THE TROGGS/FROM NOWHERE - THE TROGGS TL 5355 (-66) UK MONO

British band founded in Hampshire 1964 and following year signed by then Kinks manager Larry Page to his Page One Records. In just two years, 1966-67, they managed nine world wide hits, where of larger part #1 or at least top ten in many countries. From 1968 it seems the hype was over and though they're still at it in some form a 1993 re-cut of "Wild Thing" at UK #69 has been their only hit since. The Troggs original "Wild Thing" recording - version of a Chip Taylor composition first written for and issued 1965 by New York group The Wild Ones - has become one of the most covered sixties rock songs and seen as a great influence on later British punk rock and new wave. I guess for many fans that is the hight of this debute, but for me who's heard the song about a million times already not so much. So instead of focusing on that I like to take it all in in one long lap and then mainly for the audio and atmosphere. The mix of covers and self-penned, blending raunchy and cute, are made in the exact same way - simple and right on from a basic setting, sounding like a studio concert caught in the act and then conveyed with hardly any production or levelling. Much of it unbalanced with varying volume, sometimes bursting the groove, and a fair share of flaws. In other words - very good garage! Here enhanced by the clear audio not leaving many spots buried. Played on good equipment it's like you're in the studio and for better or worse getting it first hand. I prefer the harder tracks, where the simple setting gets it really raunchy - "Ride Your Pony", "I Just Sing", "From Home" and especially the cover of "Louie Louie" which in this shape has to be one of the rawest British recordings made in the sixties. So for those adjusted to today's smooth digital outcomes it might be a too shaky gallop, but for a garage lover like me - a joyride. Issued on vinyl all over the world in the sixties. Due to contractual problems the US first came on two different labels - ATCO (SD/33-193) and Fontana (SRF 67556/MGF 27556). Both those came with same tracking, different to UK, omitting "Ride Your Pony", "The Kitty Cat Song", "Jaguar And Thunderbird" and "Louie Louie", replacing them with "Lost Girl", "I Want You", "With A Girl Like You" and "Your Love". Premiere UK had label as shown here and laminated flip-back cover. (TRÖX*)