10 Cool Proto Punk Albums From The 1960’s

[@adamjohnson5910]

Thirteenth floor elevators - psychedelic sounds The sonics - first two albums The ugly ducklings - somewhere outside The Remains... especially their live radio set from 1966 if you can track it down.

[@ralphbolton4865]

Paul Revere and the Raiders would fit in nicely.

[@tomrobinson5776]

As a child one of my favorite singles was Him Or Me What’s It Gonna Be? A great underrated track. Great chorus and intro guitar lick.

[@WayneScank]

Great topic. I especially like The Nuggets box set 4 CDs. I play it several times a year. As always, Tom and the commenters feed my music curiosities.

[@tomrobinson5776]

That Nuggets box set is excellent. So many singles in there I grew up with from a very young age.

[@theonetruerobb4852]

Just a note - The Standells were from SoCal, or Arizona, or some where very far west of Bay State Road. They never set foot in Boston that I'm aware of. Maybe the package tour stopped by when the song had some radio play.

[@coolfurillo8169]

Great selection. Others that could be included: The Sonics, Remains, Them, The Troggs, Shadows of Knight, ? and The Mysterians, The Count Five..

[@tomrobinson5776]

All great selections you’ve added here. 😉

[@sh230968]

Sister Ray is such a unique masterpiece.

[@ricjan58]

A great list Tom, but as you said you probably missed a few so here's a few more: The Sonics both Here Comes and Boom, The Leaves Hey Joe, The Electric Prunes Underground, The 13th Floor Elevators Psychedelic Sounds and Easter Everywhere, Blue Cheer Outsideinside, a couple Who classics, Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy and Live at Leeds and my pick for the most garagy Kinks album The Kinks Kontroversy. I hope you have a copy of the Nuggets 4 cd box set which is absolutely incredible.

[@tomrobinson5776]

I have a copy. 😉

[@cebusapella9125]

Very interesting video, many thanks and some really good choices. I'd definitely have the Sonics in my list, The Missing Links' album too, and the first two 13th Floor Elevators albums, plus Them & the Pretty Things. But nobody seems to have mentioned what for me is the most punk album of the mid 60s - the Monks' Black Monk Time. The lyrics are pretty nonsensical and the songs are wild and tuneless - it's brilliant!

[@tomrobinson5776]

I need to check out The Monks. One of those bands I’ve heard of for many years, but never explored the music. The Pretty Things are great. They don’t get enough credit at least here in the U.S.

[@paulgoldstein2569]

I had only vaguely heard of The Monks. It appears they were a German band who never had records released outside Germany. They appear to have no CD compilations.

[@cebusapella9125]

@@paulgoldstein2569 Hi Paul. They were five GIs stationed in Germany. There's a good Wikipedia page about them. They released 1 album "Black Monk Time" in 'the mid 60s which I have on CD (with a couple of their later singles added on). This can be heard on KZbin in all its glory! On Spotify I can only find their "Early Recordings" which is crap in my opinion. There's some live videos of them on "Beat Club" in 1966 on KZbin too, and some videos of them live after they reformed in the 90s and 00s which I've not checked out.

[@LuxVivens9]

Steppenwolf's first album was kick ass!

[@tomrobinson5776]

No doubt about it.

[@foursail100]

I met Blue Cheer before they hit the stage at the Fillmore East in April 1968. A life changer for me!

[@tomrobinson5776]

That is very cool. 😉

[@saulschlapik6818]

The Sect, first album by the Downliners Sect; my 80s reissue says Punk from the vaults! Obscure English band sounds like the early Stones & Pretty Things. There are also two punk classics on the Riot on Sunset Strip soundtrack album, the title song by the Standells and Sitting There Standing by the Chocolate Watchband. I was in college in Boston in 76 when the guy next door to me in the dorm turned me on to a lot of the bands listed here & in the comments. A month after I met him, he started a band that covered a lot of these songs and to this day is the best live band I've ever seen. Have you heard of DMZ?

[@tomrobinson5776]

Sounds familiar, but not sure. I’ll have to look them up…

[@RogerGriffiths-nj3ro]

Some good choices there. I would add the Troggs who were massive here in the UK in 66/67 and the first album from Love.

