Everything Is Everything: Tom Wilson and Pop Music in 1966 By Steven E. Jones (Stanford University Press, 2026)

This highly focused, yet wide-spanning book plays a vital role in the recent efforts to recognize Tom Wilson by amplifying his role at the vanguard of sound in the epochal year of 1966. During his lifetime, Wilson received only partial or peripheral attention, mostly from within the music industry. It has only been in the last two decades that Wilson and his legacy has begun to receive the belated acclaim he deserves. His life and top-tier jazz & pop production work are finally being chronicled, documented and discussed through a variety of media. Momentum has slowly built up around Tom Wilson and the seminal role he played in producing groundbreaking singles & albums by Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, Frank Zappa, the Velvet Underground as well as the first releases from jazz giants Cecil Taylor, Donald Byrd and Sun Ra. Appreciation for what Wilson accomplished can be traced back to the Tom Wilson, Producer website established by Irwin Chusid in 2013. Significant ground has been gained this decade with the 11-part Invisible Icon: The Tom Wilson Story podcast that was produced in 2020-21 out of Wilson’s home town of Waco, Texas by Rogue Media. Still, it was not until 2025 that Wilson received the first book length treatment with the publication of Everybody's Head is Open to Sound – Writings on Tom Wilson. This French monograph, edited by Anaïs Ngbanzo with contributions by Ignacio Juliá and Richie Unterberger, is also notable as it contains the most comprehensive discography of Tom Wilson’s productions in existence. Matt Krefting’s research includes both albums and singles.

Everything Is Everything: Tom Wilson and Pop Music in 1966 by Steven E. Jones is now the second book devoted to Tom Wilson and comes at an opportune time and advances the scholarship on Wilson. Through Jones’ writing, he provides the opportunity for readers to consider Wilson’s 1966 work in fine detail as well as embarking into some mostly unexplored territory. While the book’s introduction sets the tone, there is not much debate on Steven E. Jones' assertion that Tom Wilson, the extraordinary producer with the ordinary name, was one of the foremost producers and musical trailblazers who broke barriers as a Black man in one of the monumental decades. With Wilson’s credentials already established by the aforementioned documentation projects, Jones’ book can then be assessed on a different level. Using the Wilson produced albums as a jumping off point, Jones combines history and commentary to make further connections and provides the reader with additional considerations. Jones gets under the hood of what is arguably pop music’s peak year, along with covering the exciting years leading in and out of the pinnacle of 1966. Wilson was certainly at the epicenter of a transformative era where musical breakthroughs can be heard on the singles & albums he produced from a wide-array of mainstream, avant-garde and unclassifiable acts, all who reflected Wilson’s adventurous approach to pop music. 

Suiting the Situation

The introduction also presents Wilson as a major architect of early folk-rock with his production work at Columbia Records for Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel. Wilson brought a jazz sophistication and versatility to pop-rock, which could be a reason he was so well respected at Columbia Records and MGM/Verve. In 1965, he made remarkable jumps from jazz and folk to becoming a folk-rock innovator. Wilson took what he learned in one context (jazz) as an A&R executive for United Artists and Savoy and applied it to an entirely new context (folk-rock).  His vanguard productions helped spark a sound that would be heard around the world and continues to endure.  For instance, Wilson restructured the flat “Sound of Silence” to a fully dimensional version with his overdubs employing ringing electric guitars bathed in echo and launched Simon & Garfunkel's career in the process.

Bob Dylan, Albert Grossman, Tom Wilson
Columbia Studio A on 799 Seventh Ave. New York
Photo of a photo from the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, OK

Writing under the position that history is “about conflicts and complications” (p. 26), Jones defends Wilson’s production on Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” against the panning by notable critic Greil Marcus. In his 2005 book Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads, Marcus rails against Wilson’s production of having “a harsh edge-the acrid tone that was everywhere in 1965, the sound of the time, if not the times.” Jones takes another view as he defends the enduring and intriguing sound achieved by Wilson:

 

