Garage Rock

Driven by similar values to those that later inspired punk rock, garage rock was born—at least in the mythology of American rock and roll—in garages across the USA as amateur musicians picked up guitars and thrashed out songs. That DIY ethic gave the music a rough immediacy that appealed to many in the mid-60s and continued to both entertain and inspire as time went on. "Three chords and the truth" was a phrase coined in the 1950s by a country music songwriter, but it fits well with the garage rock aesthetic. The lyrics are simple (often expressing dissatisfaction) and the structures basic. Distortion and fuzz guitar are prominent, as is a foundation of 4/4 drumming.

A number of garage revivals have blasted out over time, often emphasising that same punky energy and attitude. The White Stripes are an excellent example of a band keeping the garage light switched on. 

Highly influential in the history of the genre is the Lenny Kaye compiled double album "Nuggets", released in 1972 and still a fabulous starting point for the curious.