GERRY ROSLIE, organ, piano, lead vcls
ANDY PARYPA,… Read Full Bio ↴Personnel:
GERRY ROSLIE, organ, piano, lead vcls
ANDY PARYPA, bsgtr
LARRY PARYPA, lead gtr, vcls
ROB LIND, sax, vcls, hrmnca
BOB BENNETT, drms
The story about the Sonics started in 1960 in Tacoma, Washington when Larry Parypa began to play the guitar together with the drummer, Mitch Graber, a guitar player named Stuart (Stu) Turner, Andy's brother Jerry on sax and a stand up bass player.
Then in early 1961 Larry's big brother Andy replaced the bass player and a guy named Tony Mabin took over as their new sax player. The band was purely an instrumental combo at that time much inspired by bands like the local Wailers and Roamers.
Stuart Turner then got a military transfer and the band got Rich Koch as a new lead guitar player and Marilyn Lodge as a vocalist. Rich Koch was a big scoop for the band since he had played together with the Wailers. A guy named Bill Dean then replaced Mitchell Peter Jaber II on the drums.
When Rich Koch and Marilyn Lodge left the band in 1963 Larry started playing all the guitar himself. The local star Ray Michelson then joined the band as their featured vocalist. Ray Michelson had played with many bands in the area, such as the Falcons, the Vikings, the Roamers and the Imperials and was a very popular singer.
Bill Dean was more into his car than the band and therefore Larry began looking around for another drummer. They found Bob Bennett who played in a band called the Searchers together with Gerry Roslie and Rob Lind. Since Ray Michelson decided to leave the band to settle down and get married the guys also got Gerry Roslie and Rob Lind (who replaced Tony Mabin as the sax player) into the Sonics. That was in the end of 1963 and was the beginning of' the fabulous line-up that the world know as the Sonics.
The band still worked as a instrumental combo with Gerry Roslie playing his electric piano -but suddenly in early 1964 Gerry began to sing.
With Roslie as lead singer the band started out playing at the Red Carpet, Olympia's Skateland, Evergreen Ballroom, Pearl's, Spanish Castle Ballroom and St Mary's Parish Hall etc.
It was the Wailers bassist, Buck Ormsby that discovered the band as he was out talent-scouting for their own label Etiquette Records. "They were practicing in Bob Benett's basement", he recalls. "I was looking for something that was different, something that would rock my socks off and give me a reason to live! I went down and saw them, and I found it. I liked the guitar because it sounded dirty, and I liked Jerry because he was such a screamer".
The Sonics first recording was the classic "The Witch" in 1964 backed up by the b-side "Keep A Knockin'", an insane rendition of the Little Richard song.
"The Witch" became a hit in November after the Sonics had performed at Tacoma's Curtis High School. Andy: "We had just played their homecoming dance and Pat O'Day (the regions biggest DJ) came in the next week to do one of his sock hops and give a few records away. A bunch of kids kept requesting, The Witch so I guess he finally played it and the place went nuts. The next day Pat started playing (the record on the air). The single then became the all-time best-selling local rock single in Northwest history".
In fact this radio station (KJR) wouldn't air the tune prior to 3pm. Andy: "O'Day later told me that eventually the song had reached No 1 in sales, but the station policy said it was too far out to chart at No 1. The station only played it after kids got out of schools".
After the hit with "The Witch" the Sonics went into the studio, called Audio Recording Studio owned by Kearney Barton to cut their follow-up single "Psycho". And quickly this song also became a big hit locally.
After that the guys decided that it was time to cut a whole album and the band when into Keaney's studio to record the classic LP "Here Are the Sonics". The album was recorded on a two-track tape recorder with only one microphone to back up the whole drum kit. To get the distortioned and aggressive sound the band members had to overload the amps and redline the studio deck's VU meter.
Their next Etiquette-album "Boom" was recorded the next year, in February 1966 at the Wiley/Griffith Studio which was a well known studio for country musicians! During the recording the band began to tear down half the egg cartons that lined the ceilings and studio walls "to get a liver sound". The album consisted of the great originals "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark", "Shot Down", "Cinderella" & "He's Waitin' " and great cover songs such as Louie Louie, Hitch Hike and Jenny Jenny.
In 1966 the Sonics were the opening act for the Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, Jay & the Americans, Ray Stevens, Herman's Hermits, the Righteous Brothers, the Kinks, Lovin' Spoonful, Liverpool 5, Shangri-Las, Mamas & Papas and the Byrds.
The same year the band switched over to Jerden Records owned by Jerry Dennon. The label also had the famous act the Kingsmen that made Louie Louie a big hit in 1963. They went to Hollywood and had Larry Levine at the Gold Star Studio to produce the album "Introducing the Sonics". This resulted in a much more polished sounding lp 'cause the band didn't have the same freedom and possibilities to overload the amps etc. The band members themselves describe the record as "the worst garbage"!
The last 45 recorded by the original line-up was Any Way The Wind Blows. After this members departed to go to college or join other bands - with Rob Lind being the last original member to leave in 1968.
Jim Brady came in on lead vocals in 1967 and by 1968 was leading the band. From Love-itis onwards they perfected a new sound adding strings and horns but it didn't go down with their fans and they slowly faded out of the limelight.
