The Sonics | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Of all the garage bands that made a glorious racket in the 1960s, few if any were louder, wilder, or more raw than the Sonics, a Tacoma, Washington quintet whose over the top style, complete with roaring guitars, pounding drums, and the fevered howls of lead singer Gerry Roslie, anticipated the mania of punk and pushed rock & roll deep into the red zone during their 1963-1966 heyday. The Sonics were stars in Washington, but it took a while for the rest of the world to catch on, and in time they would become one of the most fabled bands on the Pacific Northwest rock scene. The Sonics were founded in 1960 by guitarist Larry Parypa, who was introduced to the guitar by his uncle and encouraged by his parents, who both had a keen interest in music. The Sonics began as an instrumental combo that featured Larrys older brother Andy Parypa on guitar and, for a brief time, another Parypa sibling, Jerry, on sax, while their mom occasionally played bass at rehearsals. The Sonics initially specialized in tough R&B; material and guitar-based instrumentals in the mold of Link Wray and Duane Eddy. Before long, the Sonics became a fixture on the Tacoma teen club scene, a lively circuit that included the Wailers (not Bob Marleys band) and Paul Revere & the Raiders. The Sonics early lineup shifted often, but the groups membership became stable in late 1963 with the arrival of three members of the Searchers (not to be confused with the British pop group), a band fronted by future Moby Grape guitarist Jerry Miller. Drummer Bob Bennett, sax player Rob Lind, and keyboard player Gerry Roslie jumped ship from the Searchers to become permanent members of the Sonics, with Larry remaining on lead guitar and Andy shifting to bass. Although the band had been solid before, the new lineup evolved into a powerhouse; Bennett wasnt afraid to hit the drums hard, Larrys guitar work had become sharper and more ferocious with time, and when Roslie was encouraged to sing, they discovered he could wail like a leather-lunged Little Richard, and the Sonics quickly became the most talked-about band in the Northwest. In 1964, Buck Ormsby, who played bass with Northwest heroes the Wailers, was impressed with the Sonics new lineup and became their manager, as well as signing them to Etiquette Records, a local label he helped run. For their first single, the Sonics took one of their few original tunes and changed it from a number about a proposed dance craze into a cautionary tale about a treacherous female; the results, "The Witch," had a dark, sinister undercurrent and between Parypas guitar, Bennetts drumming, and Roslies vocals, it was louder and crazier-sounding than anything else a Northwest band had committed to tape. Backed with a manic cover of Little Richards "Keep AKnockin," the single was too much for many local radio stations, but eventually it broke through in enough smaller markets that the record became a major hit in the Northwest; enough so that rather than continue to pay publishing royalties to Little Richard for the B-side, the band recorded another original, "Psycho," that soon turned the 45 into a two-sided hit. In 1965, Ormsby rushed the Sonics into the studio to cut a full-length album, and Here Are the Sonics!!! was a garage rock touchstone, a loud and relentless slice of primitive thunder that caught the band at its hot-wired peak, thanks in part to the simple, elemental production by recording engineer Kearney Barton. The success of "The Witch" and "Psycho" made the Sonics a major draw in the Northwest, and they were playing some of the biggest and most prestigious venues available to local rock bands of the day (including the Seattle Coliseum), as well as sharing stages with the Beach Boys and the Shangri-Las. In 1966, the Sonics cut a second LP for Etiquette with Barton, Boom, which featured several more local hits, including "Cinderella," "Dont Be Afraid of the Dark," and "Shot Down." However, it became evident that the Sonics had gone as far as a local band could go in the Northwest, while they enjoyed only scattered airplay in the rest of the United States. The Sonics signed a deal with Jerden Records, another Northwest label that had a distribution deal with ABC-Paramount Records, giving the band a better shot at national success. Unfortunately, Jerden head Jerry Dennon sent the Sonics to Los Angeles to record their third album, 1967s Introducing the Sonics, and