The Sonics - classic or dud

Hard to pick, but a personal fave is "Boss Hoss". Weird thing is seeing contemporary TV footage - they sound like total cavemen, but they look pretty much like any other neatly-suited beat group of the period.

It sounds like it was recorded in 1969, no?
That astonishing, adventurous geetar solo

My personal favourite is He's Waitin', that song just fucking kicks ass over anything.

they were actually very elegant looking.

definately check out their much-unheralded version of Frank Zappas' 'Anyway The Wind Blows', from 67, with a different singer and outrageous use of the wah-wah pedal it's one of their finest moments.

hearing 'He's Waiting' on John Peel at age 17 kinda changed my life. from that moment on i knew that i could not be ...like the others.

They be playing 2 shows in NYC in November: http://www.myspace.com/cavestomp

Too bad NYC isn't anywhere near where I am :-(

Local Beat heroes the Thanes are supporting too. I got to hear most of the garage rock basics through their singer, so seeing 'em go on before the Sonics would be just astonishing.

I wish I could be there, but there's really just no way . .

STRAIGHT FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST IT'S THE ONE AND ONLY...
SONICS!!!!!THIS IS A CAVESTOMP! EXCLUSIVE!!! First time in 35 years! And these TWO nights are their ONLY shows! Featuring original members: Gerry Roslie!!! on throat/keyboards, Larry Parypa!!! on guitar, and Rob Lind!!! on tenor sax! With Dave Rowland (of The Wailers) on drums!! And Don Wilhelm (of The Daily Flash) on bass!!

Sounds awesome. Hmmm, 35 years??? So that means they played in '72.

I saw the Thanes a few months ago, they were great.

I would fucking love to see the Sonics, even if it is 40 years too late.

"Cinderella", "The Witch" and "He's Waiting" are all classic.

The rest is the standard over-rated garage band shite.

You're over-rated garage band shite.

I'll grant you there are a lot of garage bands guilty of padding out LPs with filler and duff covers, but not the Sonics.

"You're over-rated garage band shite"

It's like Noel Coward never died.

If Noel Coward was alive, even he would tell you that the Sonics had more than three songs, and that you, sir, are not a gentleman.

"Strychnine", Phil.

also "Shot Down".

At the very least!

Seriously their version of "Shot Down" kicks ass all over the place. It's vicious.

JUST GOT MYSELF A NEW SET OF WHEELS
MY FOLKS HELPED ME SWING THE DEAL
BELIEVE ME HONEY, I'M NO FOOL
I GOT THE MONEY WORKIN' AFTER SCHOOL

OK, I'll give them another listen. Only heard 3 good ones last time, so I'll be upset if you're all leading me down the garden path.

And a pox on "Louie Louie" whoever it's by.

No way, dude! Their version of Louie Louie is killer. They change the chords so it's I-bIII-IV instead of I-IV-minor v. It's a snarler.

They sing in Roman numerals?

Let me at it!

Oh sorry. I misread "chords" as "chorus".

Strychnine is the hands down best 60s punk song of them all for me

"STRAIGHT FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST IT'S THE ONE AND ONLY...
SONICS!!!!!THIS IS A CAVESTOMP! EXCLUSIVE!!! First time in 35 years! And these TWO nights are their ONLY shows! Featuring original members: Gerry Roslie!!! on throat/keyboards, Larry Parypa!!! on guitar, and Rob Lind!!! on tenor sax! With Dave Rowland (of The Wailers) on drums!! And Don Wilhelm (of The Daily Flash) on bass!!

Sounds awesome. Hmmm, 35 years??? So that means they played in '72."

They had a reunion show that year, which Etiquette released in the eighties as FANZ ONLY, a 12-inch EP. Some of these same tracks made their way onto Norton's Sonics reissues in the late nineties. They still sounded good at that point, but then again they hadn't been gone that long. Love the way the bass is cranked up louder than everything else...

I got a turntable recently, after not having had one for nearly ten years.
One of the best damn things about it is that I can listen to the Norton Records reissue of _The Witch/Keep A Knockin'_ 7". God that stuff is the best shit ever.
I was really disappointed with the _Boom!_ LP when Norton reissued it in, uh, '98? Ought to give that thing a few spins again (particularly now that I see the excitement here over "Shot Down"), ditto the _Don't Believe in Christmas/Santa Claus_ single.

Never could decide what 60s rock song had the better screams, "Psycho", or Ralph Nielsen & The Chancellors', ah, "Scream!"

Boom! has He's Waitin' which is the best Sonics song ever

THE SONICS

THE SONICS

Well said!

