The
birth of genius – the first three albums by Flamin Groovies, along with bonus tracks too! First up is Supersnazz – the first album from legendary San Francisco rockers the Flaming Groovies – and the cleaner horn-accented blueprint for the shakey, skronky structure to come! Supersnazz has a bit of a sibling in the first Stooges LP – in that the palatable production only hints at the insanity of later records – but it's a good rocking record all the same, a good site stranger, fierier and groovier than most of their contemporaries could muster! Tracks include "Love Have Mercy", "Laurie Did It", "Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu", "The First One's Free", "Pagan Rachel", "Pistol Packin' Mama", "Brushfire", "Around The Corner" and more. Flamingo is one of the finest moments ever from The Flamin Groovies – a set that's awash in 50s rock and roll influences, yet filtered through the heady late 60s San Francisco scene – making for a mix that's completely compelling throughout, and unlike anything else we can think of! The Groovies might initially seem like retro-rockers, yet they've got this sharp edge that makes their music more of a commentary on rock and roll, and its roots as well – uttered beautifully at a time when so many others were falling into excess, but also done without any of the "roots" cliches that others were embracing in a much clunkier way! It's hard to sum up adequately, but the record's almost a leap forward from Gene Vincent over 60s psyche – but on its way to the rough edges embraced by the UK punk scene in years to come – kind of that odd space that the Modern Lovers hit with their Kim Fowley recordings, but much more rocking overall. Most numbers are originals from vocalist Roy Loney – and titles include "Comin After Me", "Headin For The Texas Border", "Second Cousin", "Childhood's End", "Jailbait", and "She's Falling Apart". Teenage Head is maybe the best-remembered album ever from the all-great Flaming Groovies – and a set with a classic cover image that really lives up to the music! The Groovies have an unusual blend of old school rocking with hipper post-60s sensibilities – almost their own faux-retro sound to rival some of the west coast modes from the Warner scene – but with a grittier NYC presentation that's really wonderful, and which made the record a key force in the pre-punk years! One of those true treasures that just keeps on giving over the years – a record of subtle brilliance that just gets better and better with each
new listen. Titles include "High Flyin Baby", "City Lights", "Yesterday's Numbers", "Whiskey Woman", and "Evil Hearted Ada". 3CD set features a whopping 17 bonus tracks – including "Louie Louie", "Shakin All Over", "Carol", "Scratch My Back", "Rumble", "Somethin Else", "Going Out (version 2)", "Walking The Dog", "The First One's Free (single)", "Around & Around", and "My Girl Josephine.