Here Are the Sonics

“!!!Here Are The Sonics!!!” by The Sonics (1965) I wonder how many people would have bought this record if they had left off the six exclamation points? This album is of interest only to those recorded music ‘genealogists’ who fondly ponder “Who influenced who?”, a topic which is overrated and of limited critical value (especially when it comes to punk). Only four of the twelve songs in this non-cohesive collection are original. The eight covers are not covers of obscure compositions (which can be artful), but are rather recycles of major hits by other artists, whose performances are far superior to The Sonics. As a matter of fact, the attempt to seriously listen to The Sonics perform The Contours’ “Do You Love Me?”, Chuck Berry’s “Roll Over Beethoven”, etc. is impeded and distracted by memories of the original sounds. These covers are pop music at its worst. (“Night Time Is the Right Time” is painful. Please don’t listen to this track. You’ve been warned.) So why do we pull !!!Here Are The Sonics!!! out of the attic? I’m not sure. With primitive engineering that completely muddles the mix, and a small-room ambience that induces claustrophobia, the record was bad from the get-go. One wishes that the people who produced the first digital version would have inserted scratches and dust pops to suggest the ‘sound’ of musty ‘smell’. It is worth noting that in the original compositions “Strychnine”, “Psycho”, and “The Witch”, singer/songwriter Gerry Roslie pushes a few lyrical boundaries, but in retrospect, it’s rather inconsequential. Other groups at the time were far more revolutionary. And if I have to listen to one more screamed “Wow!” by Roslie, I swear I’ll warp this vinyl with a blow dryer and play it for my in-laws. Put this one back in the attic. 1/5

hmm. After suffering through a number of tracks, I did a little recon on this band as to ... well, why they're in this 1001 list at all. "Major influence" on garage and punk bands...simple chord progressions...tonal aggression." ... vocals: "wwWOWWWWWWWW!!!!!" <lather/rinse/repeat ad nauseum> Just because you're among the first to create a subgenre of not enjoyable noisy music doesn't really make you a legend IMO. Then again, to each their own :P It's not my bag. (the covers were not terrible, admittedly. If I were being particularly snarky I'd accuse them of sprinkling them perfectly throughout the album to prevent some ppl from turning it off...) 2/10 1 star

Just good old fashioned garage rock played with all the all the rawness of a live set in the studio. The Beatles made these songs sound better yes, but I would of rather seen these guys live around the same time.

They are the anti-Beatles right? Get rid everything that "good and pure" or radio friendly about the Fab 4, rough it up, add some fuzz and some guttural vocals and you have The Sonics. Not detracting from either band but I am so glad The Sonics existed to lay the roots of punk and Garage rock. I love them and could listen to this album in repeat for hours (which I did).

I’d actually only heard of The Sonics because LCD Soundsystem referenced them in a song I really liked about 15 years ago (I still do, but I did 15 years ago too). I had some vague idea that they were an 80s, avant-garde, electronic band, so now I feel like a bit of a fool. Absolutely loved this album, or more specifically I absolutely loved the songs that weren’t covers. The covers were still good but I much preferred their original stuff. I spent a lot of my teenage years in the back rooms of various dodgy North London pubs watching Billy Childish gigs without ever thinking to explore the origins of his sound. I wish I’d done a bit more investigation. This album was recorded more than a decade before punk broke, but it still sounds raw and vital over half a century later. Loved it. Five stars for the original stuff and four for the covers.

This smashed me over the head in 2022. Imagine what effect it had in 1965. The Witch is amazing, Roslie's vocals are insane, something he carries on for the whole album. But the ultimate sound is that quivery bass. I don't know if it's backed by bass pedal, but it just sounds EVIL! Only 30 minutes. Perfect. It leaves you begging for more. Apparently the Seattle scene was full of bands like The Sonics. If I ever get a ride in the TARDIS I'm going to Seattle in the early '60s. Then I'll stay for 30 years. (I won't be going to Starbucks. That coffee is awful)

Aggressively Lo-Fi.

Sorry boys, The Beatles got there before you, and did it way, way better. Lots of screaming and faux excitement but the music behind it is flat as a pancake. I'm guessing these are Americans trying to emulate the Mersey sound. Whoever they are, it doesn't work. Just sounds like 10 alternate and inferior versions of Twist and Shout.

