The Sonics were the hottest, rawest and most legendary garage band of the 60's. The Sonics, of Tacoma and Bremerton, Washington, helped forge the Northwest sound—merging garage rock and rhythm and blues. But the Sonics transcend the Pacific Northwest. Keith Richard, Pete Townshend, George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen, Joey Ramone and Johnny Rotten (Lydon), have all cited the Sonics as an early influence on their music, according to D.J.'s and other knowledgeable sources.
The Sonics were innovative and wild at a time when most bands were playing the fox trot at high school chaperoned dances. The Sonics 1st single "The Witch," which ultimately became the Northwest's top selling single, (save for "Louie, Louie",) had trouble getting airplay because programmers thought it would alienate homemakers. Teenage demand forced stations to start playing "The Witch". Parents were alarmed by the band's loud and frenetic antics and wild reputations. Engineers were dismayed by the band's lack of respect for staid studio techniques. They were not used to the Sonics full energy attack. On guitar, was Larry Parypa. Larry was always fooling around with the amps, sticking ice picks, and such, in.
They were always overdriven. His experiments with distortion and feedback predated any of the people we now know for it, and became part of the trademark Sonics sound. Driving the band on bass guitar, and as group leader, was Andy Parypa, Larry's brother. Rob Lind played the sax that added a dirty, full sound. Bob Bennett's unique machine-gun style of drumming hit rimshots everytime. On top of all this was Gerry Roslie, the monumental screamer-cum-singer, whose Jerry Lee Lewis style stage antics gained the Sonics much of their reputation. Gerry was all out in his singing and his writing, composing most of the band's tunes. These tunes are now available in their original form thanks to Etiquette Records re-issues.
You don't have to live in Washington state to easily place your hands on them! "Their magical blend of raw garage music can be heard in everyone from the Beatles to Bruce Springsteen, but why go to any other source than the original?"
by Charles R. Cross, Seattle "Rocket", June, 1984.
Tracks
1. The Witch - 2:41
2. Do You Love Me (Berry Gordy, Jr.) - 2:19
3. Roll Over Beethoven (Chuck Berry) - 2:49
4. Boss Hoss - 2:24
5. Dirty Robber (John Greek, Kent Morrill, Rick Dangel) - 2:03
6. Have Love, Will Travel (Richard Berry) - 2:04
7. Psycho - 2:18
8. Money (That's What I Want) (Gordy, Jr., Janie Bradford) - 2:01
9. Walkin' The Dog (Rufus Thomas) - 2:46
10. Night Time Is The Right Time (Lew Herman) - 2:58
11. Strychnine - 2:13
12. Good Golly Miss Molly (Robert Blackwell) - 2:09
Songs written by Gerry Roslie unless otherwise noted.
The Sonics
*Gerry Roslie - Organ, Piano, Lead Vocals
*Andy Parypa - Bass Guitar
*Larry Parypa - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Rob Lind - Saxophone, Vocals, Harmonica
*Bob Bennett - Drums
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