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PODCAST

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast

Weldon Hunter & Erik Komarnicki

The usual format is this: we pick a song from the 1950s or 1960s (genres range from garage, R&B, Girl Groups, Motown and Doo-Wop), and discuss three versions of that song, or sometimes we just play a song we haven’t heard before and react to it. We’ve covered classics like “Little Bit o’ Soul” and “Psychotic Reaction” to rarities like “Jump and Dance” by the Carnaby, and “Ringo I Love You” by Bonnie Jo Mason (aka Cher). Our aim is to discuss what makes these songs interesting, ineffable, or even

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All Episodes

88:16

Mr. Personality Man

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/06/21

This week's tune is a pop-psych confection called "Mr. Personality Man" - and there's only three recorded versions, so you'll hear 'em all if you tune in. The original is from The West Coast Delegation, a band confusingly from England. It's got a pretty heavy backbeat reminiscent of Motown or "Pretty Woman" and it doesn't let up. The lyrics deal with a charming but dangerous rogue, so we think the song might be inspired by "David Watts" by The Kinks (not played). The Found...

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89:12

Get Me To The World On Time

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/06/13

Friday the 13th is your lucky day - a new episode a lil' early. We pay tribute to the recently-departed James Lowe of the eminently psychedelic combo, The Electric Prunes. And "Get Me To The World On Time" has possibly the best opening of any psych tune. The lyrics describe love as a bad trip but the sounds suggest other worlds - are we caught between the real world and the vast cosmos? Who knows? The second song is by budget rockers The Chellows who turn out a pretty spif...

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114:39

Too Many Fish In The Sea

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/06/07

This week we cast our net wide for versions of the classic "Too Many Fish in the Sea." The original by The Marvelettes is still a fresh catch -- it's a classic Motown 'advice' song with punchy instrumentation, top Tambo and a great sound-off from all the members. Marine biologists might prefer our next version by Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, which includes a roll call of different types of actual fish! The next morsel of metaphorical fish food comes from our friends The Gallows...

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101:06

Pushin' Too Hard

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/05/31

As Erik says, "Pushin' Too Hard" by The Seeds is a garage tune that's more buzz than fuzz. 1 bar of music, 2 chords, no bridge, no chorus, and a relentless beat. It's simple, but is it stoopid? Maybe a little ... Two live covers follow by The Sonics (from the 60s) and Pere Ubu (from the 70s), which go a long way to canonize the tune as a punk classic. Plus Pere Ubu includes frog sounds! The next version, by the cringingly-named The Klan, adds buzzsaw guitar and races to the fin...

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113:48

Greatest Greatest Hits!: Pagliaro

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/05/24

We're debuting a new series called "Greatest Greatest Hits," which looks at an artist or group's top songs. But this one could also have fit in "Better Than The Beatles," because Quebec's Michel Pagliaro really does sound like John, Paul, or George in several of these songs! You could also consider him an early power-pop exponent, but he's pretty much unknown outside of Canada, where his songs still get played on classic oldies stations. He's important to us because his songs crossed ove...

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118:37

The Last Time

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/05/18

This won't be the last time you hear the Rolling Stones but this is the episode wherein we discuss "The Last Time" from early 1965. After acknowledging the chorus copped from the Staple Singers, we move on to the riff, the riff, the riff! We also note the strange connection to German Oompah music. The second in the parade comes from their producer and manager Andrew Oldham and his Orchestra. Obviously, this is a rearrangement rather than a cover, and obviously, it's infamous in the wake of Ve...

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96:38

Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/05/08

When did the 60s symbolically end? Altamont? Kent State? No - when the organ stops playing towards the end of "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" by Crazy Elephant. It's bubblegum, but also super rockin'. Who'da thunk it? The first cover of the version was by ... Giorgio Moroder? It doesn't sound like his 70s stuff but it is wild. Third is a 80s Moroder-esque version from Roxy Perry, a blueswoman who didn't expect a Hi-NRG remix of her vocal. The fourth suitor is Canada's legendary hair ...

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108:40

Dirty Water

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/04/26

It's time to dip your toes into "Dirty Water" - The Standells and their enduring 1965 hit, that is! We gab about the snotty vocals, their appearance on The Munsters, we rank the drum fills - and of course, we crack the code of the song's lyrics. The next version is by The Gants - who add fuzz and relocate the song to Miami. But they musta forgot to learn the song! The Apollos are some North Carolina kids who keep the song in Boston but their accents would ra...

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85:24

Dumb Head

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/04/20

This week we're talking about a Girl Group Goofy Great - 1963's "Dumb Head" by Ginny Arnell. The lyrics are dangerously self-deprecating, the production is Spectorian, and there's FUZZ and a kazoo solo - played by GA herself. OH, and an infamous hook - something the Ramonesmight have sold their leather jackets for. The second version is super goofy and stoopid and it's by The Sharades, from England. Joe Meek produced it, so it has some otherworldy sounds (via a Clavioline) in addition to GREA...

