Garage A Go-Go!

Well, one type of music I absolutely love is Garage. No, not THAT Garage; the tinny, over-produced, dub-step 'music' enjoyed by a certain urban youngster. I mean the original genre they called Garage. Forerunner to Punk and influencing many modern bands today such as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The White Stripes, The Black Keys and Kings of Leon. Garage is INSANELY listenable and I just can't help but want to jump up and dance whenever I hear it (just ask my good friend Viv, as she is usually with me). It's heavy fuzz and snotty vocals, sometimes broken with a psychedelic snippet or horn instrumental in the middle - Garage was also a Go-Go dancer's dream . . .

The most well-known and critically acclaimed Garage compilation, you've probably heard of - "Nuggets". But I've found another which I cannot stop listening to, despite it being in my collection for a good few years now "Uptight Tonight: The Ultimate 60s Garage Collection". Every song is pretty much a treat, one of my favourites of all time being on there anyway 'Psychotic Reaction' by Count Five. In fact I love this song so much that when I was DJing one night in The Zanzibar in Liverpool I played it three times, me and Viv taking to the dancefloor for all of them, I hasten to add.

Now how much do I wish I lived in a time whereby I could wear a bell-sleeved mini dress, backcomb my hair, paint my eyes jet black and dance in a sweaty club all night to music like this? Fortunately for me (and maybe you) there are many Garage revival nights and Festivals across Britain and Europe and Facebook is a great way of keeping in the loop with these things

I have yet to manage to get to one of these weekenders, and with recently having little Charlie, it may be some time. But that's the beauty of this music. I can quite happily bang one of my favourite Garage songs on and dance like a demented Go Go dancer in my living room. The music makes me happy. There's nothing I like more than to share amazing music with people (and if you've ever had the misfortune of being at a house party with me, you will know this) and Garage is definitely one of my preferred choices to share. So for anybody who hasn't really listened to it, or for people who have, it doesn't really matter, here's 10 Garage Rock Gems to start off with:

I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night) The Electric Prunes
Suzy Creamcheese - Teddy & His Patches
Pushin Too Hard - The Seeds
We're Pretty Quick - The Chob
Trouble - The Music Machine
Search and Destroy - Iggy & The Stooges
Out Of Our Tree - The Wailers
I'm Gonna Make You Mine - The Shadows Of The Knight
Respect - The Vagrants
Looking At You - MC5

Garage also influenced, and was influenced by many British R 'n' B bands such as The Creation, The Pretty Things and The Action but, that just opens up a whole new can of little musical worms . . . Until another time then.

Meanwhile, I urge you all to listen to just ONE of the songs above, kick off your shoes, clear a space in the front room and let go!!!


Jenne xx