The original Sonics reformed shortly in 1972 at the Seattle Paramount live show and this excellent live performance has been released on Etiquette Records as "Live Fanz Only".
Rob Lind now lives in LA where he is involved in the film industry.
Gerry Roslie still records and writes songs today.
Andy Parypa is now teaching.
Strychnine
Sonics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some folks like wine
But i like the taste
Of straight strychnine (hey hey)
You may think it's funny
That I like this stuff
But once you've tried it
Wine is red (hey)
Poison is blue
Strychnine is good
For what's ailin you
WAHHH
Wine is red (hey)
Poison is blue
Strychnine is good
For what's ailin you
WAHHH
If you listen to what I say
You'll try strychnine some day
Make you jump, it'll make you shout
It'll even knock you out
Some folks like water
Some folks like wine
But i like the taste
Of straight strychnine
The Sonics' song "Strychnine" is a classic garage rock song that is both rebellious and edgy. The lyrics of the song are about the singer's love for the taste of the deadly poison strychnine. While some people prefer water or wine, the singer claims that he prefers the taste of strychnine. He acknowledges that some people may find it strange, but he insists that once you try it, you will not be able to get enough.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the point that strychnine is good for what's ailin you, suggesting it may have some medicinal properties when used in small doses. The song is rebellious in nature and is an ode to the punk rock attitude of the time. The lyrics encourage the listener to try out strychnine, promising that it will make you jump, shout and even knock you out. The song is both catchy and infectious, with a driving beat and raw guitar sound that captures the essence of punk rock.
Line by Line Meaning
Some folks like water
Some people prefer the taste of water over other drinks.
Some folks like wine
While some prefer wine over other drinks.
But I like the taste of straight strychnine
However, I personally enjoy the taste of a poisonous alkaloid called strychnine.
You may think it's funny
I understand that my liking for straight strychnine may seem strange to you.
That I like this stuff
Although, I am fond of it.
But once you've tried it
But once you taste it yourself,
You can't get enough
You'll possibly become addicted to it.
Wine is red (hey)
Wine, which has an appealing color offered to consumers, can come in red.
Poison is blue
Strychnine, although poisonous is visually mesmerizing with it's bluish hue.
Strychnine is good
Despite strychnine being commonly viewed as harmful, it surprisingly has benefits.
For what's ailin you
It can cure what's making you sick.
If you listen to what I say
If you pay attention to me,
You'll try strychnine some day
You'll eventually taste strychnine yourself.
Make you jump, it'll make you shout
It'll give you enough energy to dance and shout.
It'll even knock you out
It can make you unconscious.
Lyrics © MUSIC & MEDIA INT'L, INC.
Written by: J. ROSLIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@steveritt
This question has driven me nuts for many years, maybe someone out there knows...
At the beginning of the classic rock&roll anthem "Strychnine" by The Sonics from 1965 we hear the spooky, deathly, graveyard melody which goes up the minor scale
B, D, F#, B, G (hold it), then down fast F#, E, D, C#, B . Does not actually include "the devil's note" flattened fifth but sounds menacing enough.
What piece of classical music does it come from?
Also to be heard at the end of Screaming Lord Sutch's 1964 live version of "Jack the Ripper" and maybe every other Scooby Doo episode! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2ZsWENob1s
Earliest reference I can find is The Cadets "Love Bandit" from 1957, right at the start:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGDtdZ6RVM8
@slint69
Some folks like water
Some folks like wine
But I like the taste
Of straight strychnine (hey, hey)
You may think it's funny
That I like this stuff
But once you've tried it
You can't get enough (Wow!)
Wine is red
Poison is blue
Strychnine is good
For what's ailin you
(guitar solo))
(repeat bridge and fill)
If you listen to what I say
You'll try strychnine some day
Make you jump, it'll make you shout
It'll even knock you out
[repeat verse 1]
Strychnine hey, hey
JUST SO YOU CAN SCREAM ALONG
@sartoris9439
Recorded in 1965. This song is more than 50 years old and rocks harder than most stuff you hear today. They were revolutionaries.
@Xceloverdose
It really is amazing.
@bellphorion
Hard as strictnine baby. Fuck that beatles fluff and even the doors went to lame horns, these guys had horns with attitude! Unlike the souless over produced late game doors...
@blakerateliff
@@bellphorion Hey man,, check out these guys. Smoko=smoke break LEAVE ME ALONE!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j58V2vC9EPc
@corkey1991
@@bellphorion shut up about Jim Morrison and his band. I appreciate everybody's opinion. But nobody talks trash about The fucking Doors, okay mister!?
@yodh_30
I know this song from a game named sift heads tho
@markfaris4735
Can any of us imagine hearing a band like this at a middle or high school dance melting faces? These guys were so good and revolutionary that few radio stations would touch them. That's a pure sign that their music is truly timeless and priceless!!
@jim2376
"few radio stations would touch them" Definitely the case for radio stations in Los Angeles when the record came out in 1965. Never heard this song once.
@samuelhernandez2752
"This is for blowing up my HQ."
-Vinnie
@nouveauprofil
What's the reference?