with "Who'll Be the Next In Line" - a minor hit for them in 1965 (2:02). In this under-rated rock rhumba, Ray Davies and the band inhabit the mind of a bitter pub drinker: a lurching, sorta Latin groove and vocal performance make this one of the earliest examples of musical theatre in RD's songwriting catalog. Next in line are The Knack - no, not those guys, these are some 60s freakbeaters who mod-ify the song by speeding it up and ...

In a week when Jif was being recalled in Canada, we won't be recalling this episode! Three dumb songs about our favourite legume: the peanut. Little Joe and the Thrillers start spreading the madness with "Peanuts," the nuttiest hit song of 1957 (5:22). We're crrrazy about it. There's a "twist" in our discussion of Little Joe, so listen close. Next, following up from last week's look at The One Way Street's wild hit "We All Love Peanut Butter" is the much, much more wholesome ode to...

In this episode, we speck-ulate on the meaning of that inscrutable garage rock classic, “Little Black Egg": the song with the famous RIFF and the enigmatic lyrics ... The first in our carton is the 1965 original by The Nightcrawlers (1:44). The REAL MEANING IS FINALLY REVEALED! And it's a SHOCKER!! Goldurn! The second peep comes from The Next Five, whose 1967 version is peppy and organ-tastic, but at what cost (57:23)? Oh, bother! The third egg in our omelette features those rockin’ sem...

In this episode, we present possibly the most sophisticated song we've ever discussed, the Burt Bacharach/Hal David weeper, "Walk on By." And in case you think we've left the garage for the piano lounge, don't you worry, the 60s kids have you covered. The first step, though, is taken by the inimitable Dionne Warwick and the 1964 original (2:25). A restrained, elegant vocal performance from a woman who hasn't set foot in a car-hole in over 50 years, and even strings ...

Our Mother's Day special episode features 4 versions of a song only a mother could hate - Bo Diddley's 1964 putdown, "Mama, Keep Your Big Mouth Shut." The original has a great riff, a funky strut, vibrato on the vocals (Bo is a way underrated singer), and overall, the tremendous tremulous sound you know from Bo (1:33). The next year, The Pretty Things make the song less funky but still smelly, with some frantic rhythm strum, some strident singing, and a rave-up section in...

Shakespeare famously wrote of the Seven Ages of Man, well, we play four songs from the 60s about "life" and get even more meaning! Hear all about the youthful rake described in The Animals' 1965 hit, "It's My Life" (2:12) Then the shaggy dog story of Wil Bielers and his vriends in Q65's "The Life I Live" (41:56). The Henchmen point out the tautology at the heart of the question: "What is life?" in their 1966er, "Livin'" (1:22:40). And finally, the whole thi...

"Foggy Notion" by The Velvet Underground is a sneaky candidate for greatest rock'n'roll song of all time. Listen to the original version at (1:13) - Lou Reed and the gang had been playing the song since '66, finally recorded it in '69, but it wasn't released until 1985! We discuss the song in its context of Warhol's Factory and the Second Generation of New York School poets, but we also just love the Beat, the Beat, the Beat! Those Boston boys, Jonathan Richman &amp; the Modern Lovers kn...

Wherein we study both sides of The Chentelles' sole 1967 release, "Time/Be My Queen." How did these Michigan teens make a rekkid with such staying power? "Time" (2:47) is an organ slow-burn that could almost fit on a late-period Velvets bootleg. And we set up the Barb Overhiser/Dale Atkins drum feud - which is possibly the most under-reported band lineup drama of all time! The B-side is the famous "Be My Queen" (45:49). Hepcats know this rockabillly-tinged rager from "Back from the Grave," an...

Three versions of the Buzz Cason and Tony Moon tune, "Soldier of Love." The first fray is the 1962 original recorded by Arthur Alexander (1:22). A smooth serenade to sensual surrender, with great instrumentation (piano, sax, and some well-placed woodblock) and some vivid vocables from the female backing. The second skirmish involves The Beatles, who laid down the track at the BBC studios in the summer of '63 (47:18). Never officially released!! - this song circulated as a bootleg for years - ...