Early in 2006 we happened across the “Top 1000 Killer Garage Band 45’s” list that appears at www.finerecordingstudio.com G45
LEGENDS (Click on G200 and scroll down to Number 180) It was quite a surprise – actually more of a shock -
to learn that “The Girl With The Long Black Hair” was number 180 out of 1000.
We eventually learned it was included on a compilation
CD being sold worldwide: Essential Pebbles-Volume 1 by Bomp/Voxx Records (Archive International Productions). After clicking
on the speaker icon to hear a sample, it was hard to believe the record was just transferred to the CD. For grins a copy was
purchased, at a discounted price.
The ultimate eye-opener came when we found our recording was included on yet another compilation: Teenage Shutdown Vol.3 – Things Been Bad by Crypt Records. “Crypt” rang a bell. Tim Warren did contact us in 1985 asking
if our recording could be included on a forth-coming release of “Back From The Grave” and even offered to pay royalties. The
band got together on it and, for personal reasons, we said no. Why it was included in a new series years later remains
unanswered, but it's all good.
Sure, we could have seen some checks come in over the years but it wasn’t about the money
in 1967 or 1985 and as far as we’re concerned, it’s not about the money now, but there is a word that came up early during our discussions
more than once: “principle”.
We’ve learned that many years ago it may have been common for some individuals and/or
companies to put these comps together and sell them without giving a second thought to the legality of it all. Plus, it was much
more difficult to locate these bands back then without the Internet. If it weren’t for this activity, garage bands and their
music would have been long forgotten.