Wednesday, December 17, 2008

The Sonics - Strychnine

This Tacoma band, active from 1960-68, is the most influential band to emerge from Seattle's music scene (and I say that knowing full well the implications). Here's a ferocious little punk song about getting high drinking strychnine:



(One might be familiar with their cover of a Richard Berry classic, which regrettably appeared in a Land Rover commercial.)

7 comments:

Sycophantman said...

Wow, that was from the 60's? I would have to largely agree with your assessment of it influential, or at the very least ahead of its time. All the elements of good punk music are there, only with traditional instruments all fuzzed out. I like it.

(Dan) said...

Yeah, Strychnine's awesome.

Craig said...

This band must have shown up on one of those Nuggets compilations at some point, right? (It's pretty awesome. You have an album?)

Whisk E. Bear said...

I don't have any of their stuff, but the essential album is the compilation "Psycho-Sonic," which collects a double-album of material the band recorded for the Etiquette label in 1964 and '65. I'll try to find a good download link tonight and post it -- I've only known this band through their (semi-frequent) play time on KEXP.

(Dan) said...

I have it on one of those Nuggets, which I could ups.

Whisk E. Bear said...

Here's Psycho-Sonic:

http://rs11.rapidshare.com/files/10035254/Psycho-Sonic.rar

TomHat said...

so...i didnt like it.