Imitation seems to be the key feature of Rock.  Teenagers listen to their favorite songs on the radio and say, “Hey, we can do that!”  The next thing you know, a group of friends from the same town has converted somebody’s garage into a practice space.  It seems natural to coin it ‘Garage Rock.’  Obviously it’s not that simple: all Rock bands start out cutting demos in the garage.  Garage Rock, however, has distinct features.  

The two guitar riffs pervaded Garage Rock: the ‘Bo Diddly’ riff and the ‘Louie Louie’ riff.   The ‘Bo Diddly’ riff is derived from the West African rythm, and was popularized by black American workers with the phrase “shave-and-a-haircut, six bits.”  (listen to Buddy Holly’s ‘Not Fade Away’ for it.)  

In 1956, Richard Berrie wrote the song ‘Louie Louie.’  Many versions were recorded, and they all contain the prominent (now iconic) I, IV, V riff. The ‘Louie Louie’ riff (I, IV, V) can be heard in The Troggs‘ hit ‘Wild Thing.’ (this riff is also widely prominent in Punk, but we’ll get to that another time.) 

The Troggs – “Wild Thing”

There are two types of Garage Rock: pre and post British Invasion.  British and American kids alike were inspired by the innovators of Sun Records and other RnB/Rock legends of the ’50s like Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, and Bo Diddly.  In England, however, American music became the trend.   You would think that the rock bands who were most influenced by American blues/RnB artists would come from the states. Wrong.  The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and The Animals redefined American blues in their own way and more importantly, made it popular.  The Beatles and the Stones became so hugely influential that essentially every American rock band in the mid ’60s reformatted their sound.  After the British Invasion, American Garage Rockers utilized vocal harmonies and tambourines (most of them directly attempting to mimic The Beatles)

In Sixties Rock, Michael Hicks gives the example of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Before the British Invasion, this American group recorded RnB influenced song “Louie, Go Home” on piano and saxophone to mimic the New Orleans sound.  When the British Invasion hit, the band quickly re-recorded the song with guitar and iconic British harmonies (also prominent in Garage Rock).  Check out the 2 versions. 

Paul Revere & The Raders – “Louie-Go Home”   (pre-British Invasion)

Paul Revere & The Raders – “Louie – Go Home”    (post-British Invasion)

Despite the difference, there is a uniformity in pre and post British Invasion Garage Rock. The I, IV, V chords are the most prominent aspect in Garage music. Certain themes like the flouting of Middle Class values and antagonism were pervasive in the music.  Speed was also important…  Garage Rockers took the songs of the ’50s and sped them up.  (example: check out Buddy Holly vs The Rolling Stones ‘Not Fade Away’.)  Most Garage Rock songs had few chords and emphasized harmonies.  

The Guess Who – “No Time”

The Music Machine – “Talk Talk”

Many Garage Rock icons were one hit wonders and have not been adopted into the Rock Canon.   These bands became famous for singles rather than albums, and therefore only their songs (as opposed to the group as a whole) are remembered.  In the mid ’60s, there was no widespread ‘scene’ for spreading underground (non-popular or famous in this context) Rock music.  It is this reason most of the bands died out.  A cult following of Garage Rock has recently resurged, and now Garage Rock can be categorized as the first underground sub-genre of Rock.  There are albums and radio stations (Little Stevie’s Garge + Nuggets) devoted to the genre.  Furthermore, in the early 2000s a Garage Rock revival took place in the Alternative Rock scene.  Bands like The White Stripes, The Strokes, and The Hives, adopted Garage Rock as their own.  They also adopted the whole  ‘The _____s ‘ trend.

The Hives – “Main Offender”

For more  Garage Rock, check out iTunes Essentials: Garage Rock and Garage Rock Revival.