[@tomrobinson5776]

Absolutely 😉

[@williamvarga4643]

YES !!!!!!! Bonniwell and the Music Machine were simply revolutionary , , , , , , Absolutely / Positively is such a great banger - (stereo hand claps moving between speakers are just too good) , , , , another absolute gem is I've Loved You - the pathos in his voice is gut and soul wrenching as he pronounces his unrequited love to the world - it's virtually operatic, , , , just a fantastic song , , , , good on ya for giving them their due , , , , not sure if you knew this , , , , , they did the one glove thing way before Michael Jackson , , , , , when performing they all wore one black glove , , , , check out some of their live performances on KZbin and you can see it / if they had a fault, , , , it's that their songs were too short

[@tomrobinson5776]

I’ll check out those live performances. 😉

[@digitalzomby]

All great albums you chose here!

[@bradhansen2065]

First, the cover picture for this video is of albums not featured in the video itself? But the alums featured have a lot of history for me. Saw Blue Cher along with Country Joe and others at something that was called "The Newport Pop festival." Only one, I believe that was ever held.

[@tomrobinson5776]

Very cool. My brother went to the sequel called Newport ‘69 held in Northridge, CA in June 1969.

[@hippydippy]

Good list. I actually bought the MC5's (uncensored album) & The Stooges debut at the same time. I was 14. As for Blue Cheer... Their 2nd album & side 2 of the 3rd are "far" from mellow. Especially the 2nd "OutsideInside". That album is heavy. I also did artwork for the band in 2005. Dickie Peterson seen some of my psych artwork from his manager & called me out of the blue one day. He was in Germany at the time, but they were coming back to the US do their first tour in I believe in 25 years. We talked for almost an hour. Super cool. I could go & on, but it was a highlight of my life. Rest easy DP.

[@tomrobinson5776]

Wow, that’s a cool story. I remember I had a cassette of Outside Inside, but can’t remember what happened to it.

[@WayneScank]

I agree with many of the commenters' choices. Tom, you mentioned The Kinks' influence on The Pretenders. When was C Hynde involved with Ray Davies?

[@tomrobinson5776]

Around 1981 I believe…

[@Cap683]

I saw Blue Cheer on the Mike Douglas Show. The must have been so incredibly loud that it overloaded the studio audio and video equipment because the TV picture got wavy. Mike Douglas talked to the band after they played and he asked about their volume and amplifiers etc. The guitarist said "Fuzz Face" to his query. You have to hand to Mike Douglas. He would have musical acts from that era on his show despite being straight laced. Dickey Peterson said in an interview that while everyone during that time took LSD, Blue Cheer "took it to a whole new level." I remember seeing a picture of them (probably from an album) playing and they had probably ten Marshall stacks behind them.

[@tomrobinson5776]

That’s awesome. Great story. 😉

[@russellkroeker2822]

The Sonics!!! 🔥

[@TheGamecock366]

Definitely. I have their first 2 albums on CD.

[@christianewen3227]

Thank you for this one! 🙏

[@lupcokotevski2907]

The Missing Links (1965), self titled from Australia. Their gigs were notoriously destructive in their Ramones length hair. They recorded a totally backwards song - you can't miss it because it's title is also backwards.

[@tomrobinson5776]

I gotta check that out. 😉

[@lupcokotevski2907]

@@tomrobinson5776 Classic garage rock of the era. The vinyl is rare and expensive. Cheers.

[@roygoad2870]

The Kinks I Need You, one of their best, b-side to Set Me Free, also The Pretenders did have a great version of Stop Your Sobbing as their debut single! Electric Prunes first single Ain’t It Hard was never a hit, from May 1966, though now mostly known for their next two singles! Being from the UK you can’t leave out The Troggs, probably the best known track Wild Thing, was massive, two of my lesser known favourites I Want You and I Can’t Control Myself, capture the 1966/7 punk sound plus many more to perfection imo! Oh and Captain Beefheart was on American Bandstand in June 1966, they played his hit Diddy Wah Diddy. His album Safe as Milk deserves a mention 😊

[@tomrobinson5776]

All great stuff you’ve mentioned here. 😉

[@roygoad2870]

@@tomrobinson5776 The Shadows of Knight from Chicago definitely influenced the Doors, in fact their second album from 1966 was called Back Door Men, first track on the album Bad Little Woman would’ve been what they were listening to for sure imo! Love the track Oh Yeah! 👍

[@jessem470]

Fantastic collection Cant say enough and shout out to Lenny Kaye who recognized this music for what it was and was responsible for Nuggets issued in 1972 I would say Monks would fit on list but because of relatively recent coming to light , same with Death in 71 both great forerunners to punk but influential No 2 great band that Punks in UK looked on fondly ( or didnt hate is putting it better )Hawkwind and Groundhogs I love Groundhogs