I adoe garage rock, and this is a wondrous slab of it. Exactly what you want of a Saturday night. Simple, unpretentious, clearsighted, slamming rock 'n' roll.

There are definite flaws with this album. The sound quality is terrible and there are far too many standard covers on the album. However, it's easy to hear how this album influenced the punk bands that came after it. It just has that energy that comes with listening to punk music. The original songs are far better than the covers. It's clear just from listening to this that this band would have been amazing live. I wish a good recording of them existed 4/5

Early rock and roll containing the kernels of punk and grunge. You love to hear it! Bonus star for being less than 30 minutes long! In and out and over with!

Almost all the songs sound the same: "Yeeoww!" + blues rock progression + "Yeeoww!" + nearly the same guitar / sax solo. Recorded too hot. Lots of covers. I don't care. This album is amazing. I bought it (actually "The Ultimate Sonics") years ago and still come back to it. Raw, youthful energy. Favorite song: Money

waaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAoooooww!

Don’t let the sweaters fool you, this is loud, obnoxious, and sweaty rock(early punk?). Strychnine, Have Love Will Trave are two of the standouts

One of the most fun projects I've heard due to this 1001 albums project - and that's saying something. Searing intensity, manic (but excellent) vocals, and a cover that doesn't hint at *all* at the energy within - this record has it all. whenever WAAAAAAAAA is uttered (which is very often), it makes me want to scream the same myself :')

Don’t be deterred by the fact that most of this album consists of 50s rock & roll/rockabilly covers. You’ve never heard them played like this before. ‘Here Are The Sonics’ is full of no fucks given attitude, and the Sonics play with raw, reckless abandon as lead singer Gerry Roslie snarls, screams and belts his way through the setlist (including four originals). This is rock & roll on steroids, aggressive and full of primal energy. Add to the mix the deliberately primitive production and the end result is something unexpectedly special.

ONE OF MY FAVORITES OF ALL TIME!!!! Mostly covers. Lots of classic songwriting. The recording is rough and the performances are rock and roll as fuck. So much so that they inadvertently foreshadow the arrival of punk rock about a decade later... Also, the singer is a like a lil' Little Richard.

These guys go for it, seriously

This is a really fun album. It’s definitely pre-punk which makes it an interesting cultural artifact. The lofi sound is perfectly done, and overall I have nothing bad to say.

So, a couple of the covers appeared on early Beatles albums. On here, they are actually better bursts of raw excitement. It's fast and loose and it feels like it could fall apart at any moment which makes it all dead exciting. Add to that a song as fun as Have Love will Travel, and the fact it BLAZES through 12 tracks in less than 30 minutes and you have a real treat on your hands. Loved it.

Absolutely love this album. The thought of the MFrs doing this in 1965 brings me so much joy and has so much impact on all the music I love that came after it. 🤘

glorious raw primitive garage rock - thrilling!

Great sounding early garage rock. Song selection is a bit rudimentary, especially the self-penned ones, but "Have Love, Will Travel" in particular is worth the price of admission.

Zero skips, all bangers. One of the most influential bands of all time with one of the best albums. The origin of punk right here. A true piece of history. I cannot overstate how important this album is!!! Not only to me but to the way the punk and eventually new wave genres were formed! Even if you don't know this album, you are all but guaranteed to know a couple of songs. The Sonics permeate our culture. The sound is incredible. Loud hard drums, passionate vocals, banging sax, a distinct feeling of the best music ever to be made in a garage.

Such a rip-snorter of an album. I grew up buying into the British music press’s narrative that the 60s were about flower power, ten years of pathetic prog rock happened and then punk came along and tore it all up. When I first heard the Sonics I couldn’t actually believe it was real - this is the punkest band I’ve ever heard, and they’re doing it contemporaneously with Rubber Soul. It just kicks ass from start to finish. It makes me want to join a band, or start a fight, or start a fire, or all three at the same time.