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85:01

I Don't Believe

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/04/11

This week the spotlight is on a 1965 folk jangler by The Guilloteens: "I Don't Believe" is a raw, blue-eyed soul vocal outing reminiscent of the Righteous Brothers. They shoulda been on The Flintstones!! In 1966, The Five of Us came out with the first cover version. It's less raw, but it's smooth as Kraft Creamy! The same year, The Moonrakers pepped the song up considerably and made it into a toe-tapper. The song returned to Memphis in 2002 when Reigning Sound pa...

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103:31

Who? What? Why? When? Where?

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/04/06

A theme episode that's so garage you better test for carbon monoxide: Who Do You Love - The Preachers What a Girl Can't Do - The Hangmen Why - The Dirty Wurds When Shadows Fall - The Jades Where You Gonna Go - Art Guy

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85:47

Sit Down I Think I Love You

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/03/29

You know what they say about the bird in the hand ... this week the bird is Buffalo Springfield's "Sit Down I Think I Love You." It's a nice jaunty tune with Stephen Stills (we think) pitchin' some clever woo at a potential beloved. And three guitarists! Lots of tasteful flourishes, with some fuzz. The second version (& the first one in the bush) is the hit version by The Mojo Men. It's like a Mississippi boat ride, or a trippy, caftan walk down Scarth Street in Regina, Saskatch...

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125:14

Get Off Of My Cloud

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/03/23

Let's go to the 99th Floor ... of an apartment block in London, to view the world as The Rolling Stones did in 1965's "Get Off Of My Cloud." The song is the follow-up to "Satisfaction" and the boys were under pressure to keep makin' hits when they just wanted to relax. As a result, it's snotty, and Mick Jagger rises (!) to the occasion to create some early punk poetry. The song crossed the pond in 66 and got the detergent treatment from Dino, Desi, and Billy - it's cleaner, but remember to ta...

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116:08

Vancouver!

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/03/15

For only the second time in four-plus years and 220 episodes, there's a show where Erik & Weldon are in the same room at the same time! And since Erik is visiting Vancouver, we've decided to make the city (and surroundings) the star of the show! First up is Patty Surbey with "Hey Boy," a corny but super-fun number that PS elevates through her wild vocal stylings. Then there's The Nocturnals with "Because You're Gone" which has a cool Peter Gunn-type riff and an overall Pacific Northwest S...

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113:48

Fortune Teller

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/03/09

In the latest episode, we discuss Allen Toussaint's great story-song "Fortune Teller", a fave of garage bands throughout the 60s. Benny Spellman authored the original version and it has that nice New Orleans swampiness - piano, clave, horns, and great backing vocals. What a gumbo! The second rendition is a cute one from the very early Rolling Stones, who add a Orientalist riff and harmonica to their arrangement -& Charlie Watt's drumming keeps the song chugging along nicely. Th...

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146:15

You're Gonna Miss Me

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/02/24

SIX versions of the ultimate classic garage tune "You're Gonna Miss Me" - the original by The Spades from 1965, the 66 ur-text by 13th Floor Elevators (wherein we provide some potential innovations in the field of electric jug playing), then a bunch of wild renditions by Tom Thumb, The Heard, The Five Kinetics, & The Zoo!

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85:09

She Lied

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/02/15

Who had a good time on Valentine's Day? Not The Rockin' Ramrods out of Boston, who, in 1964, authored a poison pen letter towards the (imaginary) girls who did them wrong on the wild, ahead-of-its-time tune, "She Lied." Imagine The Dave Clark Five crossed with The Ramones and you have an idea. Not for the faint of heart, and probably mostly unheard, the song didn't get picked up by other bands until the late 70s, but we start with Naz Nomad & The Nightmares f...

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110:52

Magic Bus

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/02/07

Time to get back on the bus for this follow-up to our theme episode last week - The Who's classic "Magic Bus", no less. We start with Pete Townshend's 1966 demo, which is cute & weird & British - that is, psychedelic. The first released version was by some guys called The Pudding, and it's got a Mose Allison/Georgie Fame vibe, according to Erik. The Who's first full-band version is third, and did you ever really think it's just a buncha pals putting on a ...

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177:09

Ridin' The Bus

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/02/01

All aboard the ... bus! This week we feature several songs about the poor man's chariot, the loser cruiser, etc - and the songs are comin' like London busses. Our first stop is "Midnight Bus" by Betty McQuade. From 1961, this one is an atmospheric tale of tragic young love, but more importantly, it sets up a crucial discussion of the "buzzer cord" ... where did the buzz go? Second on our route is "Bus Stop" by The Hollies. This one is also about young love but it has a happier ...

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129:47

Do You Love Me

In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast ·

2025/01/24

We know you love us - but "Do You Love Me"? Berry Gordy got Motown started in 62 with The Contours and it might be a little revenge-romance fantasy. You will love Billy Gordon's vocal performance, the amazing backing vocal performance by FOUR other singers, to say nothing of The Funk Brothers. In '65, Paul Revere & The Raiders cranked out a version that's a lil bit ska, a lil bit surf. With palm muting - wild! The dawn of the 70s brought a strange, easy ...

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249 results

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