Startle Your Eardrums With The Sonics

Some would argue that the birth of punk or at least garage rock was way back in 1963 in the town of Tacoma. That's where The Sonics came together and began blasting the roof off this sucker. Imagine if you will the year 1963 (I'm going to do this too since I was born a year later): John F. Kennedy—assassinated; Alabama governor George Wallace proclaiming, "Segregation now; segregation tomorrow; segregation forever!" in his swearing-in address; the number one Billboard chart-topping single for the year was Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs' Sugar Shack.

Was the U.S. primed to spawn punk rock from the overcast confines of the great Northwest? YOU decide.

Have Love, Will Travel - A 1965 Richard Berry cover, performed, in the words of Wikipedia, "hard and fast."





Strychnine - Hell yeah, Strychnine! A Sonics original, covered by many, including The Fall, The Cramps and L7.





Boss Hoss - A song so rockin' it inspired two bands to name themselves after it, including a German country outfit who are definitely not referencing the German countryside.





Psycho - WHAAAAAAUOGH!





The Witch - "She's gonna make you itch 'cause she's the witch!"  Long ago when I was writing album reviews for "Option," my friend and editor, Richie told me I couldn't review music by just quoting lyrics; I had to add some analysis. But I think if someone makes you itch because she's a witch, that's all you need to know. My opinion.





Cinderella -  "HYAAAAAAAAUGH!" (sorry Richie)