“Around 1965, a good deal of pop in various genres did sound, if not necessarily "harsh” or "acrid,” a little metallic, sometimes even tinny. And it often involved a clean separation of instruments, as Marcus says, but these were also frequently mixed with echo and/or tremolo to produce a warbly, layered soundscape indebted to surf music, Phil Spector’s wall of sound, and numerous studio string sections as heard on records at the end of the monaural era.” (p.15)

Jones goes on to present Wilson as a conduit and catalyst who was able to work with a broad-spectrum of artists in 1966 including the Blues Project, Sun Ra, the Velvet Underground, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Hugh Masekela and Eric Burdon & the Animals. In his A&R role for MGM/Verve, he was a man about town and in the Hollywood/Los Angeles clubs. In fact, Wilson signed the Mothers (of Invention) after hearing “Trouble Every Day” at the Whiskey a Go Go and produced their first two albums Freak Out! and Absolutely Free. He also played an integral role with the Velvet Underground, producing their first two albums along with Nico’s Chelsea Girl, her debut solo “baroque folk” outing. Jones often compares Wilson to Warhol, with their shared ability to introduce and incorporate avant-garde elements into mainstream productions as they worked from their respective “factories.” 

 

Tom Wilson, John Cale & Lou Reed

At the Helm One of the largest criticisms of Tom Wilson as a producer was his hands-off style. Vic Briggs, lead guitarist with the Animals, recalled Wilson being preoccupied with designing American football plays during studio sessions with the Animals in Richie Unterberger’s Do What You Fear Most: The History of The Velvet Underground.  This laissez-faire approach most likely developed from Wilson's jazz years in the ‘50s running the independent label Transition Records. However, his light and deft touch in the studio, earned him respect amongst the musicians and allowed him the best chance to catch lighting in a bottle. Conversely, he also had the professional sense of awareness when he needed to intervene and keep the session on track as studio time in the ‘60s still had its strictures and union rules. The Wilson way also put musicians (e.g., Frank Zappa, John Cale of the Velvet Underground) into place to later produce and fly on their own. Wilson proved there are many conducive ways to be and define yourself as a producer in and out of the control room.

Each act or group that Wilson recorded in 1966 are given their own chapter, allowing Jones to go deeper into each album’s production along with incorporating contextual elements at play. This focus provides readers with overall big-picture historical perspectives, while illuminating the intricate layers of interconnections, which also influenced and shaped the resulting sounds. Utilizing the benefits of time and distance, Jones traces the stylistic and common denominators shared between the acerbic complexity found in the jazz of Sun Ra and the avant-pop-rock from Zappa. While some chapters do meander in some tangential directions in order for Jones to address some unresolvable and shopworn notions of authenticity and credibility, he does raise some interesting points. In his chapter on the Blues Project, he considers and compares their legacy to the Velvet Underground. The eclectic Blues Project actually had a larger profile during the time of their existence, while the Velvet Underground, as ahead-of-their-time proto-punks, have more listeners now with their towering influence on music and culture. Credibility was something a band achieved just by being in the same studio and sphere as Wilson. Jones’ treatment of the Blues Project also provides the impetus that their albums and singles should be listened to for their own merits as well as being Tom Wilson productions.

Wynton Kelly, Tom Wilson, Eddie Harris

Photo: Don Hunstein

Deepening and Expanding
The iconoclastic Wilson was also a walking dichotomy who, as a Lincoln-Republican, was both Harvard-educated (in economics) and street smart. He was able to achieve a sense of equilibrium and equanimity between the strong personalities and fragile egos that have an overwhelming presence in the music industry. Who else would be able to hold their own with such provocateurs as Dylan, Zappa and Reed?  On the larger world stage, Wilson worked and lived in the middle of a volatile era that quickly turned extreme and militant. It’s remarkable that he was able to shape such a variety of sounds at the major label level, but then again there was no one like Wilson who could fluidly move between jazz, folk and rock worlds as Wilson. The only comparable figure would be the much more well-known Quincy Jones. While “Q” went on to achieve household name recognition and acclaim as Michael Jackson’s producer among his many other achievements, Tom Wilson remains mostly known, respected and revered amongst the cognoscente. As a jazz and major label pop-rock producer, Wilson arguably went deeper than Quincy Jones. However, Wilson’s career was truncated as he died prematurely at age 47 from a heart attack brought on by Marfan syndrome in 1978. 

