The Sonics

The Sonics is a music group from Tacoma in Washington state.

History

The band formed in 1960 and played instrumental rock 'n ' roll. In the early years there were several line-up changes, until 1963, a solid cast of Andy Parypa ( bass), Gerry Roslie (vocals & keyboards), Bob Lind (saxophone), Larry Parypa (guitar) and Bob Bennett (drums ) revealed. Since the purely instrumental rock and roll slowly went out of fashion, was Gerry Roslie who previously only played electric piano, a singer. All band members had already gained experience in other bands, so there was enough potential to professionalism, which gave the band opportunities to perform in various clubs in the Pacific Northwest region of the USA.

In 1964 the band by bassist of local heroes The Wailers was discovered for their own label Etiquette Records. The first single of the Sonics called The Witch was published in November 1964 and a local success, although radio stations from fear, so that the public peace to endanger themselves sporadically refused to play the single. The size of the United States in mind you have to keep in order to understand that a local success certainly meant good sales. So hastened the band to release the second single titled Psycho. Also this was a great local success.

The band released their first album Here Are The Sonics 1965. A year later, the second album Boom. Both records were marked by an energetic sound that was created by overriding the instruments during recording. It was very raw and aggressive sounding recordings. The singer, who shouted more than sang, had a dynamic, powerful voice. As before, the band was heavily influenced by rock and roll, with a tendency to compositions of African-American musicians and thus a tendency to rhythm and blues. The original compositions Witch, Psycho, Strychnine, Cinderella and He's Waitin ' are considered classics and the best examples of garage rock of the 1960s.

With the release of the two albums, the band got better and statewide performance opportunities. They played, among others, as the opening act for The Beach Boys, The Kinks, The Lovin ' Spoonful and The Byrds. The band changed in 1966 to the larger Jerden label and recorded their third album, Introducing The Sonics, which was published in 1967. However, with the shots they had to make several compromises that were required by the label of commercial interest. The album should be for the masses. Result was a lifeless album that the band itself was dissatisfied. Gerry Roslie left the band and there was a new singer who completely changed the style of the band. There were a few more singles added that sounded very pop but completely flopped. In 1968, the band finally broke up completely.

Too late fame came The Sonics during the punk explosion in the late 1970s and were marketed as a garage punk or punk Sixties. Indeed, there are musical parallels, which is why the band is seen by many as one of the first punk bands. The Bomp label managed in 1979 to get the original cast for another album in the studio.

In the fall of 2007, the band performed for the first time together in the Warsaw Club ' in Brooklyn, New York, again. From the original cast guitarist Larry Parypa, saxophonist Rob Lind and songwriter Jerry Rosalie were there, three other musicians had to be replaced. It was the first concert of national importance in the history of the band that had achieved worldwide fame after its end. The journalist Bodo Mrozek wrote in a concert review from New York ( in the daily newspaper of 20 March 2007): "On the historical moment is a certain tragedy. The problem of the band was never their music - but their timing. Back in the sixties, the Sonics their time at least ten were years ahead. Today, in the 21st century, it is a good thirty years too late for them. "

Discography

Albums

  • Here Are The Sonics (1965 )
  • Boom ( 1966)
  • Introducing The Sonics (1967 )
  • Cinderella (1979 )
  • Full Force! ( Compilation of Etiquette Records, 1987)

Singles

  • " The Witch" / " Keep A - Knockin ' " ( Etiquette, 1964)
  • " The Witch" / "Psycho" ( Etiquette, 1965)
  • "Psycho" / " Keep A - Knockin ' " ( Etiquette, 1965)
  • " Boss Hoss " / " The Hustler " ( Etiquette, 1965)
  • "Do not Be Afraid Of The Dark" / "Shot Down" ( Etiquette, 1965)
  • The Sonics ' " Do not Believe In Christmas" / The Wailers ' " Christmas Spirit " ( Etiquette, 1965)
  • "Cinderella " / " Louie Louie " ( Etiquette, 1965)
  • " You Got Your Head On Backwards " / " Love Light " ( Jerden, 1966)
  • " Like No Other Man " / " Love Light " ( Jerden, 1966)
  • " The Witch" / " Like No Other Man " ( Jerden, 1966)
  • "Psycho" / " Maintaining My Cool " ( Jerden, 1966)
  • "Love -itis " / " You're In Love" ( Jerden, 1967)
  • "Dirty Old Man " / " Bama Lama Bama Loo " ( Burdette, 1975)
  • " The Witch" / " Bama Lama Bama Loo " ( Great Northwest, 1979)
  • " The Witch" / " Keep A - Knockin ' " (Norton, 1998)
  • "Psycho" / " Have Love Will Travel " (Norton, 1998)
  • "Cinderella " / " He's Waitin ' " (Norton, 1998)
  • " Boss Hoss " / " The Hustler " (Norton, 1998)
  • " Strychnine " / "Shot Down" ( Norton, 1998)
  • The Sonics ' " Louie Louie " / The Wailers ' " Louie Louie " (Norton, 1998)
  • " Do not Believe In Christmas " / " Santa Claus " (Norton, 1998)
Rock music Singing Electronic keyboard Bass guitar Tacoma, Washington Washington (state) Record label Punk subculture
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