The Sonics - Psycho-Sonic

This post was originally going to be the start of my record digitizing, but, alas, I've fallen a little behind, so the first couple of days worth of posts will be from the remaining fifty or so CD's I have left to digitize. As I promised, I will also be periodically adding requests as blog downloads as well...

So here we go...

Ask anyone about the origins of Punk rock, and your likely to get a couple answers:

a) Link Wray's advent of the power chord.

b) The cheap/quick/raw recording methods of garage rock bands whom recorded crudely rushed and naive energy-infused fuzz tone laden singles.

c) The Sonics.

The Sonics originate out of Tacoma, Washington circa. '64-'65 and paved the road for some of the wildest recordings to come out in the decade to follow. Their music falls primarily under two categories, wild covers of fifties standards... and skull cracking 100-mph originals. Their best recordings are their dark themed songs such as "He's Waitin'," "Strychnine," "The Witch"

Psycho-Sonic was released on CD on the Big Beat label, and compiles everything they released on the Etiquette label, which consists of two LP's and a handful of singles... as a bonus, it also includes live versions of "The Witch" and "Psycho," as well as an alternate version of "The Witch."

Download here

"The epitome of '60s punk... harder than the Kinks, and punk long before punk" - The White Stripes

"I, I have to admit... The Sonics recorded very, very cheaply on a two track you know, and they just used one microphone over the drums, and they got the most amazing drum sound I've ever heard. Still to this day, it's still my favorite drum sound. It sounds like he's hitting harder than anyone I've ever known." -Kurt Cobain

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!!!

As a bonus download (in a separate folder) I am including a couple extra Sonic goodies:

1) The 45rpm single Norton records released of "Don't Believe In Christmas" b/w "Santa Claus"

2) The 45rpm single Norton records released of unissued versions of "The Witch" and "Busy Body"

3) A 24 minute interview from July 16th, 1998 with Larry Parypa, the lead guitar and back up vocalist for The Sonics