The Nightcrawlers had a small hit, "The Little Black Egg," in the mid-'60s that's remembered for its cutesy folk-rock-cum-garage sound and its enigmatic lyrics. Although it only reached number 85, it made more of an impact than that low placing might reflect, since it was a regional hit in various parts of the country after it was recorded in... [+] Read More

The Nightcrawlers had a small hit, "The Little Black Egg," in the mid-'60s that's remembered for its cutesy folk-rock-cum-garage sound and its enigmatic lyrics. Although it only reached number 85, it made more of an impact than that low placing might reflect, since it was a regional hit in various parts of the country after it was recorded in 1965, only making the national charts upon its third issue in early 1967. The Nightcrawlers did a few more singles with their original lineup, which disbanded in mid-1966 with enough material for one LP on Kapp. A different Nightcrawlers did keep going for one more single in 1967 and principal songwriter Charlie Conlon did a couple of singles as leader of a different band called Conlon and the Nightcrawlers. For the most part, the Nightcrawlers favored a sparse folk-rock sound that comes off as a poor person's Beau Brummels.

The Nightcrawlers were formed in Daytona Beach, FL, in the mid-'60s and along with the Birdwatchers and We the People, were one of the most regionally popular Florida rock groups of that era. Conlon's original material showed a Byrds/Beau Brummels influence in the folky guitar riffs, minor melodies, and introspective lyrics, but weren't nearly as skilled or developed as those groups were. Conlon actually left the band in spring 1966 and the Nightcrawlers broke up a few months later, although two of the members formed a different lineup of the Nightcrawlers that did one more single for Kapp, "My Butterfly." That 45 was Who-lite, not very similar to the old garage-folk-rock Nightcrawlers and in spite of that, was their best song other than "The Little Black Egg." They never recorded after 1967, but different lineups with the Nightcrawlers name continued to perform until 1970. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide [-] Hide

One of the first L.A. folk-rock groups to spring up in the wake of the Byrds in the mid-'60s, the Leaves are most remembered for recording the first -- and one of the most successful -- rock versions of "Hey Joe," which reached the Top 40 (and was a huge California hit) in 1966. None of their other releases approached this success (although "Too... [+] Read More

One of the first L.A. folk-rock groups to spring up in the wake of the Byrds in the mid-'60s, the Leaves are most remembered for recording the first -- and one of the most successful -- rock versions of "Hey Joe," which reached the Top 40 (and was a huge California hit) in 1966. None of their other releases approached this success (although "Too Many People" was a local hit), but the group recorded a fair number of strong covers and original songs during their brief existence. More explicitly Stones and Beatles-influenced than the Byrds, they didn't project as strong an identity as competitors like the Byrds or Love, despite displaying considerable talent for harmony rockers in both the folk-rock and British Invasion styles. After cutting some singles and an album for the tiny Mira label, they moved to Capitol and disbanded after a disappointing follow-up (All the Good That's Happening, 1967) that offered less distinguished material and a more diluted sound. Leaves bassist Jim Pons went on to join the Turtles for a while in the late '60s. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide [-] Hide

One of the strangest stories in rock history, the Monks were formed in the early '60s by American G.I.s stationed in Germany. After their discharge, the group stayed on in Germany as the Torquays, a fairly standard beat band. After changing their name to the Monks in the mid-'60s, they also changed their music, attitude, and appearance... [+] Read More

One of the strangest stories in rock history, the Monks were formed in the early '60s by American G.I.s stationed in Germany. After their discharge, the group stayed on in Germany as the Torquays, a fairly standard beat band. After changing their name to the Monks in the mid-'60s, they also changed their music, attitude, and appearance radically. Gone were standard oldie covers, replaced by furious, minimalist original material that anticipated the blunt, harsh commentary of the punk era. Their insistent rhythms recalled martial beats and polkas as much as garage rock, and the weirdness quotient was heightened by electric banjo, berserk organ runs, and occasional bursts of feedback guitar. To prove that they meant business, the Monks shaved the top of their heads and performed their songs -- crude diatribes about the Vietnam war, dehumanized society, and love/hate affairs with girls -- in actual monks' clothing.

This was pretty strong stuff for 1966 Germany, and their shocking repertoire and attire were received with more confusion than hostility or warm praise. Well known in Germany as a live act, their sole album and several singles didn't take off in a big way and were never released in the U.S., it was rumored, because the lyrical content was deemed too shocking. They disbanded in confusion around 1967, but their album -- one of the most oddball constructions in all of rock -- gained a cult following among collectors, and has ironically made them much more popular and influential on an international level than they were during their lifetime. Bassist Eddie Shaw's 1994 autobiography, Black Monk Time, is a fascinating narrative of the Monks' stranger-than-fiction story. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide [-] Hide

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"The Stones, Animals and Yardbirds took the Chicago Blues and gave it an English interpretation. We've taken the English version of the Blues and re-added a Chicago touch." The Shadows of Knight's self-description was fairly accurate. Although this mid-'60s garage band from the Windy City did not match the excellence of either their British or... [+] Read More

