My kids watched a lot of Backyardigans as kids and ya, there are some amazing music writers for that show. It's all built around backyard imagination and each show has a musical theme (surf music, country, hip-hop, etc.) and they seem to be pretty well rounded. Christ, watch for the constant one-liners when your critters can only remember four words and a melody....toughest car trip EVAH!

kopper said:

For the younger tots, the Backyardigans TV show episodes usually feature some great garage-style kids music (with Farfisa and everything). I was really impressed with the music on that show when my son was still interested in watching it. But now that's he's a bit older, he wants no part of it.

It always made me wonder who was in charge of writing and performing the music for that show.

 

I might as well post this on this forum too. The New Colony Six on Kiddie-a-Go-Go.

Goner Records released this album: The Luv Clowns - Love Clowns!

LUV CLOWNS BIOGRAPHY

Memphis' Luv Clowns are destined to be your new favorite kids' music band, whether you've somehow retained a sense of childlike wonder or are surrounded by your own ankle-biters.

The group boasts a roster that reads like a who's-who of Memphis musicians: Harlan T. Bobo as "Bobo," "Professor" Doug Easley (Cat Power), Alex "Cow Cow" Greene (Reigning Sound) and "Timot" T. Prudhomme (F*ck). They all dress up like clowns when they play, although the oft-kilter lyrics, penchant for hooch and quasi-creepy delivery ensure that they're just as much kindred spirits of M. Emmet Walsh as they are of Emmett Kelly. 

This ramshackle collection of tunes for tots has many memorable melodies, psychedelic effects and enough goofy charm to fill a thousand red wagons. Even the silly skits between the songs are enjoyable. "Draw," a countrified number that channels the eccentric Michael Hurley, ponders the limitless nature of the imagination. "Mr. Bubble" has nothing to do with the popular brand of bubble bath and everything to do with an odd assortment of characters that includes Mr. Gooey and Mr. Clowny. The bongos set a perfect jungle mood for "Monkey Island," a paean to the gone-but-not-forgotten primate exhibit at the Memphis Zoo.  The highlights are the campy, catchy "K-I-D-S," which features a learned professor explaining why we're all here, and a heartbreakingly sincere cover of Mr. Rogers' "Sometimes Good People Do Bad Things."

This greasepaint gang has recorded a cockeyed kiddie classic. The Luv Clowns understand that being a kid is more than just being goofy and having fun--it's about being confused and disoriented sometimes, too.

Here they are performing in the street in Memphis:

Here's the MP3:
LuvClowns - K.I.D.S.

I love this one

Balamory isn't really garage but kids should love it and it has a lot of musical references in, I know I used to and that was back when I was 19.

and Spooks of Bottle Bay I actually used to love when I was the target audience, again not garage but the puppets rule.

Go-Nuts Snakless Sonata

The Go-Nuts | Myspace Video

Cherry, here's the intro to the episode of that Kiddie-a-Go-Go with the New Colony Six.

I've never watched Backyardigans, but I'm going to be checking it out! I think a few times now, I've wondered who did art direction for kids things, such as Spongebob Square pants. It has such a retro tiki look in the interiors, it wouldn't shock me at all to learn it was someone with a gig poster / lowbrow art backround.

Here's the Neanderthals on Ghoul a Go Go!

For the younger tots, the Backyardigans TV show episodes usually feature some great garage-style kids music (with Farfisa and everything). I was really impressed with the music on that show when my son was still interested in watching it. But now that's he's a bit older, he wants no part of it.

It always made me wonder who was in charge of writing and performing the music for that show.

Thanks to you amazing folks, I now have been tipped off to some amazing Kid a go go tv shows! I was wondering if anyone else had any suggestions or favorites on garage rock tv shows or albums for children. My daughter and I LOVE Ghoul a Go Go, and Yo Gabba Gabba of course.

The Mono Men - Stop Draggin' Me Down

Surfin Bird or Wooly Bully.

first thing I heard that sounding anything remotely garage or surf was the Walk Don't Run single by The Ventures. I was hooked.

The Slits!

Alice Bag from the bags ( shes got a great web site.

Dianne Chai from The Alley Cat.

Dido, shes just wonderful.

Heavy Cream!

Girls in rock bands are awesome and should happen more. I especially like girl drummers. For some reason their style fits really well with most garage rock. As for my favorite female rocker, its hard to say, but Karen O is undeniably awesome, especially on the first Yeah Yeah Yeah's record.

No, you don't dude. I live in a small MS town about an hour from Memphis. Memphis has this cool garage music scene....well, Memphis just has a great music scene generally....but that's it. It doesn't have much else to offer. It's a really run down, poor city. To be fair, Gonerfest and Goner Records in general are so much fun that it might make it tolerable.

I wish I lived in Memphis. Really really.

schedule announced!

 http://www.goner-records.com/gonerfest/gonerfest8-schedule.php

If anyone here is coming let me know, I'll buy you a beer.

i'll give you a list of decent clubs in nashville-none of which will make your rich and you likely will need to bring your own beer; it's that kinda town:  the end-across the street from the exit in, the basement-call grimeys record store upstairs and ask for mike....super enthusiastic manager of the basement; mercy lounge, large like the exit in; sprinwater, completely inept toilet of a club buy plenty of garage bands play here...even BOC's old drummer; foobar, nothing special but they do have bands, same for the 5 spot.

check out the blog, nashville's dead for more info.  there is a pretty good scene here but goddamn, tighten up cause even the worst nashville band's are super-tight and rehearsed!

I just read the line up and I think I peed my pants a little bit.

Not yet, but it should be soon. If you could just be there Friday and Saturday you'd be golden. It's a great time.

Toothless George from Philadelphia, PA

I do a one man band thing where I play guitar, do vocals and play drums with my feet. I just use a kick and a high-hat with a tambourine attached to it. You'd be surprised how many different sounds and beats you can get out of it with just a little practice. Even just having a kick going throughout all your songs will sound infinitely better than having no pure rhythm source whatsoever. Good luck!

How about Cat Butt. They weren't around very long, and were very tongue-in-cheek. If you have seen the movie "Hype," where they showed you the family tree, and the incestuous cross-overs to other bands, this group is what they were talking about. There are too many cross-overs to list. On the spine of the lp "Journey To The Center Of," where the name of the album would be, it says "Special thanks to the girlfriends of Swallow, Mudhoney, Tad, & Nirvana." I like that they put an inside joke on the spine of the record. Classic!!

Besides Dead Moon, who has already been mentioned, one of my favorites was Gravel. They had two albums on Estrus, and were a favorite of Dave Crider's wife. He got non-stop shit from the garage rock "purists" for putting out their records and having them, and Dead Moon, play at Garage Shock. Gravel sounds like driving on a highway through the woods, in the great northwest. I highly recommend getting the two albums, or any of the five singles, they are all great!!!

KK Dirty Money said:

I think Mudhoney was probably one of my favorites from that era/location (even though they were pretty much just your typical garage rock band, but they got labeled "grunge"). 

Does anyone have any "obscure" bands worth mentioning that got that "grunge" label (obscure meaning not Nirvana, Soundgarden, Melvins, Pearljam, Alice In Chains, etc. or any other well-known 90's Seattle bands; they were all pretty good, but they are household names, whereas I'm looking for bands a little more under the radar.)

 

The Lost Souls Volume 3 CD is out now.  This compilation digs deeper than ever before into the vault of obscure Arkansas rock 'n' roll from the 1960s and early 70s. Lost Souls Volume 3 includes uncomped and unknown gems from small regional studios in the form of acetates, 45s, and recently discovered reel to reel tapes. More info HERE