The next guy I've been so lucky to get a top 5 60's songs from, hardly needs any introduction. One of my first ever guitar-heroes, who was to join The Stooges in 1971 after a short stint with The Coba Seas and The Chosen Few. He would there swap lead and rhythm duties with Ron Asheton creating a spectacle and a thick wall of sound. The Stooges would desolve the same year and reform late in 1972 where James now would be alone responsible for the guitar-duties of this wild, agressive band, also penning a string of classic punk-rockers as important now as they were then. After the reforming of the Stooges and the passing of another guitar-hero, Ron Asheton(RIP).. James would re-enlist after being out of the game for decades.. As late as yesterday he did perform.. and I could definetively say that "the scull", "the dark prince", etch etch, of The Stooges are a natural who have come back to his element.. as the flash guitarist of the wildest -and one of the greatest- bands in the world.
I want to extend my thanks to James for taking his time(he gave me the list earlier on the day before going on the stage in Oslo.. By hearing him later that evening I can with certainty say that he didn't skip practice or the sound-check for this, as his guitar-work that created a wall of noise was definitively a Stooges guitarist worthy), and share with us his 5 all time favourite 60's songs. Actually James wanted to add another song in the mix -a song I agree is too good to ignore.. and who am I to deny people -including myself- to learn as much as possible about a favourite's favourites- so this time we'll make it a top 6.
6. The Trashmen - Surfin' Bird
5. The Rolling Stones - Satisfaction
Right of passage song for 15 year old
4. The Kingsmen - Louie Louie
Perfect small band small club song
3. Bob Dylan - Blowin' in the Wind
Because it introduced me to Bob Dylan
2. The Ventures - Pipeline
Because it was the first song I was inspired to play on the electric guitar.
1. Martha and the Vandellas - Heatwave
Because it was the hit record in Detroit the Summer I moved there.
This time I've got hold of William Hay, vocalist and songwriter in the magnificent Canadian band The Painted Ship. They've released garage-classics like Frustration(1966), Little White Lies(1966) and And She Said Yes(1966). He is a jolly guy and a true pioneer in 60's punk, and I'm delighted to get to learn about his top 5 songs of the 60's. Thanks for participating William!
Greetings gentle reader. Anders was
kind enough to ask me to comment on 5 of my favorite songs from the
60's. I can't remember whether he said:
1) keep your comments brief.....or
2) write your comments while you're wearing only your briefs. hmmmmmm?
Oh, well, here we go.
5. Love: She comes in colors.
I
guess this is far from the most popular of the songs by Love but it's
my fav. I really like the medieval inspired keyboard work. It's a
beautiful ode to a girlfriend without having to resort to the usual
trite, sappy bullshit(do I have an opinion?)
4. Jefferson Airplane (Starship): Somebody to love.
Probably my favorite of the so-called San Francisco " hippie songs"
Grace
(and Janis of course) showed that a woman can deliver the message as
well as any man can. Everything about this song is right.
3. Them: Gloria.
Van is fantastic or course but this song has a lot going for it. Temp
changes. Nice keyboard work. tasty drumming. and of course the intrigue:
was this recorded by the Belfast boys or.......?
2. 13th Floor Elevators: You're gonna miss me
Imagination.
what a treat to hear something completely different. and some very nice
playing. check out the bass line. and then there is Roky. enough said!
1. The Sonics: Have love will travel.
For me, this is what rock n roll should sound like. Not the usual
over-produced , bloated commercial crap. (oh, oh, another opinion rises)
"I might take a boat or I'll take a train
I might hitchhike or jump a railroad train
your kind of love drives a man insane"
I hear ya brother.
There ya go.
thanks for asking Anders. I'm going to put my clothes back on now; I've
got some grocery shopping to do. ( why the hell does he ask us to do
this in our briefs? must be a Norwegian thing )
This will be followed up by more top 5 favourite songs of artists good enough to make my own top 50. First out is Loek Stolwijk(to the left in the picture) guitarist in the Dutch 70's punk group The Suzannes("Listen To My Heartbeat", "Hippie", "Teenage Abortion"). This is his top 5 from the 60's and 70's. Big thanks to Loek for participating. I have also had the luck to get to interview Loek. The interview will be published in the next number of the best magazine you will ever read, Ugly Things(#35).