The Tom Wilson Organization The concluding chapter on the Monkees seemed tacked on or already existing in some form and in search of a publication home. This superfluous ending addresses issues of authenticity and artificiality, which are major themes of the book, however the fact remains that Tom Wilson had no involvement with the Monkees. Additionally, there is no need to defend the Monkees at this point-as they are now considered part of the grand narrative of ‘60s music. While Jones uses the chapter to assert some cogent points about the porousness between the mainstream and the underground at the time, he could have done it at previous points. Despite losing focus in the last chapter, it’s an overall compelling book and advances the documentation of Tom Wilson as more listeners find their way to “Tom Wilson Appreciation" society. Hopefully, others will expand upon his later ‘60s independent years where he worked with labels like ABC and Capitol and produced albums by Ill Wind and Harumi, which are considered psychedelic pop/rock classics by the genre specialists. His waning work years in ‘70s, when the entire music industry drastically changed, could also use further exploration. Lastly, the varied singles he produced including “Bend Me, Shape Me” by the Models presents an opportunity for further exploration. There are additional ongoing efforts to recognize Tom Wilson, including Marshall Crenshaw’s documentary which is still in the works.

While many readers might have wished for a more straight-ahead biography of the enigmatic producer, Jones succeeds on his own terms and accomplishes what he sets out to do in an holistic and interconnected way that Wilson himself would declare as “Everything is Everything.” Jones’ extensive research and written account furthers the cause for Tom Wilson by highlighting his versatility and the ability to set things in motion during a brief, shifting and exciting era when AM & FM, mono & stereo, singles & albums and subterranean and mainstream acts overlapped and flourished.

A version of this review will be submitted for possible publication in the spring 2027 (Volume 58, No.1) edition of the ARSC Journal. 

The Switch Trout-FRONT9 & 3PENALTIES

Golf in Alaska?

Hailing from the industrial port city of Yokkaichi (Southwest of Nagoya), this is the Switch Trout's first album in 20 years. Not only is it a surprise to have the band back, but returning with the world's first golf instrumental album is truly unexpected. Around the turn of the century, their clever name always stood out on Estrus Records' 'zine ads and they seemed to be quite prolific in their home country with several releases on KOGA RECORDS. Still, I first approached the actual music with a bit of wariness as surf/instrumental concept albums such as The Jetaway Sounds album by the Boss Martians are commonly better in theory and song titles (e.g., Boeing, Boeing, Gone!) than the actual music. However, the Switch Trout back up their clever and evocative song titles with musical execution. Even the album's title plays on the overall theme as FRONT9 & 3PENALTIES, tallies up to be 12 songs. 

The strong influences of The Mar-Keys or Booker T. & the M.G.'s slice through “Having a Birdie.” The buoyant song is interspersed with TV golf commentary such as, "You gotta be kidding me" that connects in the musical context. They continue to tee off with prominent surf and eleki elements in their overall low to mid-fi instrumental sound, but they also swing into some R&B on the aptly titled  numbers “Chicago Bounce” and “Texas Wedge Blues.” 

“Cup Off Piss Off” lines up both fuzztone and copious Spaghetti Western melodies shot forward by the stampeding percussion, while  真冬のカート道 (Midwinter Cart Path) recalls the Fuzziyama Surfers from nearby Nagoya with its tunnels of ripping fuzz and “East Goes West” undercurrents. Meanwhile ケンとメリーのスライスライン (Katakana translation: “Ken and Mary's slice line”) falls into the sand trap as it traces “Pipeline” a little too close. Perhaps a cover of "There She Goes" by Paul Collins Beat from the Caddyshack soundtrack would have been more fitting! They complete their time on the links with 3PENALTIES. “Distract, (The Golfer Eye),” “Cardinal Wheel” and “Shake Paddle Wheel Action,” are some of the more difficult holes, but they meet the challenge as they have been playing the instrumental long game for years. Actually, “Shake Paddle Wheel Action” seems more likely inspired by mini-golf than the sport from Scotland. The song title also spurred me to recall the wacky Putt Putt Golf Courses Of America Presents Gee Gee Shinn And His Band album.