[@tomrobinson5776]

I need to pick up a Hawkwind album. Never owned one. So many citing their influence. Next purchase. 😉

[@driftwoodpile]

Whenever proto punk albums enter the conversation, I always recommend David peel and the Lower East Side "Have a Marijuana"

[@paulgoldstein2569]

Both sixties albums by Van Morrison's group THEM, all 1966-67 albums by Paul Revere And The Raiders, who were unheard of in the UK, and an early 1967 album released in Holland by The Outsiders, not to be confused with their U.S. Teen Pop namesakes, and the first three UK albums 1965-67 by The Pretty Things. What about the second album by The Seeds, better than their first, and the first album from 1966 by 13th Floor Elevators. Plus The Troggs' first U.S. album Wild Thing, and their third UK album Cellophane. First Dutch album by Q65.

[@tomrobinson5776]

Yes, all great releases.

[@TheAnarchitek]

Love, the first LP Where Were You When I Needed You, the Grass Roots (Original group*) Having a Rave-Up with the Yardbirds The Standells singles were terrific, but their covers of current were typical of bar band versions. * PF Sloan, Steve Barri, Larry Knechtel, Joel Larson, and Bones Howe - Same kinds of bar band cover versions as the Standells, except their version of a Dylan tune, which Sloan/Barri renamed Mr Jones (Ballad of a Thin Man. Best. Version. Ever.

[@TheGamecock366]

I consider Blue Cheer a proto heavy metal band.

[@tomrobinson5776]

They are that as well. 😉

[@DodgeDartSongs]

Great topic, great list.

[@drewgeraci8434]

How do you keep your albums on such thin shelves? Is the shelf made of oak?

[@tomrobinson5776]

My father made these shelfs back in the early 80’s. I’m not sure what type of wood, but they are super strong and have been supporting records for decades. They are bolted to the wall in case of an earthquake.

[@simonagree4070]

Agree with all your choices, might want to cherry-pick The Dave Clark Five, The Pretty Things, and The Small Faces, too. For real early hard core punk, (or proto-Shaggs) you might want to try the early albums by The Fugs, around '65 on ESP Records. Sure, they rarely plugged in their instruments, but they had the attitude, and a taste for filth and social commentary. Putting one of their records on was guaranteed to clear a party.

[@billlashure2008]

Music Machine, Blue Cheer, Standells, Blues Magoos, MC5 ( I saw them "live" -- ( mindblowing/ Blue Cheer also) Naturally thexKinks and The Who( great "live" act first US tour-- Moon the fsstest craziest drummer ever) -- add Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Animals, Love, Doors--- Airplane " Surrealistic Pillow"

[@aisforapple2494]

The Pretenders probably took more than influence from The Kinks considering that Ray Davies and Chrissie Hynde, The Pretenders' lead vocalist, were married.

[@adamfindlay7091]

The Who. Anyway I appreciate yer picks. Some, here I've heard via L Steve's radioooooh oh oh, like M Machine, very cool I like their emotional tone. Can we add Link Wray? Also the Cramps did Primitive by uh that band er hmm oh whatever their name was...the Groupies! Yeah.

[@leifelix7]

Starting off with The Witch, and including tracks like Strychnine, Boss Hoss and their version of Have Love Will Travel. The Sonics first album "Here Are The Sonics!!!" gotta be one of the finest proto-punk/garage albums ever made. 10 points on the Richter scale. 💥🎼🎶

[@tomrobinson5776]

A great record indeed.

[@fatbelly27]

Early kinks were ahead of the pack. The Who were consistently good through the 60s.

[@kso808]

I would add any of Paul Revere & The Raiders LPs from that time period

[@tomrobinson5776]

Totally. Always loved the single Him Or Me What’s It Gonna Be? So good!

[@DanSPsych67]

Stuff I Was Raised On And Still Engulfed In.....

[@DanSPsych67]

Ohh!! Don't Forget " Pipe Dream" On The Magoo's " Electric Comic Book....

[@martinmarron3798]

The remains The missing link Would fit in also ☮️ 🍄

[@chrisbotelho7212]

Have a few of your picks here. Kinks-Size is the best of the early Kinks l.p.'s

[@tomrobinson5776]

I agree 😉

[@Iomhar]

Sonics.