The Dark Side – 30 Sixties Garage Punk and Psyche Monsters

Picking up where they left off on the 2007 compilation ‘Lost & Found – Rockabilly & Jump Blues‘, Keb Darge & Cut Chemist join forces once again, this time to explore the Dark Side of 1960s Garage music. While Rockabilly could be defined as a DIY emulation of the music of Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran and others by young American artists, Garage was heavily influenced by British bands of the day like the Beatles, Kinks & Rolling Stones. Simple drum kits, guitars and the occasional organ keep the sound honest and raw, retaining a palpable sense of excitement even to this day. With a multitude of bands springing up all over the USA, many of these wonderful records were released in tiny numbers, making certain titles almost impossible to find.

Keb Darge’s love affair with this intriguing genre happened almost by accident, while on the hunt for obscure Northern Soul records. “DJ Shadow told me I would like Garage years ago, but I didn’t listen.” Hearing a few records he liked and being assured by collectors that they were classified as ‘Garage’ got him hooked, so for the last years he’s been digging obsessively for the stuff. Knowing Cut Chemist was a collector, he suggested they collaborate on a compilation, and ‘The Dark Side‘ was born. 30 obscure records, some of which change hands for frightening amounts of money, all with wonderful stories attached as told in Keb’s & Cut Chemist‘s encyclopedic and entertaining liner notes.

“This compilation is not aimed at the many collectors of this wonderful style of music. I am a very late arrival on this scene, and still have a hell of a lot to learn, and buy. This is more for people like I was just three years ago, people oblivious to beauty, power, and excitement of the sixties garage sound.” – Keb Darge 2016