Never heard of them before, but hailing from the 60s, they must be one of the garage rock pioneers. Visceral, exciting, and there hasn't been much change between then and now with obvious echoes of their sound in bands like The Black Keys. Ground Breaking, enduring, influential

Great garage rock, progenitors of punk music. Have a great way of making all the covers their own.

my definition of raw

60s trash rock at its finest and dumbest. Sublime.

Like a punch in the face from a bygone era.

Raw and rough around the edges, but honestly that's probably the biggest appeal hear. Would it be garage rock if it wasn't raw?

4 for originality. Nice use of distortion to give them an early punk sound. You can definitely hear their embracing of the early 60's songwriting, but very forward-thinking production, and attitude, that would spawn The Stooges and The Hives.

After seeing the Dictators on previous page, I was just thinking I hadn't revisited any "proto-punk" records for a few years. I don't remember liking the Dictators, and I didn't remember much at all about the Sonics. Looks like I downloaded this album in 2013, and I probably haven't revisited it. Anyway, HOLY CRAP this is better than I remembered/expected. Under 30 mins, and just a burst of energetic garage rock, containing most of what is good about rock n roll. As someone who isn't generally a huge fan of the mainstream rock canon, this album is fun enough to make me temporarily change my mind. The sound is crisp and competent, but with enough sloppiness & rough edges to make it sound like they're not trying. They cover some early rock "standards". They keep everything simple & it works just fine. My only complaint is that singer keeps trying to do a James Brown "WAAAAAAAH" / "WOOOOOOW". It's fucking annoying and lame whoever does it.

This makes me want to dance. It rocks. A really fun album. I did think it was older than it is, I estimated about 1958-9. Most of the album is covers, but that was sort of the done thing back in the day. Fun album, it doesn't need to be analysed too much, just smile and enjoy.

I don't see the big deal about this album. It just sounds like shit.

Yes... but no

An excellent example of early US-based Garage Rock. I would have liked more originals than covers, but the few originals are great. An early precursor for more accomplished US based Garage and Proto Punk music (MC5, Stooges, etc). There were not many bands like the Sonics in 1966, that’s for damn sure.

Super good

Wild. I've never heard of the Sonics. The Witch is pure garage rock. And I really dig rock and roll sax. The drummer gives these tracks a frantic energy that saves a lot of the covers that every band seemed to do at the time. The only bummer is I'm just now hearing this for the first time. A real snapshot of the music scene in '65. Stellar album in my opinion.

Man this goes hard af even today. The Sonics are essentially the godfathers of garage rock and while I wish there was less covers on this, but the energy in infectious. These guys just had something that everyone else at the time just didn't. 9/10

Great album!

2 songs in and sitting at 5 stars. Love the grittyness and grudgier feel of that cheerful 60s pop band typical feel. Like an edgier cover garage band. Wish it was less covers which might drop to 4. Like the white stripes or black Keyes but in the 60s. Think first 5. Listened through the album multiple times today

Being from Seattle this was a great one. Although I’m only in my 30s this reminds me of being at house parties as a kid. Even without the nostalgia factor I love this record. The sort of gritty way it’s recorded. The lead singer’s scream. The covers they chose. Anyway. Love this shit. 10/10

Loved getting an unfamiliar album from 1965. And it sounded great. Some songs you would know from the period, and some originals, but all with that proto-punk energy you hear only occasionally from this time period. (I’m thinking of songs like the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” or the Who’s “My Generation.”) Great guitar work, too. The reviews indicate that others know of this band and their influence on the next decade’s punk movement. I guess I’m glad to finally get on board.

Fantastic early rock, that said, I am biased given that I'm from Washington state and have lived in Seattle for almost 30 years now. It's wild to think these guys were playing at the same time as the Beatles. A totally different wavelength.

As punk as 50's style music can be. Some of the lyrics and imagery are surprisingly dark too lol.

Wonderful album - you can hear the influences to White Stripes and Black Keys etc. Totally new to me

No one has a voice like Gerry Roslie. Those screams are amazing and fit perfectly, especially at the end of Psycho. A brilliant album.

This album is the blueprint for so much of what I love. Gerry's vocals alone were enough to influence teenage me to shred my own vocal cords trying to replicate that scream. Basic, primal angst and aggression in its most suburban teenage form. What a band.