"The Stones, Animals and Yardbirds took the Chicago Blues and gave it an English interpretation. We've taken the English version of the Blues and re-added a Chicago touch." The Shadows of Knight's self-description was fairly accurate. Although this mid-'60s garage band from the Windy City did not match the excellence of either their British or African-American idols, the teen energy of their recordings remains enjoyable, if not overwhelmingly original. The group took a tamer version of Them's classic "Gloria" into the American Top Ten in 1966, and also took a Yardbirdized version of Bo Diddley's "Oh Yeah" into the Top 40 the same year. Their patchy albums contained a few exciting R&B covers in the Yardbirds/Stones style and a few decent originals in the same vein. The group's original lineup splintered quickly, and the Shadows faded in the late '60s after briefly pursuing a more commercial pop sound. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide [-] Hide

More easily available to North Americans than the British Edsel best-of, but not necessarily an improvement. Adds some tracks from both the original lineup and their unimpressive, more pop-oriented singles from the late '60s, and has more comprehensive liner notes, but also omits a few decent covers that are on the U.K. compilation, particularly... [+] Read More

More easily available to North Americans than the British Edsel best-of, but not necessarily an improvement. Adds some tracks from both the original lineup and their unimpressive, more pop-oriented singles from the late '60s, and has more comprehensive liner notes, but also omits a few decent covers that are on the U.K. compilation, particularly their smoking, over-the-top version of "I Just Want to Make Love to You." ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide [-] Hide

A much more sensible buy than the double-CD Legend of Paul Revere, this 20-track compilation focuses on their toughest (and therefore best) early material. Has all the big early hits, and about half the songs weren't on Legend, most notably their fine pre-Monkees version of "Steppin' Stone." Note that the version of "Hungry" here is an alternate... [+] Read More

A much more sensible buy than the double-CD Legend of Paul Revere, this 20-track compilation focuses on their toughest (and therefore best) early material. Has all the big early hits, and about half the songs weren't on Legend, most notably their fine pre-Monkees version of "Steppin' Stone." Note that the version of "Hungry" here is an alternate take, good or bad news depending on whether you have the original hit rendition already. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Double-CD box contains most of their classic first three albums (including the entirety of Forever Changes), all three non-LP tracks from their 1966-1968 prime, and highlights of the post-Bryan MacLean albums from the late '60s and early '70s. Great booklet of liner notes and photos, but considering that all of those first three albums remain... [+] Read More

Double-CD box contains most of their classic first three albums (including the entirety of Forever Changes), all three non-LP tracks from their 1966-1968 prime, and highlights of the post-Bryan MacLean albums from the late '60s and early '70s. Great booklet of liner notes and photos, but considering that all of those first three albums remain easy to find, and that the post-Forever Changes material is much inferior to the early recordings, it's not quite an essential purchase, although it might make a nicely packaged supplement. The absence of "Revelation" from Da Capo is no big deal, but a few tracks from the debut are missing, including one of the better ones, "Mushroom Clouds." ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Twenty-two tracks, including both sides of their four singles and previously unissued demos, outtakes, and live performances. The four singles are legimitately fine finds if you collect obscure '60s pop-garage. "Long Before," "I Can't Do It," and "Put the Clock Back on the Wall" are outstanding, and the cover of Lennon-McCartney's "Love of the... [+] Read More

Twenty-two tracks, including both sides of their four singles and previously unissued demos, outtakes, and live performances. The four singles are legimitately fine finds if you collect obscure '60s pop-garage. "Long Before," "I Can't Do It," and "Put the Clock Back on the Wall" are outstanding, and the cover of Lennon-McCartney's "Love of the Loved" (which the Beatles never officially released themselves) rates as one of the best unknown Beatle covers of the '60s. Most of the rest of this archival compilation is padding, though, consisting largely of faithful British Invasion covers and some outtakes that are markedly inferior to their singles. It's an enjoyable listen for collectors of mid-'60s rock, boasting considerably more pop-oriented material and accomplished production than the garage norm. But it couldn't be considered in the top drawer of this sort of thing. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Most 1960s garage rock obsessives collect singles rather than albums for a good reason: While plenty of snarling teenagers could come up with two decent songs at a stretch, a precious few seemed able to brainstorm a dozen tunes without reaching to the bottom of the barrel or resorting to covers of other people's hits. But there were exceptions... [+] Read More

Most 1960s garage rock obsessives collect singles rather than albums for a good reason: While plenty of snarling teenagers could come up with two decent songs at a stretch, a precious few seemed able to brainstorm a dozen tunes without reaching to the bottom of the barrel or resorting to covers of other people's hits. But there were exceptions to this rule, among them the Sonics, the Litter, and, especially, the Remains, who never enjoyed much success on the national charts but were fabled heroes in their home town of Boston. The Remains' 1966 album for Epic is a classic, packed with great songs from singer/guitarist Barry Tashian, bassist Vern Miller, and pianist Bill Briggs, and boasting exciting, fiery performances, and if the full firepower of their legendary live shows didn't always come through on tape, even the album's weakest moments made clear the Remains were tougher, smarter, and tighter than the vast majority of their competition. When Epic/Legacy reissued the album in 1991 (with the band's name augmented to Barry and the Remains), they added a handful of non-LP singles and unreleased tracks and gave the album a crisp digital remix, and against all odds, Epic actually improved a masterpiece. If the old analog version sounds harder and dirtier (a good thing for garage rock), the CD allows you to hear more of the details, and nearly every one of the 21 cuts on board is killer stuff (their cover of Don Covay's "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" shows them beating the Rolling Stones at their own game, and after you've heard "Don't Look Back," you'll always wonder why it wasn't a Top Ten hit). The Remains is mid-'60s American rock & roll at it's best, and you don't have to own any paisley clothing to enjoy it. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide [-] Hide