while producer and engineer Larry Levine had an impressive résumé (including recording many of Phil Spectors classic singles), he couldnt deliver the hard-edged sound Barton had brought to their earlier work, and Introducing the Sonics sounded anemic compared to their Etiquette recordings, despite strong performances by the group. Later in 1967, the Sonics recorded a cover of Frank Zappas "Any Way the Wind Blows" for Piccadilly Records, a Jerden offshoot, and while it was promptly reissued by Uni Records, it failed to click. Soon afterward, Bennett and Roslie left the band, and while Lind and the Parypa brothers soldiered on for a while, it wasnt long before the Sonics were history. The Sonics reputation in the Northwest led to a one-off reunion show in Seattle in 1972 (a handful of tunes from the show appeared on an EP from Etiquette, Live Fanz Only), and in 1980 Roslie began working with a garage rock band called the Invaders. They recorded an album dominated by old Sonics tunes and mid-60s covers; titled Sinderella, it was released under the name the Sonics, though beyond Roslies vocals, it didnt capture the original bands raw magic. By this time, the Sonics had gained a powerful reputation among fans of vintage garage rock, and later in the decade many bands on the burgeoning grunge scene, including Nirvana and Mudhoney, would cite the Sonics as an influence, as would such nuevo-garage acts as the Hives and the White Stripes. In 2007, the Sonics were persuaded to do a reunion show in New York City as part of the annual Cavestomp garage rock festival; while Andy Parypa and Bob Bennett opted not to participate, citing an unwillingness to travel, Gerry Roslie, Larry Parypa, and Rob Lind were on hand, with Ricky Lynn Johnson, formerly of the Wailers, sitting in on drums and Don Wilhelm of the Daily Flash on bass. The show was a success, and the Sonics began regularly playing club and festival dates in Europe and the United Kingdom, as well as a few dates at home, with Bennett joining the new lineup of the band on-stage for a 2008 show in Seattle. In 2009, Don Wilhelm parted ways with the Sonics, and Freddie Dennis became their new bassist. In 2010, the Sonics went into the studio with producer Jack Endino to record their first new material since the 60s; the EP, entitled 8, also saw Andy Parypa rejoining his brother Larry, Roslie, Lind, and Johnson to record four new songs, with four live tracks rounding out the release. In 2014, the Sonics -- featuring new drummer Dusty Watson, who had worked with Dick Dale, the Surfaris, Davie Allan, the Boss Martians, and the Supersuckers, as well as Gerry Roslie, Rob Lind, Larry Parypa, and Freddie Dennis -- began work on a full-length album, with producer and engineer Jim Diamond (the Dirtbombs, the White Stripes, the Fleshtones, the Pack A.D.) at the controls. The LP, This Is the Sonics, was released on the groups own Revox label in March 2015, followed by an American concert tour. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 13 Title: Merry Christmas Released: 1965 Tracks: 11 Duration: 30:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Santa Claus (02:52) 2 Shes Coming Home (03:02) 3 Dont Believe in Christmas (01:46) 4 Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (02:38) 5 Christmas Spirit?? (03:15) 6 The Village Idiot (Jingle Bells) (02:41) 7 Its Christmas (?) 8 Please Come Home for Christmas (03:13) 9 Maybe This Year (03:24) 10 Christmas Eve (04:16) 11 The Christmas Song (03:13) |
 | Album: 2 of 13 Title: Here Are The Sonics!!! Released: 1965 Tracks: 12 Duration: 29:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Witch (02:40) 2 Do You Love Me (02:19) 3 Roll Over Beethoven (02:49) 4 Boss Hoss (02:24) 5 Dirty Robber (02:02) 6 Have Love Will Travel (02:45) 7 Psycho (02:17) 8 Money (02:00) 9 Walkin the Dog (02:45) 10 Night Time Is the Right Time (02:59) 11 Strychnine (02:17) 12 Good Golly Miss Molly (02:08) |
 | Album: 3 of 13 Title: Boom Released: 1966 Tracks: 16 Duration: 41:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Cinderella (02:44) 2 Dont Be Afraid of the Dark (02:25) 3 Skinny Minny (02:14) 4 Let the Good Times Roll (02:02) 5 Dont You Just Know It (02:52) 6 Jenny Jenny (02:20) 7 Hes Waitin (02:39) 8 Louie Louie (02:58) 9 Since I Fell for You (04:00) 10 Hitch Hike (02:45) 11 Its Alright (02:13) 12 Shot Down (02:13) 13 The Hustler (02:14) 14 The Witch (alternate take) (02:40) 15 Psycho (live) (02:05) 16 The Witch (live) (02:59) |
