The Sonics (myspace wiki fanpage AMG) were a garage band from Tacoma, WA, active during the 1960's and recently reunited for a few live shows.Here's one of their four contributions to Etiquette Records' 1965 compilation Merry Christmas (the album also featured labelmates The Galaxies and The Wailers -- whose song "Christmas Spirit" appeared on last year's Country Christmas mix, which will appear in roughly this space on Sunday).
The Sonics are so punk it's hard to believe this is from 1965. I love The Velvet Underground and Link Wray, also early pre/proto-punks, and this recording features the raw energy, aggressive rocking and pure attitude that would go on to influence oh-so-many rockers for oh-so-many decades.
While assembling this post, I've had this song on repeat play for over an hour and, unlike a lot of Christmas music, I would gladly listen to this song fifty times in a row without once complaining. Thanks, The Sonics, for making Christmas rock.
