In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast
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 intolerable. We place special emphasis on the “moments” in these songs where, perhaps, a new interpretation will emerge from. A close look at song structure is also present in our discussions. If that sounds academic, maybe it is a little bit, but we like to keep the analysis in the spirit of the songs we speak of – which means we drink some spirits (for Erik, it’s bourbon, for Weldon, it’s Stambecco) – and that means by the third song, things can get a little wild. Basically, we talk about rock!
In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast
Victoria!
Over the holidays, we were in Canada's Royal City - Victoria, BC - and Erik suggested we take on The Kinks song of the same name. She reigned for 63 years so her impact was large, on both Ray Davies and the city of the newly wed & nearly dead! Mexico's Los Rockin Devils covered the song the same year and we don't speak Spanish, but we think they changed the lyrics to make it a love song. If it has a [Tex-]Mex-style organ, we don't care! In the US, Little Roger & The Goosebumps made a bubblegum/powerpop version which leaves us kinda konfused? Back in Ol' Blighty, The Fall authored a rendition that seems to amplify the satirical elements of the original, but that's mostly seen in the video and not heard. Finally, Victoria's own The Hanson Brothers did the song and it travesties the Canadian city - if you've ever been to the Empress, your monocle might pop out when you hear these locals have to say! Lucky us!!!