This year is finishing on a strong note when it comes to surf & instrumental music. FRONT9 & 3PENALTIES is currently second on my 2026 leaderboard for surf instrumental albums after Die Sommerreise by Les Agamemnonz. We can only imagine how the final rankings will shake out with the release date of the Phantom Surfers' first new album in decades just 'round the corner.  

 

Candle-Burn Brightly-EP

The striking ‘70s private press-like album cover first caught my attention and the trio’s utilitarian, yet artistic name provided the impetus to check out their sound. Candle hail from Lynwood. It's one of many cities that comprises the colossus of Los Angeles-each separated and distinct with its own character, yet connected to the incomprehensible whole by the racetrack freeways.   

This EP has the band leaning strongly in the direction of rural rock. In the long-standing L.A. tradition, they tap into the city's country & western ethos as they are informed by trailblazers such as the Byrds and Buffalo Springfield. Like their forebears their melodic pop inclinations are ever present. “If I'd Known Better” can best be described as Big Star meets Beachwood Sparks. Juan Galaviz makes his Rickenbacker roll to emulate the sound of a banjo to strike up some good twang reminiscent of the Dillards. With their unison vocals, “When You Know I Need You Most” evokes the Byrds in general and “John Riley” in particular on the intro before embarking into the terrain of Teenage Fanclub. The lovely melody appears on the forefront, while pedal steel guitar embellishments provided by Jacob Nevarez assuage the forlorn lyrics of unrequited love.

“Somebody, Anybody” has them going further out into the country with the pedal steel guitar taking a more prominent role like Red Rhodes accompanying Michael Nesmith & The First National Band. “Miss My Home” might be a nod to Buffalo Springfield’s “On The Way Home,” but sounds primarily inspired by Baby Lemonade’s yearning ballads on Exploring Music. The song's tugging refrain has been playing on repeat in my head throughout this week. While their lyrics are refreshingly direct, they are also open to interpretation and convey the emotional vicissitudes of continually shifting relationships.

L-R: Fabian Soltero (drums, vo.), Nicolas Velazco (bass, vo.)
Juan Galaviz (guitar, vo)-Photo by Priscilla Luna 

One of their live performances from December 2025 surfaced on YouTube and has trio appearing to be a Beatles-esque pure pop band. Two unexpected covers, the Rubinoos’ “Alright Without You.” and “I Hope” by Scott McCarl (of Raspberries and Yellow Hair), were featured in their set and seamlessly blended with their originals. Their sound even reminded me a little of Street the Beat. Besides supplying backing vocals, the video also revealed that drummer Fabian Soltero can also take on lead vocals. Additional clicking around uncovered their catchy “Couldn’t Fake It” single that radiates pop exuberance like ‘70s Nick Lowe backed by the ‘60s Hollies. Further explorations struck upon some older recordings permeated with a melancholic Chris Bell air.

While there are many groups playing cosmic country these days and another entirely different set of acts playing the big beer tent of Americana, there are very few bands playing early country rock. Moreover, most of the country-influenced acts don’t have their welcomed pop sensibilities. Candle are equally at home with the twang as they are the pop. Going forward, I hope this versatile band continues to play to both sides of their strength.

L-R:Juan Galaviz (guitar, vo), Fabian Soltero (drums, vo.)
Nicolas Velazco (bass, vo.)-Photo by Priscilla Luna

The Freebies-S/T

The Youtube algorithm finally got it right and pointed me in the direction of a new favorite Los Angeles band. (“Even a stopped clock is right twice a day” as I first heard on a Ride album.) It might have been their bio that did the match-making as it listed shared favorites like the Velvet Underground, The Beach Boys, Ramones, and ‘60s girl groups.

The current twee revival bands are pleasant, but it’s hard to get truly excited or listen beyond one spin, when one remembers when records like Tiger Trap and The Decline and Fall of Heavenly were in current rotation at select college radio stations. My joke is that there are too many bands playing K-pop now! What separates the Freebies from their indiepop, twee and jangle contemporaries, is that they have the essential rock ‘n’ roll foundation as they incorporate the aforementioned classic influences along with the best aspects of other decades. 

