Search - Various Artists :: Pebbles, Vol. 1: Original 60s Punk & Psych Classics

A good kick-off to an essential series

Casey Scott | 06/01/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The PEBBLES series is well-documented as the underdog follow-up to the infamous NUGGETS set, but real music lovers in the know have learned it is the far superior collection, compiling more obscure tunes by more obscure bands. Now, to be fair, not all the volumes in the series are really worth getting. VOL. 1 is a superb introduction to the series. Word of warning: The Litter's "Action Woman", The Haunted's "1-2-5", Kim Fowley's "The Trip", The Elastic Band's "Spazz", The Sparkles' "No Friend of Mine", and Gonn's "Blackout of Gretely" all have appeared on either NUGGETS or NUGGETS II, but they're presented here sounding like they're blaring out of your turntable, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Plus "Blackout of Gretely" is much longer here than it appears on NUGGETS!Not all the songs on this set are worth a relisten, but some of the real gems are The Preachers' "Who Do You Love" (quite a departure from the familiar Woolies version), The Grains of Sand's "Going Away Baby", The Split Ends' "Rich With Nothin'" (great song about a rich girl who turns her back on her roots), and The Wild Knights' "Beaver Patrol", which must be one of the raunchiest rock records ever recorded. A bonus track, "It's Your Time" by The Weeds, is really cool, too!Another word of warning: Wig's "Crackin' Up" and The Third Booth's "I Need Love" are not included on this CD, despite being on the track listing. Most of the best songs on this CD would be included on the later ESSENTIAL PEBBLES compilations, but this is still one disc you shouldn't be without in your 60s garage band collection."

4.5 stars- a fantastic beginning to a great series.

Laszlo Matyas | 05/20/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Originally released in 1978 by a small Australian record label, the first volume of the Pebbles series is one of the quintessential platters of obscure 60s garage rock. The songs here are rough, rowdy, and raw, bashed out by pimple-popping teenagers with a surplus of passion and youthful agression. The set boasts some of the most revered garage rock tunes ever- The Litter's "Action Woman," for example, is widely considered to be one of the greatest 60s punk tunes of all time. Which makes perfect sense when you consider the fact that its a brutal, cathartic masterpiece, brimming with manic energy and sexual frustration. The Preachers' rendition of the classic Bo Diddley tune "Who Do You Love" is a grimey, thuggish, violent masterpiece, decked out with some caveman vocals and a mencaing, roaring melody. The Haunted's "1-2-5" is the epitome of slinky, greasy rock n roll, and "Going Away Baby" by the Grains of Sand is a hyperactive barn-burning organ-bashing extraviganza. The Outcasts' "I'm In Pittsburgh" is pure, double-time proto punk, and the Wild Knights' "Beaver Patrol" is fantastically filthy. There are also a few flat-out weirdos: Kim Fowley's "The Trip" is a wonderfully sleazy psychedelic rant, and The Elastik Band's "Spazz" may very well be one of the most insensitive songs of all time- and it's still great. The JuJus' "You Treat Me Bad" features some fantastically odd lead vocals and a great, driving guitar line. The Soup Greens contribute a hilarious cover of Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone" which bears almost no resemblance to the original. But never mind that- with its driving, "Louie Louie" style chord progression and sing-along vocals, it's still a great song. The Gonn's "Blackout of Gretely" and the Sparkles' "Ain't No Friend of Mine" (both of which were included as CD only bonus tracks) are two of the loudest, rawest, and meanest garage songs ever. There are a few somewhat unspectacular tracks: "Potato Chip" is an obscure number by the relatively well-known Shadows of Knight, possibly released as a promotion for a potato chip company, which features a spoken word "interview" with the band followed by a weird song about the titular snack food. The interview, which is obviously scripted and features the band cracking some terrible jokes in a bored monotone, is interesting for kitsch value and not much else. The song itself is weird, dull, and worthless. Positively 13 O Clock (a doppleganger for Texas' Mouse and the Traps) turn in a fun but largely forgettable cover of the Count Five's "Psychotic Reaction," and the Split Ends' "Rich With Nothin'" is a decent but unnecessary number that I could really give or take. Also, the packaging itself contiand a couple of truly boneheaded errors: Two of the songs listed as being on the CD (The Wig's "Crackin' Up" and "I Need Love" by the Third Booth) are left off of the disc. The compilers also left off the Squires' excellent "Going all the Way," even though it was one of the highlights of the vinyl edition. Nonetheless, this is an excellent garage compilation, and a key purchase for any fan of 60s obscurity."

'Pebbles, Volume 1: Original '60's Punk & Psych Classics' (A

Mike Reed | USA | 05/26/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Twenty track collection - just as good as the 'Pebbles, Volume 2' (see my review). Bands here that I dug the most include The Litter (from Minneapolis) - has several lp's out - WHY haven't I heard of these guys before? Plus there are stellar cuts by the one-song wonder Psychotic Reaction (band, now - not the song) with "Positively 13 O'Clock", Shadows Of Knight, the Texas garage band the Sparkles, The Haunted, Third Booth and and then on the very last track, it's an 'unidentified' surprize tune. Worthy of many repeated spin(s) in your home entertainment center. A+"