Various Artists — Back from the Grave Volume Four

Various Artists -- Back from the Grave Volume Four

• Artist: Various Artists
• Title: Back from the Grave Volume Four
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1984 – Mail order?
• Keeper: Yes

The ultra-cool Crypt Records put out the Back from the Grave series in the 1980s. I have a few records from the series and this is the first one I came across. These records are compilations of relatively obscure 1960s garage rock bands. Many of these groups, despite that they often wore matching shirts or suits, can, and should, be considered the original punk rockers. This stuff had a pretty solid cult following in the 1980s. There were even quite a few new bands at the time emulating the sound and look of the originals. The Fuzztones, Nomads, Vipers, Lyres, and Chesterfield Kings are some of the better-known ones.

If you study the album cover you’ll notice the ’60s punk rock zombies are back to take over. Robin is driving the Batmobile dragging Cyndi Lauper(?), Boy George and Prince. Hippies, joggers and break dancers are all getting their comeuppance.

I find it interesting now, looking back, that less than 20 years after this music was new that there was such an interest by some folks in the 1980s. Maybe it was a reaction to the glut of synth music at the time. Is it possible this niche guitar rock revival eventually went more mainstream in the form of “grunge”? Anyhow, I find it hard to imagine that right now in 2007 there will be a revival of underground late 1980s music. This ’60s garage rock was special, from a special time right before music got a little less fun. It reminds me of the movie Animal House. It came out in 1978 and was set in 1962, only sixteen years earlier. But think about how different those periods were. Would a movie today set in 1991 seem that distant?

The Sonics are by far the best-known band on this record. My favorite track is the extra-fuzzed out “Flash and Crash” by Rocky and the Riddlers.