Totally hits the spot. The kind of music you can boogie to at a club night full of weirdos in your local city. Amazing fun and much more authentic than their peers.

Just a fantastic album- you can’t help feel excited when you hear it - the sound the voice the drums- excellent

Good album from a band I had no idea about

amazing, 10/10 super catchy and impressive for its time

Great sound!!

Yes yes, a million times yes.

Enjoyed this alot, did not expect to. Probably the best of this type of music

1965 beginning of Punk Rock. Yes!

The raw energy of this album was so contagious. It’s a mix of covers and originals, with all songs being full of that same garage rock energy. I had no idea that Have Live Will Travel was as old as this, as it’s frankly timeless. I honestly that it was made for that LV advert (dum diddy dum diddy dwee dwee dum dum…). This version was far better though. This is alt rock before alt rock was a thing.

Feels like the progenitor of much of the music I've listened to. Really good

Hard to judge this based on over half of the songs being rock 'standards'. That said the performances are fucking incredible, proper garagey proto-punk. That drum sound is fucking insane for 1 microphone, super hard hits driving everything into that lovely crispy saturation. The originals are okay, by no means bad, but the real highlight here is the Have Love Will Travel cover. Its just groovy as fuck, such a hard riff. The cover of Money is also pretty standout, though I will say the Flying Lizards version is head and shoulders above any other. Also gotta praise the 29 minute length, perfect length for punk music. Favourites - The Witch, Boss Hoss, Have Love Will Travel, Money, Strychnine

Favorite Track: Have Love Will Travel

A lot of these songs are covers, but the Sonics were very influential to garage and punk rock.

Some great early punk. Lots of 60s waows and surprisingly great guitar tones. Original tracks are great. Quite boring seeing a lot of the same covers being done on a lot of bands of that era but I suppose that was the done thing. Overall very good

Here are the Sonics It struck me coming off the back of The Residents that The Witch is not a million miles away from some of the tracks on Duck Stab, just with more conventional rock instrumentation setting the discordant, slightly unsettling tone. Anyhow, similar to Monks, there is a tangible sense of energy and fervor to the playing, carrying them through some rather erratic production and sound quality, but this is probably the most consistent of the 60s garage rock albums on the list, even if many of the covers are probably better performed elsewhere. The 4 original songs, although clearly influenced by the types of songs they cover, are a lot of fun, particularly The Witch, Psycho and Strychnine. The stand out track, though, is obviously Have Love Will Travel, you can see why it’s been in a few adverts, a great tune delivered with absolute conviction. Dirty Robber, Night Time is the Right Time are also good, and Walking the Dog with it’s very early Stones vibes is decent too. It’s a fun album, one of the best in the genre, but despite that, its historical context and influence it probably doesn’t have a huge amount of relistenability, so it lands as a mid-high 3. 🦔🦔🦔 Playlist submission: Have Love Will Travel

The algo works in mysterious ways. Earlier this week I mentioned the ! in the US version of Dare and now an album with 6 !s in the full title appears, which is surely too much even by US standards? Looking at the song writers for this energetic but mainly cover album - Berry Gordy, Chuck Berry, Richard Berry - something like Assorted Berries or Berry Medley would have been a better title?

This is so defiantly stripped-back that the personality is almost lost in its minimalism, not helped by this being mostly covers rather than band material. “The Witch”, which is their own, has a sexy menace that I want more of.

Eh. Kinda basic garage surf rock. Not bad but not all that exciting, either.

Noisy punk rock in the 60s? Yes please. A couple of the covers on here are really stellar, well others kind of fall short, but overall it's an important record for more grungey/punk-y production. Fav Tracks: Do You Love Me, Have Love Will Travel

There's a real Nuggets feel here. I can hear how this may have influenced later punk and garage rock bands. Cool sound but I’d be more impressed if they had the originals to match. Maybe if they’d stuck around longer they would have produced something really amazing. 2.5/5 Favourite track: Do You Love Me

I must be Losing My Edge because I didn’t think this was good. Mostly just other mid 50s/60s songs repackaged into a more lo-fi/garage band sound. I enjoyed LCD Soundsystem singing the band name more than I enjoyed this record

As soon as I heard the opening track (The Witch), i thought to myself, "ok, I'm gonna like this." Little did I know, the majority of the rest are covers, and mediocre versions at that. I am into garage rock, but I'm not into this.

