Here's my Fall story.  Some time in the early 80s I saw the Fall in a club in Brixton, London.  At that stage of their career they had released maybe 5 albums and twice as many singles - none of the single tracks were on the albums.  I had them all.  In that gig there was none of the plug-the-latest-album-play-the-hits crap. In a 15 song or so set, they only played 4 previously released tracks, all the rest was new material.  It was utterly uncompromising, made no concessions to the audience, and completely magnificent.  So, no, not garage in sound but embodying something far greater - a couldn't-care-less rock'n'roll spirit that will never die. 

OK, first, I'd say that NO, they're not "the best garage rock band ever." If you wanna talk about "garage rock bands," there are many better than the Fall.

To answer your 2nd question, I'd say, well, who cares? Yes, the Fall is great band (not the best of any genre, but a damned good one). Does it matter if they're "garage" or not? Why the need to label everything?

would you even class them as a garage rock band, ive a few opinions on this, but im interested on finding out what you guys all think on it?

I just remember that The Clash were very popular , at least , toward the end. They had a top - charting LP , two big hits on the radio and on MTV , and one earlier hit back in rotation. They were playing bigger concerts and ginormous festivals. Of course , that all lasted little over a year.

When Mick Jones got the sack , Strummer carried on like the band was going to get back to square one. Virtually no one admits to liking the resulting album , but , I've been told the revamped lineup was'nt bad, live. Of course , by '82 , the accusations of selling out were on everybody's lips. "Combat Rock" lacked direction , but , I did'nt think there was a hit , there. The album as a whole hardly sounds like a sellout.  I saw them on that tour , and they brought the rock. 

That's true in a lot of cases , but , a lot of people who were there , either playing music or going to gigs, in the mid to late 70's , will say the same thing , that it ran out of steam , but morphed into Post punk  , Early 80's UK Punk  and American HC....The younger guy I was talking to , he was way more into the early 80's British stuff than I am. There were still bands doing more or less what they'd done 5 or 6 years earlier , but , it would have been like doing Glam Rock in 1978.
 
Sam Sinister said:

When people say that punk ended in the late '70s/early '80s, I always assume that they only find their music from mainstream sources...

It's very possible.

Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

I think "Crazy Horses" was also done by Redd Kross but I'm not sure.

John Battles said:

YEAH , EXACTLY. THERE WAS ALWAYS A CONNECTION BETWEEN BUBBLEGUM AND PUNK/NEW WAVE /WTF.      The very first song The Cramps recorded was "Quick Joey Small". Slaughter and The Dogs did it later. Talking Heads did "1-2-3 Red Light", MANY bands did Yummy , Yummy , Yummy , of course , Like The Nervebreakers and even The Residents , but , Lithium Xmas ' Heavy Psych version of "Green Tambourine" must be heard too be believed. The Osmonds' departure from their stereotype BUBBLEGUM IMAGE, "Crazy Horses" was covered by Alexander Harvey , James Last ( of course) , Demented are Go , Tank , and some outfit on Wax Trax records. Wax Trax was one of the greatest record stores in the world , but , you invariably had to hear Industrial Dance music  from their label.

Once , an employee tried to scratch a record along to a Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps album. I looked at him , and said "Sacrilege" . He stopped.
 
Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

The Ramones did more than their fair share of bubblegum covers when starting out and also recorded a couple of classics (Indian Giver, Little Bit O'Soul) and a lot of decent 80s garage bands threw in a bublegum song or two into their set.  There's a lot of good stuff out there whether or not it's by studio musicians.  Sometimes it's the song, not the singer that should be listened to.

I think "Crazy Horses" was also done by Redd Kross but I'm not sure.

John Battles said:

YEAH , EXACTLY. THERE WAS ALWAYS A CONNECTION BETWEEN BUBBLEGUM AND PUNK/NEW WAVE /WTF.      The very first song The Cramps recorded was "Quick Joey Small". Slaughter and The Dogs did it later. Talking Heads did "1-2-3 Red Light", MANY bands did Yummy , Yummy , Yummy , of course , Like The Nervebreakers and even The Residents , but , Lithium Xmas ' Heavy Psych version of "Green Tambourine" must be heard too be believed. The Osmonds' departure from their stereotype BUBBLEGUM IMAGE, "Crazy Horses" was covered by Alexander Harvey , James Last ( of course) , Demented are Go , Tank , and some outfit on Wax Trax records. Wax Trax was one of the greatest record stores in the world , but , you invariably had to hear Industrial Dance music  from their label.

