Back From The Grave

When this series first started out it really broke the mould of garage punk comps. Before this the big comps (Pebbles, Nuggets, Psychedelic Unknowns and a few others) were compiled by fans of the music who used their own record collections for the sets. Most, if not all, of the records that appear on the aforementioned comps were stock or promo copies of 45s that were actually ished and available in shops at the time (mid '60s). Also - garage punk, frat rock, psych and beat were all just mixed up together on these comps.

Tim Warren did a different thing - he went out and found records that weren't actually properly issued at the time. Let me explain.... some bands, out in the sticks say, got together and recorded a couple of songs. Then they went and got them pressed themselves on 45, sometimes just a 100 or so copies. These records never made it into shops. They gave a few away to family and friends, sold a few at gigs, sent some to the local radio and tv station and the other 70 copies went under the drummer's bed for 20 years until Tim Warren came along.

Using detecting methods that would put Columbo to shame Warren would have a shave and don his best suit to blag his way into a high school in Nowheresville Anonyzona. Getting permission to look through the yearbooks he would find members of the '60s bands. Then (because a lot of people stay put in life) he would knock on a few doors around town ... and, hey presto, he eventually found his way under the drummer's bed.

Another layer of rarity and wonder can be added to the story. Back in 1966 when the band got the 100 copies of their record safely home and put it on the record player - sometimes they were highly delighted by the result - but some were shocked at the rough and ready standard of the recording. Not really The Beatles - more like The Shaggs. Some of these bands were so disappointed by their record that they took them over the fields and used them for target practise with a BB gun. Maybe a few survived.
That's why rare records are rare.

Tim Warren also dismissed most psychedelia and really only compiled the best and most primitive garage punk. The compilations work as a small slice of geological time. 1965 - 1966 mainly. The golden years of teen punk before the bad drugs and the Hendrix/Clapton influence kicked in.