Search - Think of Good Time-Tucson Sound 1960-68 :: Think of Good Time-Tucson Sound 1960-68

Rockin' document of 1960s Tucson music scene

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 05/25/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's unclear whether Tucson's home-bred mid-60s sound was particularly different than that achieved in other strongholds of garage rock, but judging by the variety of styles on this generous collection, the bands of Arizona certainly had their ears open and their amps turned up. Across twenty-seven tracks, including several instrumentals, the influences of '50 rock, R&B, surf, British Invasion and numerous other sounds can be readily heard. Several of these tracks were recorded by legendary Tucson radio DJ Dan Gates for his Splitsound Records label, others were waxed at studios around town, in Phoenix, and in Los Angeles, where garage bands from all over the country sought bigger success.The lead-off single, officially credited to The Stumps, is as good a piece of garage rock as you're likely to hear. With the actual Stumps marooned in their Ohio hometown, their lead-singer ventured to Tucson to front one of the town's leading bands, The Grodes. The resulting hook-filled "Think of the Good Times" is driven by a walloping, danceable bassline, a ripping guitar solo, Farfisa organ and a vocal perfectly edged with Attitude. Had the Standells or Leaves waxed this in Los Angeles it would have been a huge hit.The disc's track list features a surprising number of instrumentals, including the saxophone-fired "Break Away" by The Occasionals, the Link Wray inspired "Scandal" by King Rock & The Knights (who also provide the sloppy, 50s-styled "Nightbeat" as The Nightbeats), the surf rock "Boondocker" (Tucson slang for a party held in the middle of the desert) by The Clashmen, and the Dave "Baby" Cortez styled organ-and-guitar number, "Something Different" by Richard Stormy. Even better are The Travelers' twangy "Everywhere I Go" and "Spanish Moon" (the latter stolen by The Ventures) and their alter ego's faux-British, "Turn On," credited to The Ric-A-Shays.Vocal tracks include the Occasionals "Sometimes," with one of the busiest drum lines ever shoehorned into a ballad, the harmony rocker "It Must Be Love" by the Lewallen Brothers, the Beau Brummels-like "Then I'd Know" and frat rocker "Baby Do" by The Intruders, and the joyous harmonies of "I Got a Girl" by The Quinstrels. The Intruders and Quinstrels, better known as the Dearly Beloved, are also featured on the latter-named band's rocking swansong, "Flight Thirteen."Also included are the Bassmen's tough kiss-off "The Last Laugh," the Butterscotch's flower-child psych-rock "309," the bubblegum harmonies of "I Can See It's Coming" by The Bukett City Distortion Rackett, the chiming guitars and harmonies of "Uh Huh Girl" by The Grodes, the Stones/Yardbirds/Kinks blues of "Bald Headed Woman" and "Say It Is Not So" by The Sot Weed Factor, and the Missing Links' somewhat mystical cover of the Zombies "You Make Me Feel So Good."A few of these tracks have seen re-release on other compilations, but most are presented on CD for the first time. And programmed on a single disc, they give a terrific sense of the vibrancy and variety of Tucson's mid-60s scene (all that's missing are the dance clubs and hamburger stands!). All tracks are in radio-ready mono, with only a hint of surface noise or acetate distortion here and there. Detailed liner notes and photos provide background on each band's story, and rare radio and record ads fill out the set's booklet. The resulting collection is both a fine archival document (an excellent addition to your collection of Nuggets, Pebbles and other compilation discs) and a rockin' party record."