Playlist: Jessica Clary’s Garage Rock Radio Show

Today, I played a garage rock show. As everyone knows, garage rock began in 1963, when The Kingsmen paid $36 for an hour in a recording studio and put “Louie, Louie” on tape. And then, ten years later, when Iggy and the Stooges released “Search and Destroy,” it was over.

Here are the songs I played, and some of the stories I told about them:

The Kingsmen – Louie, Louie
Like I said, the first garage rock song. Apparently when it was released, an angry parent wrote to Robert Kennedy demanding it be banned for obscenity. So, the FBI launched an investigation, obtaining master recordings of the song and interviewing the band members. They determined it couldn’t be obscene because the lyrics were “unintelligible at any speed.”
The Who – I Can’t Explain
The Rolling Stones – Nineteenth Nervous Breakdown
The Standells – Dirty Water
The Ramones – Rockaway Beach
The Yardbirds – For Your Love
Incredible guitarists were in the Yardbirds: Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page!
The Bob Seger System – Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man
The Kinks – Powerman
The Pixies – Tony’s Theme
The White Stripes – Hello Operator
The garage rock revival of the 2000s was lovely, and brought us Meg and Jack White, who are also lovely.
Franz Ferdinand – This Fire
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps
Beck – Gamma Ray
The Walkmen – The Rat
Wavves – Super Soaker
The Strokes – The Modern Age
Sleigh Bells – Infinity Guitars
Sleater-Kinney – You’re No Rock and Roll Fun
Elastica – Stutter
Bikini Kill – Rebel Girl
These are some of the garagiest lady bands around.
Spoon – Stay Don’t Go
They Might Be Giants – I’ve Got A Fang
Interpol – Obstacle 1
Hot Hot Heat – Bandages
The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You
Death Cab for Cutie – That’s Incentive
Crystal Antlers – Andrew
These bands right above here all would have made excellent garage rock bands. If they want to reinvent themselves, I’d like to suggest garage as a possible genre.
The Clash – (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais
The Sir Douglas Quintet – Mendocino
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich – Hold Tight!
Dave Dee (a.k.a. Dave Harman) got into music after being one of the first cops on the scene of the car accident that killed Eddie Cochran and injured Gene Vincent. Harman started playing Cochran’s guitar while it was impounded in the police station, and held onto it until he could return it to Cochran’s family.
The 13^th Floor Elevators – You’re Gonna Miss Me
Iggy and the Stooges – Search and Destroy
Did you  know this was produced by David Bowie? Now that you know, are you surprised?