| Boom : Allmusic album Review : The Sonics second album is every bit as explosive and influential as their debut outing, loaded with gritty Northwest rock & roll. Sandwiched in between the abrasive classics of "Cinderella" and "Dont Be Afraid of the Dark" (with the Wailers on backing vocals), the funk sass of "The Hustler" and "Shot Down," the demonic "Hes Waitin," and the sledgehammer, inside-out version of "Louie, Louie" (only three chords to play and they dont even play em) are the bands straight-ahead takes on old R&B chestnuts like "Skinny Minnie," "Let the Good Times Roll," "Dont You Just Know It," "Since I Fell for You," "Hitch Hike," and a nice barn-burning version of "Jenny Jenny." Where the Wailers cut down the trees and paved the highway, the Sonics were the first group from their neck of the woods to take that music somewhere wilder than their original inspirations. The second chapter of Northwest rock & roll after you absorb the Wailers Golden Crest sides. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 13 Title: Introducing the Sonics Released: 1967 Tracks: 11 Duration: 24:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Witch (02:17) 2 Youve Got Your Head on Backwards (02:23) 3 Im a Man (03:00) 4 On the Road Again (01:46) 5 Psycho (02:12) 6 Love Lights (02:41) 7 Im Going Home (02:25) 8 High Time (02:06) 9 Im a Rolling Stone (02:07) 10 Like No Other Man (02:02) 11 Maintaining My Cool (01:41) |
| Introducing the Sonics : Allmusic album Review : This is a limited-edition, 180-gram premium vinyl audiophile pressing of the groups final album for Jerry Dennons Jerden label. In addition to the bands two original hits (recorded and originally issued on the Etiquette label), there are 13 sides that were cut at the bands last session in 1966. All of the material on here is the same as on Jerdens compact disc version of the same material (issued as Maintaining My Cool), save for the exclusion of a lame version of "Hanky Panky," mercifully replaced here with Gerry Roslies original "Love Lights." This makes a more than interesting comparison for audiophiles when compared to Jerdens CD version of this, minus the track swap. This also features the original album cover art of the band captured in a blue duo-tone in their matching gaucho outfits. Hardcore fans of the band and completists will want both versions of this. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 13 Title: Full Force! Released: 1984 Tracks: 12 Duration: 29:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Witch (02:40) 2 Hes Waitin (02:39) 3 Do You Love Me (02:19) 4 Shot Down (02:13) 5 Cinderella (02:44) 6 Louie Louie (02:58) 7 Psycho (02:17) 8 Boss Hoss (02:24) 9 The Hustler (02:14) 10 Dont Be Afraid of the Dark (02:25) 11 Keep a Knockin (01:55) 12 Strychnine (02:11) |
| Full Force! : Allmusic album Review : Concise 12-song best-of, including "Witch," "Psycho, " "Strychnine, " "The Hustler, " "Hes Waitin, " and "Boss Hoss." All of the songs are on the Ultimate Sonics CD. But non-completists might well prefer this as the most representative anthology, especially considering how repetitious the band could get; this boils away the generic stuff and distills the essence. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 13 Title: Here Are the Ultimate Sonics Released: 1991 Tracks: 26 Duration: 1:12:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Witch (02:40) 2 Do You Love Me (02:19) 3 Boss Hoss (02:24) 4 Dirty Robber (02:02) 5 Have Love Will Travel (02:39) 6 Psycho (02:17) 7 Money (02:00) 8 Walkin the Dog (02:45) 9 Night Time Is the Right Time (02:59) 10 Strychnine (02:11) 11 Good Golly Miss Molly (02:08) 12 The Hustler (02:14) 13 Psycho (live) (02:05) 14 Cinderella (02:44) 15 Dont Be Afraid of the Dark (02:25) 16 Skinny Minny (02:14) 17 Jenny Jenny (02:20) 18 Hes Waitin (02:39) 19 Louie Louie (02:58) 20 Hitch Hike (02:45) 21 Shot Down (02:13) 22 Keep a Knockin (01:55) 23 The Witch (live) (03:01) 24 The Witch (version 2) (02:38) 25 Here Come the Sonics (00:50) 26 Interview - Andy Parypa (13:18) |
