Radio What Wave Playlist Jan 24/2013. Canadian Garagepunk Sandwich Part 1
This is an incomplete history of Canadian garagepunk music (according to my subjective views and what's left of my memory), with Radio WW covering the 80's and onwards and the show that comes right after us, The Freakout, playing 60's Canadian Garagepunk. It was originally going to be a one show affair, but with the amount of material, we've gone to 2 shows. The Radio WW portion of the history is arranged chronologically, although we had to deviate in a few places to keep the flow. Enjoy!!
1. The Gruesomes...3 Men 1 Coffin...from A-Billy, a 7" EP that came with WW #18. This song is also on the Live In Hell cassette, Gruesomology CD (Sundazed) and Live In Hell CD (Ricochet Sound). Originally done by the infamous sludgeabilly duo, Deja Voodoo, The Gruesomes did this as a tribute to their pals and label mates. Started this show with The Gruesomes as they are probably the best known garagepunk band to come out of Canada.
The Gruesomes at Call The Office, London Ontario
2. Simply Saucer...She's A Dog...Pig Records 7" and bonus track on the Cyborgs Revisited CD. I had to play 3 bands that pre-date the whole garagepunk movement as Simply Saucer and the 2 following bands have influenced many of the bands that are played later in the show.
3. The Secrets...All The Girls...Teenage Rampage LP. 3 Viletones and a Diode break away from punk rock at it's height in Toronto and form a rock'n'roll band. Possibly a bad move at the time, but the critics adored them and their music stands the passage of time. And there's a connection back to 60's punk in this combo as their vocalist was in a late version of Syndicate of Sound (Hey Little Girl).
4. Raving Mojos...Yeah Yeah Uh Huh....live recording from The Turning Point in Toronto,7/1/82. These guys took Stoogisms, 60's punk and blues to a whole new level and called it rock'n'roll. There's a video out there of these guys pounding it out live, and the singer appears out of nowhere doing cartwheels across the stage! The bass player for this band is currently in the greatest live band ever, The Fleshtones!
5. UIC...Let's Dance On...recorded live at Call The Office, London Ontario.3/16/85. From Exeter, a small town just north of London, where you could pick up those Detroit radio stations back in the day and it warped these young men something fierce! These guys were playing this noise from about 1981 onwards, but didn't record until years later. This particular show, was video taped by Wayne Fisher and some of the songs appear on youtube. Yep, that's me dancing up front by the stage on some of the songs.
UIC in Lucan Ontario, fall 1984
6. 10 Commandments...Feel It...from their cassette Pagan Fest-a-go-go. Possible the first Toronto band to delve into 60's garagepunk with both feet. Lead singer James Lord is now a music director with our national radio network, CBC.
7. 10 Commandments...Not True...from their first LP, Weird Out. They self released at least 3 LP's and later went to a more powerpop type of sound.
8. The Beaumonts...She Treats Me Right...from the Time Machine CD on Stomp Records from 1996. This CD isa history of the Canadian 60's garage punk and surf scene from 85-95. The Beaumonts were from Vancouver and birthed 2 Toronto bands (both of which will appear in Part 2 of this show), The Cheshyres and Drums Along The Gardiner.
9. The Enigmas...Windshield Wiper...from their Strangely Wild 12". Another Vancouver combo, they released at least 2 12" EP's and appeared on a couple of compilations and members went on to later Vancouver combos.
10. Terminal Sunglasses...The Coyote Finally Wins...from their Wrap Around Cool LP. These guys added some psych sounds to their 60's punk sounds and finally the roadrunner gets his due. Unfortunately one of the members found out he was allergic to cigarette smoke and couldn't play bars due to the smoke...hence the band packed it in.
11. Boy From Nowhere...Train Kept A Rollin'...recorded live at the Langarth Bar and Grill 11/1/86 Halloween party. The first London Ontario band to dig into 60's punk and mix it up with blues.
Boy From Nowhere at Langarth Bar and Grill 1986
12. The Gruesomes...Psycho...recorded live at Larry's in Toronto 3/29/86. This was The Gruesomes first show in Toronto and was a part of a show called The OG Easter Party and was a showcase for OG Records. Deja Voodoo, Ray Condo, Chris Houston and UIC all played this packed showcase. It was our first meeting with The Gruesomes and everything we had heard about them was true!!
13. The Gruesomes...Boredom...recorded live at Key West, London Ontario 1/11/87. We finally get The Gruesomes to London, a sunday night and we're figuring the place will be empty. WRONGO!! The place was packed and The Gruesomes musta played over 2 hours!! Then they stayed at our place and didn't leave for several days as they devoured all our junk food, watched our cheesy movies (especially that Beatles mockumentary of the kids trying to get into see The Beatles in NYC) and played most of our 60's and blues records. Loads of fun.
14. The Gruesomes...What Wave...from Mr Garager's Neighbourhood, an LP on OG Records that we compiled. Nope, we didn't ask The Gruesomes to do this, they thought it up all by themselves.
15. The Gruesomes...some radio promos they cut.
16. Legend Killers...99th Floor...early demo from this band of drunks that figured anybody can do this and they proved themselves right! Another combo from London Ontario who are the only band to have appeared on every What Wave compilation record, tape and CD! And we're honoured to have them!
Legend Killers coming out of their cave! Photo by Martha Rutherford.
17. Legend Killers...Strychnine...another early demo, this time released on Slippery's Club Hits,the cassette that comes with WW#24. AND....this cassette is currently #1 on the CHRW charts!!!! Holy crap Batman!! How can this be!!
18. The Rosy Red...Cavin' In...from a brand new demo as we take a musical interlude to introduce the 4 bands that would be playing on Jan 25th at the very first Kissin' The Carpet, a soon to be monthly garagepunk show in Hamilton Ontario.
19. Magic Shadows...Parasite...a demo from this Hamilton combo who are also at Kissin' The Carpet.
20. The Mystics...Waiting For You...from their very first CD and like the 2 bands above, are at Kissin' The Carpet.
21. The Pow Wows...EIO...from their Get Hip LP, Nightmare Soda, and like the 3 bands above....
22. Purple Toads...Strychnine...from a demo. The Purple Toads evolved out of Durango 95 and went into the 60's garagepunk sound fueled by alcohol and drugs.
A dancing Purple Toad!!
And we're out of time. Check the show that came right after this, The Freakout as Ryan played an hour of 60's garagepunk.
We'll be back next week with part 2 of The Canadian Garagepunk Sandwich.
All photos courtesy WW archives unless otherwise noted...please put proper photo credits when using these pics.
Here's a link to the archived show: