Garage Hero

Written by Ava

Garage bands from the 60s will always be in style! S says Chris Bishop aka Chas Kit, creator of Garage Hangover, a funky blog devoted to showcasing bands and providing all the goods on his favorite garage rock music from the 60s. He's so adamant about this fact, that not only has he created a blog dedicated to the ultra-specific music genre, but he's also dedicated to making the site the ultimate research center about 60s music scenes collecting archival materials like photos, records, news clippings, and more from the decade. Unfortunately, as any blogger who doesn't do it as any blogger with a full-time job knows, it isn't easy, and we sure wish he was doing his thing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week instead of when he gets home in the evenings!

We had the chance to talk to Chris about his favorite garage bands as well as how guitar has influenced the genre. Read on to hear what this garage band expert has to say!

What exactly is garage? How would you describe it?

Garage is a crude kind of rock music, usually with plenty of attitude. That sound originated with teenagers in the 60's. "Like the Stones but worse" is the best short definition I've ever seen. I don't take the term too seriously: on my site I cover both amateur and professional bands, some of whom never practiced in a garage and whose members often had years of experience playing.

You’ve been a fan of garage since high school. What was it that got you started and what has made you keep loving it since?

You just couldn't find this stuff growing up in the suburbs in the '80s. Luckily there was a good '60s radio show on WNYU where I heard incredible records like the Dutch group Q65's "I Got Nightmares". There's a lot of mystery behind these records, which kept me looking to find more like them.

Who are your personal favorite garage bands?

The Remains, who opened for the Beatles last tour in '66, had a whole LP and several 45s. They're an exception though, most of these groups had only one single, and there are too many great 45s to mention.

How much of an influence was the guitar to the Garage sound?

Guitar was just about everything, especially the rhythm-heavy distorted sound of Link Wray or Bo Diddley.

Can you name a few of the best garage band guitarists?

John Spratto of the French Church came up with one of the best distortion sounds ever using little Vox boosters plugged into his guitar. Or check out Sonny Salisbury's riffing on the Hazards version of "Hey Joe".

Why do you choose to focus on 60s garage rock bands in this blog?

Only a few blogs cover this music in any depth. Most of these bands weren't known more than a few miles beyond their hometown back in '66. Previously unknown music worth hearing still turns up even 45 years after its heyday.

Apparently, you’ve traveled a great deal. In your opinion, where is the best location to hear garage and how does it change depending on where you go?

Austin Texas has the Ugly Beats, who are the best 60's-inspired rock band I've heard in the last 5 or 10 years. Montreal has Les Breastfeeders, New York has the Brimstones, Spain has Wau y los Arrghs, and these are just a few on the scene now.

What are your ultimate goals for your site and your garage band research in the future?

My primary goal is to gather as much first hand information about local music scenes in the mid-60s as I can. The secondary goal is to popularize this music by making the site as dynamic and engaging as possible.

I think I'm succeeding at both but there is a lot more I could do. Too many of these great records and bands will never have their stories known. The time to collect people's stories and information is now. I have so many leads to follow, I wish I could work at this site 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. As it is, I'm lucky to get a couple hours free when I get home in the evening.