The singer can really scream, the guitarist doesn’t so much play his instrument as he attacks it, and they’ve got a great sound. They had a hit single in the Northwest and rushed out an album of Rock and Roll covers to try and capitalise. And apparently I need to listen to it before I die. Ok. Good covers, lads.

12/12, no notes

Five white dudes in 1965 making garage rock. A sax and a piano show up. Kinda want to do a cover of "Psycho." Grew on me as it went on. Thankful the version I found was just the album, and not a re-release with a bunch of bullshit added on because time no longer exists. Five stars because why the hell not

I really liked this! I think the only song of theirs off here I had heard was "Have Love Will Travel" but I liked basically everything on here. Mostly covers of 50s songs but done in such a rough and energetic way you can really feel the essence of punk kinda forming within. "The Witch" "Psycho" and "Strychnine" were faves as well.

Just fantastic pure garage rock with a tinge of proto-punk and maybe deep roots of eventual grunge that came out of the same neck of the woods. And now I'm looking for this on Discogs. Damn it.

Wild ass album, if my kids were coming home playing this shit in the 60’s, I would whoop their ass.

Excellent album. Insane how they got that raw sound when 2 tracks. Solid guitar work, cool vocals, and they did it at such a young age! AND so early in the 1960's! Raw, powerful, technical, furious.

9/10… garage rock / proto punk

Possibly the first proto punk album. The formula was pretty simple: cheap recording set up, rough sound quality, and a fair amount of screaming. Essentially it's rock and roll for anyone without enough money or willingness to confirm to record label norms. The brassness of this band, along with others like The Monks, and later The Stooges, would set the stage for the punk movement to fully embrace the idea that anyone can start a band, and that rules are very much meant to be broken. The Sonics were so important to underground music that they received four separate shout outs on LCD Soundsystem's "Losing My Edge". I'm not sure how much that's worth, but it's still a damned good and bold album that shattered the mold for other bands to come.

This album rocks. If you don't like early garage rock, you suck. Do yourself a favor and listen to all of Nuggets.

Въпреки, че е доста шумен мисля, че е впечатляващ. Звучи като 90-тарски а не 60тарски албум

LOVED this one. So much fun. Just rip roaring renditions of some great rock n roll tunes. 4.5/5

Paras garagelevy ikinä!!! 5/5

Takes me back to 1960s Seattle. You can hear how Mudhoney was inspired by this. Can't listen to this album without dancing!

The American Kinks. No nonsense rock n roll. What the Sonics have done is take the energy of Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis and delivered it with overdriven guitars. And it zings. In fact it's so vibrant that even the rnb covers, if which we've all heard too many, sound fresh. If you heard this being played in a bar or pub on a night out it would still bang 60 years later. But then I am nearly *cough* years old, so maybe not the best judge of what constitutes relevant youthful energy. It's the perfect encapsulation of the emergence of guitar-led bands bringing new life to the classics, alongside their own raw take on rnb/rock.

could i write poetry to this? y

Too good for 1965

Love this album, legendary from start to finish 🤘

This album is really fucking cool. Truly a sound I’ve never heard before. The bridge between Buddy Holly and punk that I never would have imagined to exist.

I spent about four years in a garage punk band where we played a cover of Strychnine at about twice this speed and with half the ability. It introduced me to this incredible band and I’ve loved this album ever since. It’s a proper raw, fuzzy, distorted blast of glorious noise and I recommend it wholeheartedly. 10 out of 5 from me.

Brought grit to some classic songs. Hard to believe this is 1965! Loved it.

Total bops

Rock n roll band playin rock n roll. Not reinventing the songs we all know, but playing them loud and proud. 5/5.

Really enjoyable

Really good 💯

The beginning of the Seattle scene and man does it cook. Love this band.

New York's finest!!!

This was incredible. It was great music all around, but also for this to come put in 1965 is insane. Super innovative and limit pushing.

At first I thought, ugh another 60s album. But no! This was awesome!