CHICAGO, IL. (Top40 Charts/ Western Publicity) Over the years, the Ponderosa Stomp has proudly presented the greats of rock n' roll, from Link Wray and the Flamin' Groovies to The Trashmen, Green Fuz, The Seeds, The Alarm Clocks and Dr Specs Optical Illusion. Unhinged pioneers of raw fury, these bands ignited teenage raves and rebellious rioting on stages across the US, becoming icons of a movement that continues to flower. 2013 is no exception, as stars of the Sunset Strip scene The Sloths, Ty Wagner and The Standells perform with proto-punk New Orleans rockers the Gaunga Dyns.
Watch "Riot on Sunset Strip" mini-doc here:
The Stomp brings The Standells to headline the Festival, which runs October 3-5 in New Orleans. Best known for their hit "Dirty Water," the band personified the youth movement in Hollywood during the 60s, where the kids clashed with over-zealous cops while beatniks ran amuck. The band appeared in the cult classic "Riot on Sunset Strip" as well as numerous other movies and TV shows, notably appearing as the "Love Bugs" on the Bing Crosby Show and as themselves on The Munsters. Other slices of leering, lecherous garage genius followed with "Try It" and "Why Pick on Me," as well as the dark horse ode "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White." The Standells legacy remains strong; "Dirty Water" is played after every home victory by the Boston Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins and it is listed in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 songs that shaped rock n' roll.
The Gaunga Dyns are one of the most lethal garage combos to blaze a trail of glory across the New Orleans scene in the '60s. With only two 45 records to their name, the band's impact was huge compared to their output. Recorded by Cosimio Matassa for Minit Records imprint Busy-B, they were hardly your average teen rockers. "Rebecca Rodifer," a vaguely shrouded tale of a teen girl who doesn't survive an abortion, is twisted and terrifying. "Clouds Don't Shine" is a study in dark, moody intensity, while they bring the fuzz on "Stick with Her" and "No One Cares." The band's tenure was short but sweet - their sides are hunted by collectors world-wide. Fans will find them featured in the Ponderosa Stomp Foundation's exhibit, Unsung Heroes: The Secret History of Louisiana Rock 'n Roll at the Louisiana State Museum.
Another short-lived, but much loved band of the era, was California's the Sloths. The band's lifespan lasted from only 1965 until 1966, but their sole 1965 recording with the sides "Makin' Love" and "You Mean Everything" was a barnburner, ensuring they'd be unforgettable. The band laid down their instruments in 1966 and did not pick them up for 46 years. Through the efforts of a private detective, the band reformed and they retain the raw primitivity and unspoiled stomp that have made their records highly sought after almost 5 decades later.
Ty Wagner emerged from California in 1966 as front man of the Scotchmen and the Ones, where he penned the ultimate proto-punk anthem "Slander" and his outsider anthem "I'm a No Count." The sides were hits for Chattahoochee and Era Records respectively and were recorded at Gold Star Recording. Wagner did numerous TV appearances and was a stalwart of the 60s Sunset Strip scene, performing at It's Boss, The Trip, the Brave New World, the Rendezvous and other nightclubs where rebel music fans danced. Wagner performs at the 2013 Stomp in New Orleans in the wake of his first record in decades, a new 45 featuring two unreleased numbers from the mid-60s.