Once , an employee tried to scratch a record along to a Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps album. I looked at him , and said "Sacrilege" . He stopped.
 
Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

The Ramones did more than their fair share of bubblegum covers when starting out and also recorded a couple of classics (Indian Giver, Little Bit O'Soul) and a lot of decent 80s garage bands threw in a bublegum song or two into their set.  There's a lot of good stuff out there whether or not it's by studio musicians.  Sometimes it's the song, not the singer that should be listened to.

YEAH , EXACTLY. THERE WAS ALWAYS A CONNECTION BETWEEN BUBBLEGUM AND PUNK/NEW WAVE /WTF.      The very first song The Cramps recorded was "Quick Joey Small". Slaughter and The Dogs did it later. Talking Heads did "1-2-3 Red Light", MANY bands did Yummy , Yummy , Yummy , of course , Like The Nervebreakers and even The Residents , but , Lithium Xmas ' Heavy Psych version of "Green Tambourine" must be heard too be believed. The Osmonds' departure from their stereotype BUBBLEGUM IMAGE, "Crazy Horses" was covered by Alexander Harvey , James Last ( of course) , Demented are Go , Tank , and some outfit on Wax Trax records. Wax Trax was one of the greatest record stores in the world , but , you invariably had to hear Industrial Dance music  from their label.

Once , an employee tried to scratch a record along to a Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps album. I looked at him , and said "Sacrilege" . He stopped.
 
Rockin Rod Strychnine said:

The Ramones did more than their fair share of bubblegum covers when starting out and also recorded a couple of classics (Indian Giver, Little Bit O'Soul) and a lot of decent 80s garage bands threw in a bublegum song or two into their set.  There's a lot of good stuff out there whether or not it's by studio musicians.  Sometimes it's the song, not the singer that should be listened to.

THE DEAL WAS , JUST  LIKE ALL THE GREAT 50'S NOVELTY ROCK RECORDS ,

THE 60'S BUBBLEGUM ERA HAD SOME BRILLIANTLY CRAFTED SONGS THAT DEFY YOU TO GET 'EM OUT OF YOUR HEAD

 

!Jersey City Mods said:

The "How Not to be Seen" sketch and the whole band was hiding in crates.

Rev. Norb said:

I dunno, but it was a crate singing it...or a guy hiding in a crate singing it.

''Piranha" by I Spit on Your Gravy" is a thoroughly whacked take on guess which already - Garage Punk song by The Monkees , but , originally done , in a more Punked out  manner , by Paul Revere and The Raiders . HA HA. There's a good quote for ya - "The Monkees were cool. They MIMED well" , Mark Lindsay. I heard him tell somebody that !

Also , Quad Pi (Pre - Lithium Xmas ) ,did a slow , trembly ,dark , also almost unrecognizable, "Last Train To Clarksville" as (Last Train To)  Mortville , in homage to John Waters.
 
John Battles said:

"My Sweet Lord" by Lithium Xmas , almost unrecognizeable.

Pure Hell's cover of Nancy Sinatra's These Boots are Made for Walking.

Also, although not a cover, Andre Williams' garage punk reboot of his disco song "Whip the Booty" is maniacally fun and trashy.  You can find that version on his classic Black Godfather LP.

It's on the double vinyl version of A PROMISE IS A PROMISE from Canada that came out in 1988.

Cascarita said:

the Lyres used to do a great version of it. I don't know if it's on any of their records, but I used to see them play it all the time.

the Lyres used to do a great version of it. I don't know if it's on any of their records, but I used to see them play it all the time.

Dave Vanian And The Phantom Chords

I wish I had more records by the Lyres and the Chesterfield Kings, also the Nomads from Sweden.

There are a few Gories, Dirtbombs, 5,6,7,8s, Mono Men and Man or Astroman 45s I'm missing.  I got into the Cheater Slicks late, so I really missed out on their 45s.  I just recently "discovered" the Wildebeests, so I'll be tracking down there 45s.  I kove 45s they are the perfect format for garage punk.

