Let's Talk About...THE SONICS!

Always good to see another person from West Texas on the forum. I was at the concert as well. I couldn't find anything on their webpage about the original organ player/lead singer being replaced. They sounded like a tight group and their drummer really hit the mark.

Nothing like losing the main speakers and having the fire alarm go off during Robert Plant's set.

 

I was up front in the pit, we could hear the sound from the stage monitors and took probably half the song to realize there was something up - I thought the siren was actually an annoying weird effect at first ha! I was kind of hoping plant would stop the band and kick it back off. I thought it was a great show, thrilled to see Plant so close, and that's a great theater - although the one mercy stand is stupid, I would've bought a few shirts but the line was crazy before and after the show

 

Live album coming out for Record Store Day next month.

 

The original Seattle sound...

 

This thread deserves a Love Button! Hadn''t heard a note of this classic Northwest Proto-Punk sound, but now that I have thanks to the links, Norton will be getting some of my money. Thanks for turning me on! The Sonics are McLover Approved!

 

I thought the same thing about the siren. We were in the 2nd row of the middle orchestra so the monitors still sounded good. I've seen a number of shows at the center; it's a great venue that I'm glad we have now.

 

Gerry is off the road for now with health issues (doctor's orders)......no word on the actual health issue.

I saw this on Pledgemusic where they've been doing concert tour updates .

I don't know what this will mean for the May/June Underground Garage tour where they're headlining.

 

Anyone know if the vinyl version of This is the Sonics is a compressed piece of junk like the CD?

 

Sadly, the word is that Gerry will no longer be touring and there will be a replacement. The bass player is expected to do all the vocals. He's good, but...

 

I have the vinyl and the CD that came with it. The vinyl sounds only slightly better. To my very untrained ears they both sound good.

My Norton Records - Here are the Sonics CD on the other hand sounds terrible. I'm still wondering if there is a better version?

 

Ace Records' "Psycho-Sonic" is the best Cd source for every original Sonics track except theChristmas songs.

 

Tacoma...

 

Ace/Big Beat had access to the Etiquette vault and used the best sources available:
The Sonics - Here Are The Sonics! - Ace Records »

 

As soon as I put on the CD, it sounded compressed. Ran it through Foobar Dynamic Range Meter, is a DR6, which confirmed my thoughts. Too bad because the music is fantastic.

 

I'm not sure how I missed this thread last year. They played Knucklehead's in Kansas City last June. Very good show with great crowd response; including a fair chunk who long from being even thought of when the Sonics had their first go-round. Always good to see young fans out enjoying the 60's-70's-80's bands.
The Sonics are doing the same venue in May with the Underground Garage tour you linked, LandHorses. This show should be a blast! I've got a friend coming in from Illinois for it.

 

The upcoming Sonics tour was just cancelled.......they said circumstances beyond their control. I guess it's a possible combination of poor ticket sales and/or people finding out that Gerry wasn't going to be a part of it.

 

It just goes to show - don't put off seeing acts. Time is undefeated. (Well - except for the Stones.)

 

Can anybody tell me more about these 45 RPM reissues?

The Sonics - The Witch »

Looks like they're from 1999, reissued by Norton. Can anybody shed any light on the analog source thing with these? From browsing this thread it looks like 'Ace/BigBeat' had access to the original tapes but where does Norton fit into this? Also, are these mono?

(On a side note, I think they missed an opportunity to make the perfect reissues here by ditching the original Etiquette label, but this seems like one of my few options to have their music on vinyl at a reasonable price.)

 

Apparently Larry wasn't either...There would've been only Rob Lind on this tour.

 

Well they've just been booked for Tiki Oasis in San Diego in Aug. With the Woggles. Both bands will be playing in front of about 3,000 people.

 

At this point and without Gerry or Larry currently in the touring version of the band, I'd much rather see a comprehensive box set (similar to the Pretty Things box set) released, than buy two or three tickets to stand for 4 hours hearing mostly non-original members billed as "The Sonics" while paying tribute to a band dear to many of our hearts. The Ventures continue to tour without Don Wilson or Nokie Edwards, but the retired members of that band apparently benefit financially from this arrangement. Unlike retired members of The Ventures, hopefully Gerry and Larry will remain active as recording artists with The Sonics.

 

Bob Link made an official statement which I put in the other Sonics thread - Sonics Tour Cancelled »
Gerry and Larry will still be active on new recordings.

 

If you haven't yet, check out this amazing KEXP footage. It was recorded by Kevin Suggs and mixed by Jack Endino and it sounds ferocious! This is the source show for the RSD live thing and it shows off the reunited Sonics beautifully:

BTW, anyone else pick up the Sonics 50 box? I like the sound of those records a lot, but my previous copies were all really beat and worn out so I haven't done a thorough comparison.

 

The Sonics 50 box set is a friggin' masterwork ! an incredible must have for any fan.
I have an original mint initial pressing of their first Etiquette album and the reissue in the boxset ALMOST matches it.

 

That's excellent news. It's a shame that Nokie and Don no longer record with The Ventures, but at least Gerry and Larry will still be on future releases by The Sonics.