HIGH
LOW
TIPSY TOE
SHE BROKE THE NEEDLE
AND SHE CAN'T SEW

THE SONICS THE SONICS THE SONICS THE SONICS

Did anyone see them at Cavestomp? They're playing in London in March. I've got my ticket already, just wondering how they are these days.

Their "Louie Louie" is the best one on this "10 Different Versions of Louie Louie" tape I've got, though the marching band comes close.
The only other version of Louie Louie I know of that can even compare is the Swamp Rats'. I haven't heard this tape.

SONICS=MURDERFUCKINGYEAHYEAHYEAHYEAH

Saw them tonight, my only grouch is that they played my favourite song (He's Waitin') first, and the sound was shit - could only hear the drums. That got better as they went on and had a great time for the rest of the st - the encore was Louie Louie & The Witch, perhaps not surprising but fucking awesome nonetheless! Their version of Louie Louie is about the only one bar the original & the Kingsmen version I can be arsed to listen to - mainly because of the different chords I guess.

The Sonics are playing the Paramount Theater in downtown Seattle on October 31st.

Ho
lee
fuck

I still want to see if anyone can come up with even a feeble "Dud" argument... I seriously don't think it's possible. This might be a band for the "is there an act all of ILM can agree on?" thread.

jesus christ the drum sound on "he's waitin'". and "boss hoss". and everything else. jesus!

"jesus christ the drum sound on "he's waitin'". and "boss hoss". and everything else. jesus!"

also, the break on "Louie Louie". Boom boom from hell!

Some folks like water
Some folks like wine
But the Sonics will fuck you in the ear EVERY motherfucking time.

Classic, natch.

hey Stevie van zandt!

Yeah, that was really cool.

who is stevie van zandt? (in this thread not in real life...that i know.)

he is in this thread who he is in real life. Steven Van Zandt flew to Seattle to introduce the Sonics at last night's show, and he played backing guitar for the Sonics for about three songs.

There were tons of film crew all around, so I think last night's show is going to be put on some upcoming DVD, as will their other shows from the past year.

fwiw, I had a great time last night. While it's hardly surprising, the show was produced like an oldies/kinda-vegas type of thing, which makes a lot of sense -- even though the context of the Sonics these days is as youthful as it gets, so it was weird at first. Then again, I felt like an adolescent as far as crowd average age, which is really rare these days lol. Maybe 33% of Tacoma baby boomers were at the show last night?

Who came out in the suit to sing near the end of the set? Was that the Wailers' singer?

Best part was seeing Bob Bennett (orig. Sonics drummer) join the Sonics' touring drummer last night near the end, and seeing them in near perfect sync.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/pop/386048_sonics03q.html
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/ae/popupV2.asp?SubID=4281&page=1>itle=The%20Sonics%2C%20Girl%20Trouble%2C%20Kate%20Tucker%20at%20the%20Paramount&pubdate=10/31/08

LOL Where's If Tim Yuro and the higgs? re: photo link :)

(My arm silhouette is in one of those photos too.)

the higgs has been at some trade show thing for work today. I don't necessarily have a ton to say, but being in the room to hear Gerry Roslie rev up that scream was amazing.

Just saw that picture! Funny.

THE SONICS

I don't know how many original members they currently have, but the guitar and vocals sounded great in the footage I saw of them at the Ponderosa Stomp fest in New Orleans. They're gonna be on a Norton Records bill with the Flaming Groovies in Brooklyn November 12. Wish they'd come to Washington D.C.

THE SONICS

THE SONICS

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Sunday, September 30, 2007 1:04 AM (6 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

otm

ha, yes

I think it's the same lineup they've toured with the past few years, so original guitar, sax, and Roslie. That Norton Records show is going to be fun.

Also I agree with all the people who say, because it is all that needs to be said:

THE SONICS

Thanks. Ya gotta say it a few times like James Murphy

Sorry, THE SONICS THE SONICS THE SONICS

THE FABULOUS WAILERS

This is the sort of classic/dud threads that is the equivalent of asking if you think breathing oxygen is overrated.

Bought tickets today! Playing First Avenue with the Suicide Commandos.
http://first-avenue.com/event/2014/03/thesonics

What?

I heard it's 3/5ths original including the singer

How many Parypas?

Also, hadn't realized that the Suicide Commandos had started playing again in the past decade.