Starting off with their most power-pop-ish number “Hard On U,” recalls the ‘B’ Girls, the MnMs and the Pinkz and makes quite the opening statement. “Josephine, I Love You” has a dreamy doo wop meets girl group sound going away for a holiday with Joey Ramone and Debbie Harry. Evoking both cub and the Undertones, “Friends” is played with the stripped down speed & sass of Hunx and his Punx and Pookie and the Poodlez. “Kiss Me” seems to be a joyous spin on “Will He Kiss Me Tonight” by Dolly Mixture as the question for the ages is finally answered. Starting on a drum hook and coiling guitar like “We Got the Beat,” “What's On Ur Mind” darts off in some wonderful directions with an unconventional, yet distinctive arrangement consisting of two alternating movements that spiral around each other and sounds like something out of Tetsuko’s playbook. 

 

Guitarist/vocalist Breanna Limón's love of Teenage Fanclub can be heard in the strummy “Love is Strange” when one of those big Bandwagonesque riffs appears. She’s also a major fan of Big Star and Alex Chilton, so we can set our future expectations sky high when it comes to songwriting and captivating melodies. Peach Kelli Pop and Alvilda come to mind with “Lucky 4 You,” a number that gathers momentum and twists and turns like a waterslide that actually works. The album concludes with two demos that have the feel of Dressy Bessy and Slippers.

Overall, the harmonies glow throughout the album and cast additional layers of dimension that allows the group to truly stand apart. Too bad that SFTRI, Shredder, or Teenacide are not still around to release this catchy & upbeat debut driven by a ringing Rickenbacker and overflowing with hooks galore.

Do What You Fear Most: The History of the Velvet Underground by Richie Unterberger

“I have like 3 huge Velvet Underground books. Do I really need another?” was the response of a musician friend when I told him about this epic 800 page book. “Definitely yes," was my reply because it’s from author and researcher Richie Unterberger. His books include 2002’s Turn! Turn! Turn!: The '60s Folk-Rock Revolution, White Light/White Heat: The Velvet Underground Day-By-Day from 2009 and The Unreleased Beatles: Music and Film, which won a 2007 Association for Recorded Sound Collections Award for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research. With Do What You Fear Most: The History of The Velvet Underground, Unterberger presents the most exhaustive, comprehensive and definitive account of the Velvet Underground ever published.

Take Off Your Wraparound Shades
Unterberger's approach is to build up from the factual details to convey their seismic, searing and hypnotic sound along with their enigmatic and extremely layered history. This approach allows readers to step back to observe and appreciate how this unlikely combination of misfit musicians and contrasting personalities somehow coalesced to create some of the most groundbreaking rock ‘n’ roll music of the 20th century.  While providing the requisite coverage of founding members Lou Reed and John Cale, Unterberger equally recognizes the integral contributions of drummer Maureen Tucker, guitarist Sterling Morrison and multi-instrumentalist Doug Yule to make them a collective creative force. Extensive attention is also given to the Teutonic singer, model, actress Nico who hovers over the narrative like a spectral presence. Furthermore, Unterberger chronicles how the international, mixed-religion and mixed-gender musical aggregation crossed over to Andy Warhol’s Factory and the high art world during his peak Pop art years and became synonymous with the artist for more than 15 minutes. Unterberger skillfully balances the group’s two eras which yielded four official albums. Their first two albums were a riveting combination of Lou’s gritty literary style and "subway sound" guitar playing with John Cale’s avant-garde/classical background, allowing them to be the consummate ‘60s art-rock group that never proceeded in a predictable fashion. A transitional turn towards a more subdued and somewhat spiritual sound characterised their self-titled third album made after the versatile, yet much more conventional musician Doug Yule replaced John Cale. Still, their pivotal third album contains the surging “What Goes On” where the enthralling intertwined guitars take on the wonderful drone of what Lou Reed described as “1000 bagpipes.” They finished with Loaded, which was supposed to be loaded with "hits"-if one is to believe Lou Reed lore. Accordingly, Unterberger traces their trajectory from a band, when they were known as the Primitives and the Warlocks, who played for themselves to an act that played for Andy, Nico and the art world before arriving and finishing as a group who played for their audience.

