The Sonics "This Is... The Savage Young Sonics" (2001)

Long before they delivered the full blown crunch of The Witch and Psycho, the Sonics were cutting their teeth in Tacoma teen clubs! These crude 1961-64 sides were taped live at dances and at home, showing the heavy influence of their primo idols the Wailers and includes the ultra primitive A-Rab, the group's very first recording - raw!! These tapes were recently found in a Tacoma attic. This is their first appearance ever!
Before the Kinks and the Who came along and planted the seeds for what is commonly referred to as proto-punk, several obscure and/or one-hit U.S. wonders beat the two aforementioned British acts to the punch -- the Kingsmen, the Trashmen, and the Sonics. While the Kingsmen and the Trashmen managed to score a massive hit each ("Louie, Louie" and "Surfin' Bird," respectively), the Sonics never broke through outside of their home city of Tacoma. Regardless, the Sonics are often name-checked as one of the greatest garage rock bands ever, and the 2001 compilation This Is... The Savage Young Sonics focuses entirely on the group's early years. It turns out that the father of the Sonics' brother guitar/bass tandem, Larry and Andy Parypa, taped nearly every live show the group played during the early '60s, and these recordings serve as the basis for this 20-song release. Although the group was still a ways off from perfecting its tough-and-rough sound (which eventually included a heavy R&B influence), the comp includes such early instrumentals as "Sonic Blues" as well as covers of popular bar band standards of the day -- "Rumble," "Bony Maronie," "Keep A-Knockin'," and even the aforementioned "Louie, Louie." While newcomers should stick with one of their classic mid-'60s releases (e.g., 1965's Here Are the Sonics), longtime Sonics fans looking to trace the group's roots will certainly be able to do so with "This Is... The Savage Young Sonics". [Greg Prato, AllMusic]
trax:
01. A-Rab [Home Recordings, 1961] 02. Rumble [Home Recordings, 1961] 03. Shanghied [Home Recordings, 1961] 04. Sonic Blues [Home Recordings, 1961] 05. Mashed Potato Time [Home Recordings, 1962] 06. Wailin' [Clover Park High School Dance, 1962] 07. High Wall [Clover Park High School Dance, 1962] 08. Lucille - Slippin' And Slidin' [Lake City Teen Club, 1963] 09. Swing Shift [Lake City Teen Club, 1963] 10. Louie Louie [Lake City Teen Club, 1963] 11. Sac O' Woe [Gaslight Teen Club, 1963] 12. Hey Mrs. Jones [Gaslight Teen Club, 1963] 13. In The Open [Gaslight Teen Club, 1963] 14. Bony Moronie [Gaslight Teen Club, 1963] 15. Just Pickin' [Gaslight Teen Club, 1963] 16. Sonic Dance Ad [Home Recordings, 1964] 17. Wailers House Party [Home Recordings, 1964] 18. Keep A-Knockin' [Home Recordings, 1964] 19. Think [Home Recordings, 1964] 20. Hold It [Home Recordings, 1964]
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