| Here Are the Ultimate Sonics : Allmusic album Review : Combining all the tracks from their first two Etiquette albums, three tracks from the labels Christmas album, live tracks, and an alternate take of "The Witch," this compilation more than lives up to its title. The definitive overview. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 13 Title: The Ultimate Sonics (The Etiquette Collection) Released: 1991 Tracks: 32 Duration: 1:12:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Witch (02:40) 2 Do You Love Me (02:19) 3 Roll Over Beethoven (02:49) 4 Boss Hoss (02:24) 5 Dirty Robber (02:02) 6 Have Love Will Travel (02:39) 7 Psycho (02:17) 8 Money (02:00) 9 Walkin the Dog (02:45) 10 Night Time Is the Right Time (02:59) 11 Strychnine (02:11) 12 Good Golly Miss Molly (02:08) 13 The Hustler (02:14) 14 Psycho (live) (02:05) 15 Dont Believe in Christmas (?) 16 The Village Idiot (?) 1 Cinderella (02:44) 2 Dont Be Afraid of the Dark (02:25) 3 Skinny Minny (02:14) 4 Let the Good Times Roll (02:02) 5 Dont You Just Know It (02:52) 6 Jenny Jenny (02:20) 7 Hes Waitin (02:39) 8 Louie Louie (02:58) 9 Since I Fell for You (04:00) 10 Hitch Hike (02:45) 11 Its Alright (02:13) 12 Shot Down (02:13) 13 Keep a Knockin (01:55) 14 The Witch (live) (03:01) 15 Santa Claus (?) 16 The Witch (version 2) (02:38) |
 | Album: 8 of 13 Title: Fire and Ice II - the Lost Tapes Released: 1996-10-01 Tracks: 15 Duration: 41:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Anyway the Wind Blows (version a) (02:56) 2 Anyway the Wind Blows (version b) (03:29) 3 Loveitis (02:37) 4 Ill Always Love Her (02:46) 5 Lost Love (02:21) 6 Good Hard Rock (02:19) 7 Once Again (02:44) 8 Ill Stay With You (02:54) 9 Im Right (02:24) 10 Only She Would Do (02:29) 11 Love Lights (02:51) 12 Goodbye (02:25) 13 Near My Soul (02:44) 14 Wake Me, Shake Me (02:36) 15 Youre in Love (03:25) |
 | Album: 9 of 13 Title: Jerden Years 1966-69 Released: 2001 Tracks: 30 Duration: 1:14:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Witch (02:40) 2 Youve Got Your Head on Backwards (02:23) 3 Im a Man (03:00) 4 On the Road Again (01:46) 5 Psycho (02:12) 6 Dirty Old Man (02:17) 7 Im Going Home (02:25) 8 High Time (01:44) 9 Im a Rolling Stone (02:24) 10 Like No Other Man (02:02) 11 Maintaining My Cool (01:54) 12 Bama Lama Lu (02:41) 13 Leave My Kitten Alone (02:43) 14 Hanky Panky (02:21) 15 Diddy Wah Diddy (02:25) 16 Anyway the Wind Blows, Part 1 (02:51) 17 Anyway the Wind Blows, Part 2 (03:24) 18 Loveitis (02:31) 19 Always Love Her (02:41) 20 Lost Love (02:15) 21 Good Hard Rock (02:19) 22 Once Again (02:32) 23 Ill Stay With You (02:54) 24 Im Right (02:19) 25 Only She Would Do (02:20) 26 Love Lights (02:44) 27 Goodbye (02:20) 28 Near My Soul (02:23) 29 Wake Me, Shake Me (02:18) 30 Youre in Love (03:25) |
 | Album: 10 of 13 Title: Psycho-Sonic Released: 2003-08-04 Tracks: 29 Duration: 1:13:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Witch (02:40) 2 Boss Hoss (02:24) 3 Hes Waitin (02:39) 4 Psycho (02:17) 5 Louie Louie (02:58) 6 Strychnine (02:11) 7 Cinderella (02:44) 8 Shot Down (02:13) 9 Have Love Will Travel (02:39) 10 Dont Be Afraid of the Dark (02:25) 11 Dirty Robber (02:02) 12 Keep a Knockin (02:08) 13 Money (02:00) 14 The Hustler (02:14) 15 Jenny Jenny (02:20) 16 Hitch Hike (02:45) 17 Roll Over Beethoven (02:49) 18 Skinny Minny (02:14) 19 Do You Love Me (02:19) 20 Walkin the Dog (02:45) 21 Good Golly Miss Molly (02:08) 22 Night Time Is the Right Time (02:59) 23 Its Alright (02:13) 24 Let the Good Times Roll (02:02) 25 Dont You Just Know It (02:52) 26 Since I Fell for You (04:00) 27 The Witch (Altenate) (02:49) 28 Psycho (live) (02:05) 29 The Witch (live) (03:01) |
| Psycho-Sonic : Allmusic album Review : Everyone would agree that the Sonics reached their peak on their 1964-65 recordings for Etiquette. This 29-track compilation has everything they recorded for the label, extended not just to everything from their singles and two albums, but also with an alternate take of "The Witch" and live recordings of "Psycho" and "The Witch." Consequently, its the best Sonics release on the market, though you should be warned: its not wall-to-wall greatness. After the first half-dozen or so songs, you might well be ready to buy into their legend as one of the great (and certainly rawest) 60s garage bands, as those tracks include their toughest elementary riff-fueled pounders: "The Witch," "Psycho," "Boss Hoss," "Hes Waitin," and "Strychnine." But too much of the rest is filled out with covers of 50s and 60s rock and R&B; standards, and the relentlessly frantic bang-it-out frat punk and throat-tearing vocals get blurry after a while, though at least they threw in a little-covered tune with their version of Adam Faiths "Its Alright." [The 2003 CD edition of this anthology, incidentally, is substantially different from Big Beats first release of the material, though it has identical tracks and the same title. Its taken from first-generation tapes, and also has a 20-page booklet of liner notes with extensive quotes from several band members (including lead singer Gerry Roslie) and others involved in the groups career.] | ||
