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Chapter 66: Dirty Water

Garage rock

From the beginning, rock was destined for a loudness arms race; any music that depends on maintaining a rebellious edge will need to keep upping the ante. In my lifetime I saw rock reach the natural endpoint of extreme loudness and distortion, then slowly begin to wither. But on these first garage rock records, when bored suburban kids started really fucking with their amps and getting nasty, the thrill is undeniable. You can hear it every time Van Morrison ad libs over the chorus of the gloriously unhinged “Gloria;” he seems to ask “How far can I push this?”
1. The Standells

Dirty Water

2. The Kingsmen

Louie Louie

3. The Monks

Shut Up

4. Paul Revere & The Raiders

I'm Not Your Stepping Stone

5. The Count Five

Psychotic Reaction

6. The Sonics

The Witch

7. The Chocolate Watchband

Sweet Young Thing*

8. The Troggs

Wild Thing

9. Takeshi Terauchi & The Bunnys

Dark Eyes*

10. Them

Gloria

*Not on Spotify