Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Round 2 of the Battle of the Garage Bands Bracket: The Chocolate Watchband v The Ugly Ducklings

Round 8 is in the books. The representatives from Texas, The 13th Floor Elevators, bested the kings of the Pacific Northwest, The Sonics. It was hard for all of us to send a band like The Sonics packing, but that is the nature of the competition, isn't it?

Today one more band will be voted off the turntable while another gets a patch on their shoulder and matriculates to the finals, which we call the Thrilling Three. So without further hesitation...

On turntable 1 we have the Northern California champions, The Chocolate Watchband. They put forth with their final single, released in October of 1967 on Tower Records, Are You Gonna Be There (At The Love In) with a flip-side of No Way Out. The single has already bested the likes of The Mourning Reign, The Brogues and The Shadows of Knight just to have the opportunity to spin at 45rpm on this fine morning.

On Turntable 2 we have the champions of Canada. The entire hopes and dreams of the great white north now rest on the dusty grooves of The Ugly Ducklings and their third release, from 1966, on Yorktown Records: Just In Case You Wonder with a flip-side of That's Just A Thought I Had In My Mind. This Canuck of a single has bested the likes of The Painted Ship, The Haunted and America's The Enfields as it now starts spinning with the 7-inch white hot fury that can only come from a homely water fowl.



Until tomorrow, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!

8 comments:

  1. Not sure if I can vote but Tthis is all the Chocolate Watch Band all the way.

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  2. I'm going with the Watchband on this match-up. The Ducklings song is a killer, but "Are You Gonna Be There" is an anthem. It moves and grooves but still has mood and atmosphere.

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  3. I concur with Mr. Stax. The Watchband gets my vote!

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  4. I would argue that one need not look any further than the flip-sides. While "That's Just A Thought That I Had In My Head" is pleasant, it doesn't fit as a patch on the brilliance that is No Way Out.

    It's The Chocolate Watchband as a runaway for me.

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  5. I just love "Just In Case You Wonder" from the Ugly Ducklings. It has that garage feel to it. I really wanted to be contrary on this one but I can't get away from the flip-sides like Mr. Young (don't let it go to your head). The Watchband is my pick because "No Way Out" is so F'n groovy.

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  6. This easy. Love the Chocolate Watchband.

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  7. I'll have to say the Chocolate Watchband wins. Not an easy decision. The fuzz guitar on the Ducklings' A-side is nasty and wigged out and combining it with the doubled vocals and clean guitar is genius. The Beeside is great too, but the CWB wins the battle of the flips and that tips the scales in their favor.

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  8. It's gotta be ... The Chocolate Watchband.

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