Sonics rule so much. Yeah that drum sound. Damn. Really great stuff to practice along to, imho.

anyone seen them live recently? they're playing my town in a couple of weeks

The Sonics, Tacoma, WA Garage Rock Legends, Announce First New Studio Album Since 1967 and North American Tour Dates

New Original Track "Bad Betty" Now Streaming HERE

Recorded in "earth-shaking mono" by noted producer Jim Diamond of Ghetto Recorders at Soundhouse Studios in Seattle, "This Is The Sonics" (release date: March 31, 2015) reunites original members Jerry Roslie on keyboards and vocals, Larry Parypa on guitar and vocals and Rob Lind on sax, harmonica and vocals. They are backed by a powerhouse rhythm section, bassist Freddie Dennis (the Kingsmen, the Liverpool Five) and drummer Dusty Watson (Dick Dale, Agent Orange).

Now, "This Is The Sonics," released on their own Tacoma-based label Revox Records, picks up where the band left off with 12 savage new songs. Producer Diamond, the Detroit force best known for his work with the White Stripes, Dirtbombs and Electric Six, recorded the new Sonics record in mono, live in the studio, with minimal overdubs, for a raw sound experience that befits their indelible legacy.

"Bad Betty" is an original track from the album, which was released in a different version on a split 7" single with Mudhoney for Record Store Day 2014.

The band's headlining tour, starting April 2, 2015 kicks off with a special record release party April 2 at Seattle's Moore Theater with Mudhoney and special guests.

4/2/2015 Seattle, WA - Moore Theater (record release party with Mudhoney & special guests)
4/4/2015 Las Vegas, NV - Viva Las Vegas Weekender
4/5/2015 Las Vegas, NV - Viva Las Vegas Weekender
4/8/2015 New York, NY - Irving Plaza*
4/9/2015 Asbury Park, NJ - Stone Pony*
4/10/2015 Allston, MA - Brighton Music Hall*
4/11/2015 Providence, RI - Columbus Theater*
4/12/2015 Philadelphia, PA - Theater of Living Arts*
4/23/2015 Cincinnati, OH - Woodward Theater*
4/24/2015 Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall*
4/25/2015 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick*
4/26/2015 Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace*
* support: Barrence Whitfield & the Savages

I fucking love the song!

The book Sonic Boom by Peter Blecha has a pretty decent band history of the Sonics. & is the reason for the title.
Also covers The Wailers, Kingsmen, Paul Revere & The Raiders and the history of Northwest electric music. Even giving Tomata du Plenty some coverage.
It spends time talking about the emergence of Louie Louie as a must play number for any band in the area. & says that The Raiders' version is also notably different. Also that by the time The Kingsmen's version hit the band had splintered.
Very worth reading.

Kicking myself for not trying to get to the gig The Sonics played in Galway last year. Getting home is a pain.
Guggi the main alternative dj/promoter in the area loves the band and plays them regularly.

Not sure if there's a better cd of the band than the Psychosonic compilation. It's been remastered since the edition I have which could be even better.

that song is a good deal better than i expected, roslie sounds his age vocally but i really dug that

Got a stream of the album and it's really phenomenal, a few originals and some very LOUD versions of some standards and my favorite a searing tale on The Kinks' "The Hard Way" that sounds punk as fuck.

OMG this album

https://player.spotify.com/album/3QhhOighHWz7tBHYxuhdvQ

Yeah it's phenomenal. Best garage rock album since...I dunno it's been so long since there was anything this solid! Everything sounds so great - drums, guitar, vocals, saxophone, the works. Amazing.

Hmm, I was thinking about skipping it based on the lukewarm reviews I saw, but now I'm intrigued. Not sure I'll buy in on there not being any great garage rock albums recently though, considering how great WAND and Ty Segall have been lately.

They'd both be improved with the addition of a sax player though.

somewhere the personal assistant of a Rolling Stone is trying to get in touch with the Sonics' drug dealer

anybody seen a recent show? they're playing here soon but it's $30

Guggi the main alternative dj/promoter in the area loves the band and plays them regularly.

Not sure if there's a better cd of the band than the Psychosonic compilation. It's been remastered since the edition I have which could be even better.

― Stevolende, Wednesday, January 21, 2015 10:53 PM

Stevo is this Guggi formerly of the Virgin Prunes?

Damn this new stuff sounds good!

Different Guggi

Video I took from my phone at the Philly show. The sound isn't horrible considering how loud and raw the song is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1Z2ntifLN8

Had a wonderful time at the show! The crowd was so diverse - there was some hip-hop dude with tons of thick gold chains smoking e-cigarettes the whole show to my left and some bald guys in their '60s to my right, some biker chicks and a bunch of hipsters. Everyone smiling and enjoying something we probably never thought we'd see.

The new album is great! I highly recommend it.

Used to love seeing Barrence Whitfield years ago, wish the bill with Sonics and Barrence was coming to my town. Alas, neither are.