It's time to cool it down, slow the pace and restore some decorum to this chapter. And who better to tackle the task than Crypt Records prexy & CEO Tim Warren? Here're his tastefully appointed
Grungiest Garage-rock Gassers
1. The Keggs "To Find Out" / "Girl" (Orbit). Outa tune Detroit caterwaul, and a lot cooler than any Stooges discs cuz 1) they didn't play pals with Bowie, and 2) they made one great record & quit! A band so hated in Detroit, they had to change their name after every show they played! The guitarist met with an evil demise: on his way to practice on his motorbike, he got hit by a truck and knocked into a metal rail which lopped his head off 'n' ended the Keggs' wicked career. Only 75 copies pressed, so forget about scoring one. Hear both sides on Back From The Grave, Vols. 5 and 6.
2. The Rats "Rats' Revenge, Parts 1 and 2" (Black Cat). Preceding rap by a good 15 years was this wiseacre chunk of hilarity from Akron, consisting of inept guit-bass-drums riff topped w/ high braggadocio about how you shouldn't fuck with the fabled "leader of the Rats." Inspired by Harv Lembeck's immortal character- ization of Eric Von Zipper in AIP's dorky beach pix. Teasing a truly lame guitar "solo" is the God-like intro "This time don't use yer feet!"
3. The Beachnuts "My Iconoclastic Life" (Showcase). For sheer lyrical genius, try this: "My life is nil, I just take pills/ And sit for hours, watching the flowers." And this ain't no mindbending "hippie" psuckadelia; the guy's lost his mind cuz his fave gal done left him, so he's screamin' his lungs out!
Upper Division Grunge: For further study, Mr. Warren recommends the Dirty Wurdz' "Why," the Groupies' "Primitive," the One Way Streets' "Jack The Ripper," and the Aztex' "I Said Move," some of which are currently available on LP compilations.
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