Hi everybody.  I just started getting a page on here.  I've been doing a show on WMSE in Milwaukee, WI since the 80's.  I had a slot from noon 'til 3PM for 17 years.  I'm currently on the air from 6-9PM CST on Monday nights (www.wmse.org).  My music is pretty consistent, a mix of new and old garage and punk.  I could take up a lot of space trying to describe it but instead I'll just post my most recent playlist to give you a good idea what it's all about (yeah, I leaned on some of the Hideout comps and others for my show recently.  I fix medical equipment for a "real job" and I had a small window to create a mix before I hit the airwaves on Monday.).  I am always, ALWAYS, looking for new tunes to spin on the show so please keep me in mind...especially if your band has a gig coming up in Milwaukee.

 

Too Much Pressure - The Selecter

Up To No Good - Rancid

Nite Klub - The Specials

Teenage Crimewave - CPC Gangbangs

Seven Are The Horns of Satan - The Happy Kids

Redbone in the City - The Bad Brains

Get My Kix - The Lookies

Sweet Rot - Hubble Bubble

14th Floor - Armitage Shanks

Steve Don't Party No More - Mean Jeans

Cheap Beer - The Oxymorons

Back at You - Electric Frankenstein

Problem Child - The Damned

Take Me I'm Yours - Fiction

Savage - Teengenerate

I Wanna Go - The Uzis

Afraid of The Russians - The Stiphnoyds

Blah Blah Blah - Iggy Pop

Backbone - High Tension Wires

Good On Ya Baby - X (Australia)

Jet Boy - New York Dolls

Thinkin' Ain't Drinkin' - Truckstop Lovechild

Hardwired - Ivan Julian

American Nights - The Runaways

Nigel Mansell - Firestone

Kick Out The Jams - MC5

Do The Wrong Thing - The Humpers

LOCAL SIZZLER: Stab Me - The Hussy

Slippery Rock 70's - Stavely Makepeace

Custom Credit - Cosmic Psychos

Orgasmatron - Motorhead

Howlin' For You - The Compulsions

Sonic Young Boy - The Sonic Negroes

16 Forever - The Dictators

Slow Death - Flamin' Groovies

Ooh-Poo-Pa-Do - The Masonics

Stay Away - Mondo Topless

Torture Rock - The Rockin' Belmarx

(Theme From) What Will They Think Of Next - The Quakers

Bollywood Woman - Above

Blow My Mind - The Jade Idol

Bo Diddley - Link Wray

Pirate Cowboy - The Deadly Snakes

Hooty Sapperticker - Barbara and the Boys

The Way I Feel About You - The Bristols

Surf Rider - The Lively Ones

She - Audio Kings of the Third World

No Friend of Mine - The Sparkles

Nurse Julie - Billy Childish and the Friends of the Buff Medway Fanciers Association

The Creep - Thee Cormans

Beat Beat - The Get Wets

Hall of Mirrors - Cheap Time

 

Thank you! Your profile photo was my first ever tattoo by the way...haha

I can´t wait!!! love your program Howie

best regards, Carlos.

ok im gregor(fells like AA this bit!)im 30,iv been a mucic addict since forever,pretty much anything you can think of ill have listened to(maybe),the only music i dinne really like is main stream "indie",kasabian,kieser chiefs that kinda limp wristed bullshit.my two biggest loves are dirty as hell lofi garage and southern hiphop,.

im an artist,well trying to be,and thats about all really.cheers.

ps-i posted a thread earlier and its never appeared,anyone any ideas why?

Sort of off topic...

But I wonder what happened to the plans Tim Warren had of remixing those unreleased Teengenerate recordings.. "teenage freak" rules

Check out 'Shady Lady' too if you like that 70s glam sound. They were based in LA, originally from New York. I did this interview a coupla years ago:

http://www.sleazegrinder.net/2009/08/shady-lady-interview.html

 YOU'RE RIGHT. IT WAS BEN MILLER. DAM GOT OVER WITH THE PUNK CROWD , BUT THEY WERE VIRTUALLY UNCLASSIFIABLE. I READ AN EARLY REVIEW THAT COMPARED THEM TO HAWKWIND....WELL, THEY DID DO ROBERT CALVERT'S "THE RIGHT STUFF" , A GREAT TUNE.
 
Dead Boy said:

Hmmmmm, it may be Michael Davis, but I don't know, actually, but I think, hmmmmmmmm, it's not Ron(?????).

The sax player was Ben Miller..

DESTROY ALL MONSTERS - Art Garage Punk 1977 - 78