Parents heard plenty of scary sounds coming from their garages in the mid-'60s, and these fellas from Tacoma, Wa., certainly weren't afraid to bring the noise. The first single from the Sonics was "The Witch," a huge hit here in the Pacific Northwest in late 1964 and well into 1965 when it was re-released with another original tune, "Psycho," on the flip side. Both of these songs are considered pioneering moments in the punk movement.
The Witch
Psycho
Like everything else in 2020, Halloween sucks. We just carved our jack-o-lantern, but who is going to see it? Our kids will not don costumes for the first time ever. Costumed children will not ring our doorbell. In case someone shows up, we will leave a bowl of goodies on our porch... away from the door since every kid is actually dressed as the grim reaper, whether they know it or not. We will stay in and watch a horror flick. After the kids go to bed, I'll make my way to the turntable. Not that bad a night, if I think about it. How about one more from the '60s?
If you happen upon any zombies tonight, you can bet they won't sound this good. This is not something you would find on Nuggets. Rather, this is a beautiful piece of baroque pop. 'Odessey and Oracle' is one of my favorite albums, and this version of "A Rose for Emily" is something special. The song was originally recorded with cello accompaniment but, inexplicably, it was left out of the mix for the long player. In 2017, for Record Store Day and to mark the 50th anniversary of the album, the cello version was released as a 7". I snatched it right up. Happy Halloween, everyone.
A Rose for Emily (cello version)
10 comments:
Blimey, those Sonics songs were loud. In a good way.
We organised a mini version of Halloween in the neighbourhood tonight... any collected sweets will be quarantined... it was all over very quickly. But we strive for the semblance of normality amid the dreary reality.
Kearney Barton - the Martin Hannett of the Pacific Northwest!
I've never heard the cello version of 'A Rose for Emily' - thanks for sharing. Such a great LP. Happy Hallowe'en!
Rol, Glad you snuck that one in for your son. Sounds like England is about to turn the screws again. The Sonics are legends in these parts. Happy you enjoyed it.
DDSD, Have we talked about the Zombies yet? I can't remember. Glad we have this one in common. Huge fan.
Two great bands for Halloween. I really like this stuff. Hope you are well at these days Brian.
Hey Walter. It has been too long. I have been reading about how Germany is fairing and thought about you and our pal Dirk. Things are in the toilet here as well on so many levels, but maybe we will have some good news later in the week. Take care.
If anybody was going to do a Halloween post it was you Brian, well done. Until Max was born on the day it was never a very big thing with me. When I was a kid I did the guising thing with the hollowed out turnip, no pumpkins in the west of Scotland in the 70s.
Love the Sonics
Three great tunes there, Brian! Happy (belated) Hallowe'en to you too. Heard strange noises in the bathroom wall just before midnight last night but I think the neighbours were just rearranging the contents of their cupboards on the other side....
Drew and C, I knew I could count on you two... my Nuggets comrades. From where I'm sitting it is difficult to tell how popular the Sonics are since they are such a big deal in these parts. This comment string turned out to be very encouraging.
Brian - the Sonics are legends in both the UK and NZ. My good friend Kiran has a DJ slot in an Auckland club, and she regularly plays The Witch!
They may actually be a bigger deal outside of America, then, DDSD. That’s encouraging.
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