Various Artists
Pebbles Presents Highs in the Mid Sixties, Volume Eleven: Texas, Part One
AIP 10019, 1984

AIP’s eleventh volume in the Highs series was the first in an eventual five volumes on the Texas garage scene (Highs Vols. 11, 12, 13, 17 and 23). Pretty much what you’d expect – chock full of the tough weirdness that characterized the various manifestations of Texas punk.

Cover: Larry & The Blue Notes

Original liner notes:

Texas has long been recognized as the home of punk’s most demented geniuses, from Roky Erickson and the Legendary Stardust cowboy on down to the obscurest local bands whose records are among the most sought-after gems of the ‘60s. Even when they weren’t acid-driven loonies, they had a way with punk that was often harder, nastier than average.

The state had its quota of folk-rock, blues-rock, teen ballads, etc., but it’s the tough punkers we remember best. Another Texas specialty was psychedelic or acid-punk, but the best of those have been saved for a later LP in this series. For, despite the importance of Texas, large numbers of the best records remain un-reissued, or if they have been reissued, it has only been on collectors’ LPs of such extremely limited pressings that most collectors can’t even find them. It is our goal to rectify this situation, and give Texas its proper attention in the world spotlight, complementing the work of Doug Hanners, Peter Buesnel and other collectors who have done such a fine job of repackaging the J-Beck catalog (Bad Seeds, Liberty Bell, etc.) and some of the Houston bands.

Larry & The Blue Notes
Between 1962 and ’68 this Ft. Worth band was one of the area’s most popular, and recorded an impressive 12 records, some under other names such as the Bad, Larry Roquemore, and the Mark Five. Best known for the awesome, spooky “Night of the Phantom”, a top hit locally that was picked up for national release by 20th Century, their best record was arguably “In and Out”, inspired by the Yardbirds. This record was released no less than 5 times, with different B-sides. Well, actually different A-sides, since (like many of the best punkers of the ‘60s) “In and Out” was only considered worthy of flipside status. An interesting sidelight: this band toured for awhile as the Sir Douglas Quintet, while Doug himself was supposedly in the hoosegow on pot charges. (Thanks to Not Fade Away mag for this chewy morsel!)

The Buccaneers
This Dallas/Ft. Worth band borrowed “You Got What I Want” from the British group the Sorrows, who were one of the wildest mod-R&B-pop bands in the UK and had a hit with the song in late 1965. The Buccaneers took a few liberties with the song, changing the lyrics in the chorus. Though not quite as frantic as the original, this is a superb, raw version.

Kit & The Outlaws
An unchallenged classic. These guys summed up the attitude of teen rebels everywhere so definitively that it was even picked up by a major label for national distribution, and it could easily have been a big hit—but wasn’t. Nowadays it’s quite hard to find, although a new generation of bands has discovered it and recent recordings of the song (by the Gravediggger V, for instance) may succeed in breaking it yet.

The Chants
Little is known about the Dallas group who recorded this song, but it’s a tasty folk-punker in the same general style as the Painted Ship.

The Visions
From Mineral Wells came this hot little band, with one of the tuffest versions of “Route 66” ever heard. The song was a staple of garage bands everywhere, having been learned from the Stones and Them, who in turn borrowed it from Chuck Berry, who came up with the idea of making a rocker out of the original, mellow jazzy pop song of the ‘50s by Bobby Troup—who, incidentally, was married to Julie London.

The Esquires
Though obscure, this band from Irving, Texas had four different records out, all of which bore the same picture sleeve. Another of their songs, “Come On, Come On” has been reissued, but this marks the first reappearance of “Judgment Day”, a platter of raw nerve fiber if ever we heard one.

The Four More
In 1966 this crude punker was recorded in Kingsville, Texas by a young band who were around for a couple of years and made another record the following year after changing their name to the Chosen Ones.

Chaz & The Classics
Talk about cool! Songs with the number “13” were the mark of a true high school hipster in 1966 and the manic sounds on this track bear out the theory. This is snotty punk at its best, with just a tinge of psychedelia. The band, who matriculated in Houston, had at least two other records under the pithier appellation of just Chaz.

Terry & Tommy
Somewhere in West Texas these two characters, whoever they are, recorded at least one great folk-rocker which evaded collectors until very recently, when it was finally tracked down by a certain investigative dentist of our acquaintance. Originally on the A-OK label.

The By Fives
Another little-known group, they recorded one 45 in Dallas, Texas crude all the way.

The Staffs
Yet another great punk treat, somewhat reminiscent of the immortal blue Roads. “Another Love” was originally on the flip of a very nice Kinks kover, which we hope to bring you on a later volume of this series. The band was from San Antonio.

Five of a Kind
Dig the wyld guitar solo in this folk-punk anthem from Ft. Worth. Don’t know much about the band, but as the old saying goes, their music says it all.

Nobody’s Children
This could be one of our 10 favorite punk records of all time. For those who may think all garage bands sounded alike, just ineptly copying British groups, well, it’s songs like this that prove otherwise. You can’t even compare this with anything—it’s a little bluesy, the guy has suffered, but he’s screaming with blood-curdling teenage angst, drenched in psychedelic fuzz, and powered by an absolute monster guitar iff. The intensity of this performance is so palpable that one can easily imagine the singer ending up in a padded room, or becoming a sniper and going on a death rampage. He makes Johnny Rotten sound like a mama’s boy.

The Bourbons
We close with a snotty, nasy, arrogant testimonial from a gang of forgotten teen gods who were probably banned from every high school in San Antonio. This was their only release, on the Royal Family label in early 1967.

Side 1
Larry & The Blue Notes - In and Out
The Buccaneers - You Got What I Want (M. Dallon)
Kit & The Outlaws - Don't Tread on Me (K. Massengill)
The Chants - Hypnotized
The Visions - Route 66 (B. Troup)
The Esquires - Judgment Day
The Four More - Problem Child

Side 2
Chaz & The Classics - Girl of the 13th Hour
Terry & Tommy - It Ain't No Good
The By Fives - I Saw You Walking
The Staffs - Another Love
Five of a Kind - Never Again
Nobody's Children - Good Times
The Bourbons - Of Old Approximately

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