When most people think of sixties music they tend to think of certain styles. Brit Invasion pop, garage punk, Motown Soul, psychedelia etc. Although all of these styles have their merits, my personal favourite style of sixties music was the pre punk rock style played by only a handful of bands. Although when the term punk rock is brought up most people think of the Sex Pistols and their ilk, the style of music had really first originated in the sixties and wasn't until the Ramones and the Dictators came along in 1975 did the media come up with a name for the music. The purpose of this article is to highlight five albums from the sixties which either influenced or were punk rock, a decade before the term was actually used. So get ready for a run down of the snottiest, grottiest, and ugliest music the sixties produced.

1. The Sonics-PsychoSonic (1964-65). I've cheated here as this is two albums (Here are the Sonics and Boom) released on the one CD. Out of Seattle Washington, and still the toughest band that city has produced came this raucous six piece. They played frat rock, ala the Kingsmen's 'Louie Louie' but played it so friggin' loud and fast that they became a seminal influence on seventies punk. Songs like 'He's Waiting', a song about a young lass who has sold her soul to the devil, 'Strychnine' extolling the virtues of mind altering substances, 'Psycho' a song about well..a psycho and the 'Hustler' a song about a young man who has a love of fast cars and faster women, shows they weren't the most politically correct band of the time, but man did they rock. Jerry Roselie's vocals were the most guttural of the sixties, Rob Lind played the horniest sax this side of Albert Ayler and Larry Parypa's guitar was one of the most distorted. The band were known for poking holes in their speakers to make their guitars even more distorted live. I think the Sonics can be best summed up by drummer Bob Bennett's comment when asked about the Sonics in a 1983 interview "We were a dirty, kick ass band". What more could you want?

2. Blue Cheer-Vincebus Eruptum (1967). Roughly translated this means Louder than God in Latin. And did they live up to the moniker. Out an outdoor concert, the band was playing, a bird flew past the speaker stack as they playing, and fell to the ground unconscious due to the sonic assault the Cheer were thumpin' out. I suppose that Blue Cheer's volume is all the more impressive when you consider that they were only a three piece! This fine album of sludge rock is simply monstrous. From a crazed version of the Eddie Cochran classic 'Summertime Blues' to the definitive version of Mose Allison's prison blues 'Parchment Farm' to their own psyched out crazed songs like 'Out of Focus' and 'Second Time Around' this baby never lets up. Blue Cheer were one the few bands who didn't embrace the Summer of Love but instead choose to piss all over it. They were managed by a Hell's Angel, they drank beer like it was going out of style and they regularly blew the Grateful Dead off stage. They also released another corker in 1968 'Outside Inside' but sadly subsequent releases were very patchy. Still it was the ultimate show of respect that acid godfather Stanley Owsley chose to name the most potent trip of LSD known at the time, as a Blue Cheer.

3. MC5-Kick Out the Jams (1968). Outta Detroit these five mean as hell punks released what is probably the greatest live album of all time. The MC5 combined Who/Troggs power riffs with Motown soul and free jazz to produced one of the most original and devastating sounds of all time. They covered John Lee Hooker, the Troggs, Sun Ra and James Brown (I think) as well as providing five of rock's greatest masterpieces. Feedback, guitars on ten and the fastest rock n roll anyone had heard to that date showed that the MC5 were the most powerful band of the time. They were also very controversial. They were associated with left wing militant John Sinclair and his White Panther Party, were in favour of revolution and even used the word 'Motherfucker' as an introduction to one their songs. This resulted in several record stores refusing to stock the album, including large chains such as Hudsons. The MC5s response was to put ads in the underground press saying "Fuck Hudson's!". The band were subsequently dropped from the Elektra label and an edited version of Kick Out the Jams was released. Despite releasing three of the greatest rock albums ever (the other two being Back in the USA (1969) and High Time (1971), commercial success elude the five and they retreated back to Detroit to face unemployment and drug habits. Unfortunately singer Rob Tyner and guitarist Fred Smith are both dead but guitarist Wayne Kramer is still alive and kicking out the jams in his way.

4. Alice Cooper-Easy Action (1969). A man/band more associated with the seventies for their mega hits 'I'm Eighteen' and 'School's Out' this album obviously predates their commercial glory. What you've got here is really weird psyched out power rock. This album was released on Frank Zappa's Bizarre Record Label and well, bizarre fits the bill. Within this album however is some fantastic hook laden rock. 'Return of the Spiders', 'Mr and Miss Demeanor' and 'Refrigerator Heaven' are all great songs with those morbid almost sick lyrics that Alice was/is so fond of. The real powerhouse track is 'Laydown and Die, Goodbye' which has one of the heaviest riffs ever committed to vinyl. Alice's roots were in garage bands the Nazz and the Spiders and it's fair to say Alice's music has always had a touch of garage about it. Even in the 80s Alice was covering Love's 'Seven and Seven is' and his influence on punk rock is still evident today.

5. The Stooges-Self Titled (1969). This is where nearly every 70s punk rock band got their sound and attitude. Three chord punk with songs about being bored, sado masochism, sex, having a good time and being bored with having a good time. Iggy Pop howls through this masterpiece, Ron Asheton supplies the fuzziest riffs and the most primitive wah wah solos, Scott Asheton drums like he's backing Bo Diddley back in 55, and Dave Alexander tries to figure out how to play bass. As you would expect this record flopped big time, but found a huge audience in the seventies with the punk crowd. It also has one of the coolest album covers of all time, with all four of the Stooges staring out sullenly looking incredibly mean and bad-ass. They would improve on this great debut with the amazing 'Funhouse' album of 1970 but this album is where 95% of punk rock got it's influence and sound.

Well there you have it. Five or so great rockin albums from the sixties which were punk rock before it was called punk rock. If Maria or Jackie give me the chance I'd like to cover some of the other lost heavy gems of the era: albums by The Thirteenth Floor Elevators, the Lollipoppe Shoppe, the Standells, the Seeds, and the Rockin' Vicars. How 'bout it ladies? Or do I have to gob all over your cars to the sweet sounds of the Stooges 'No Fun' till I get my way?

The Iron 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' Pharaoh