 | Album: 11 of 13 Title: Busy Body!!! Live In Tacoma 1964 Released: 2007-03-20 Tracks: 15 Duration: 32:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Introduction: Live At the Red Carpet Teen Club (September 1964) (02:01) 2 In the Open (03:02) 3 Tall Cool One (02:24) 4 Goin Back to Grannys (02:13) 5 Busy Body (02:29) 6 Night Train (02:06) 7 Number X (00:33) 8 Introduction: Live At the Tacoma Sports Arena (November 27, 1964) (00:30) 9 Tough Walk (02:24) 10 Have Love, Will Travel (03:03) 11 Ooh Pooh Pah Doo (03:30) 12 Hitch Hike (02:42) 13 Busy Body (02:33) 14 The Witch (02:42) 15 KTNT Radio Spot (00:21) |
 | Album: 12 of 13 Title: 8 Released: 2010 Tracks: 10 Duration: 32:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Cheap Shades (02:33) 2 Bad Attitude (03:44) 3 Dont Back Down (03:25) 4 Vampire Kiss (04:41) 5 Cinderella (live) (03:22) 6 Strychnine (live) (03:23) 7 Dont Be Afraid of Dark (live) (02:58) 8 Psycho (live) (02:53) 9 Boss Hoss (live) (02:24) 10 The Hustler (live) (02:34) |
 | Album: 13 of 13 Title: This is the Sonics Released: 2015-03-27 Tracks: 12 Duration: 32:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Dont Need No Doctor (02:39) 2 Be a Woman (02:20) 3 Bad Betty (02:06) 4 You Cant Judge a Book by the Cover (02:54) 5 The Hard Way (02:11) 6 Sugaree (02:33) 7 Leaving Here (02:53) 8 Look at Little Sister (03:31) 9 I Got Your Number (02:40) 10 Livin in Chaos (03:02) 11 Save the Planet (03:01) 12 Spend the Night (02:37) |
| This is the Sonics : Allmusic album Review : Being the toughest band on Earth in 1965 was clearly something to be proud of, but what does that mean 50 years later? Just because you could reliably kick a field goal or run a four-minute mile when you were 18 doesnt mean youll be expected to do the same at your high-school reunion five decades on. But musicians are often judged by the standards they set in their youth, and in the 21st century, the Sonics, the frantic and ferocious garage rock band from Tacoma, Washington, whose records were among the most explosive to emerge in the 60s, have decided to make a new album and show the world how theyre holding up. And the good news is, theyre holding up remarkably well -- This Is the Sonics is a joyously raw blast of full-bore garage rock stomp that comes perilously close to matching the furious energy of their iconic Etiquette Records sides from the 60s, and if these guys no longer sound like teenagers whacked out on coffee and beer, theyre clearly running on high-test rock & roll passion, and their formula still works like a charm. The Sonics were lucky to have a talented and sympathetic hand in the studio, Detroiter Jim Diamond, who has been recording full-on garage-influenced stuff for the better part of two decades, and his monophonic recording and mix document the bands sound with an ideal balance of clarity and vintage analog growl. But that wouldnt mean a thing if the Sonics couldnt deliver, and amazingly, This Is the Sonics lives up to its name in every sense. Gerry Roslies vocals still sound like a blast furnace thats been taught to impersonate Little Richard (and his keyboard work is more than up to snuff), guitarist Larry Parypa wails hard whether hes chopping out a rhythm or tearing up a solo, and Rob Linds sax pours out a glorious honk that cuts through the surrounding fracas like a knife. The bands new rhythm section, bassist Freddie Dennis and drummer Dusty Watson, are a perfect fit for the Sonics, muscular and fiery without getting too flashy, and if "Save the Planet" ("Its the only one with beer") isnt exactly a classic, most of the other new tunes are just what you love and demand from the Sonics (especially the brazen "Bad Betty" and "The Hard Way"), and "I Dont Need No Doctor," "Leaving Here," and "You Cant Judge a Book by the Cover" show they know what to do with an R&B; classic. This Is the Sonics is an outstanding return to duty for one of the great primal rock & roll bands of the 60s, and if they dont sound like kids, the flame that fueled their best discs is still burning bright, and theyre louder, crazier, and wilder than most bands a third their age. Outstanding work, though the Sonics are urged not to wait another few decades before they try this again. | ||