L-R Nico, Andy Warhol, Maureen Tucker, Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, John Cale 

The author’s research is as deep as it’s vast as he draws upon recordings, film, publications, as well as his own discoveries derived from his research at the Lou Reed Archives at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in the Lincoln Center and Pittsburgh’s Andy Warhol Museum. He surveys their historical press coverage-ranging from from mostly dismissive and sometimes disparaging treatment they received as being part of Andy Warhol’s Exploding Plastic Inevitable (aka EPI or Andy’s traveling avant-garde multimedia happening) from the major metropolitan newspapers to the slightly more accepting critiques appearing in the college press. While Unterberger asserts that Warhol was instrumental in putting the group on the map, he also contends that VU began to outgrow Andy's spectacle and become an attraction in their own right.  Nonetheless, Warhol would prove to be a lasting influence on VU and on Lou Reed in particular as he remained Lou’s mentor who challenged and encouraged Lou to continually write and work.

The Modern Lover
Unterberger also incorporates quotes from contemporaneous interviews culled from obscure underground publications like Cleveland’s The Buddhist Third Class Junkmail Oracle and the influential Fusion based out of Boston as well as later interviews with band members that appeared in '80s fanzines like What Goes On.  One of his greatest strengths is his own interviews with those who were there and close to the band. Some of the most valuable commentary and insight comes from acolyte and musician Jonanthan Richman and Steve Nelson who managed the Boston Tea Party venue, where the band drew their largest following in Boston. Both offer lucid first-hand accounts of their live performances with Richman mentioning the group’s ongoing musical shapeshifting, versatility and range, and Nelson on their danceability. Unterberger is also inclusive of the essential audience perspective. Susan Pile, who went from a fan to working for Andy Warhol at the Factory during the late '60s, also provides acutely perceptive recollections throughout the book. Meanwhile, Tom Wishing, then a Notre Dame student from South Bend, shares a wonderful memory of meeting them after their show at the Quiet Knight in Chicago and reporting that they were not Andy’s menacing monsters, but were decent folk with even Lou being described as “friendly” and "humble.”

L-R: John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Lou Reed

Unterberger recognizes that the band’s striking contrasts are now a major reason for the group's large and lasting appeal, while their unclassifiability hindered them during their active years as their label, MGM, misguidedly promoted them. Both on stage and in the studio the group transversed from over-the-top onslaught to a rarefied understated minimalism.  Their sound was simultaneously commanding and charming, which is a rare combination then and now.  As attested by Richman and other observers, they were a formidable live act who knew how to build intensity and had remarkable command of contrasts and dynamics. Their varied arrangements and Lou’s improvisational lyrics from performance to performance gave them the opportunity to be brilliant and make each live show a new experience. For these reasons, Unterberger provides almost an equal amount of coverage to the live recordings (both official releases and bootlegs) as he does their four studio albums and two revelatory compilations of previously unissued material released by Polygram during the mid-80s. Further, he also examines John Cale’s and Nico’s solo albums from the era that reveal additional dimensions. His overall approach to their recordings meets the needs of both novices, experts and many in-between listeners. As expected, Unterberger includes the critical, underground and popular reception of their official albums in the wake of their release.  These reviews span from the then emerging wave of astute rock ‘n’ roll criticism like Crawdaddy and Vibrations that was just starting to percolate to blurbs in the music trade publications (Billboard & Cashbox) to even unexpected small-town newspaper outlets where their albums somehow reached and impacted the hinterlands. 

VU 1969 L-R: Doug Yule, Maureen Tucker, Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison

He also places the band in context of their times and interestingly considers them against two comparable music acts where antagonism ran both ways, even in the presence of some parallels and commonalities. Although not at all friendly with the Grateful Dead, both both bands partook in the practice of performing "lengthy improvisations on stage” and both were previously known as the Warlocks. VU and the Dead would also greatly benefit from being widely bootlegged with flourishing tape trading communities emerging in decades to come. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention and the Velvet Underground were downright hostile to each other, but they shared the same label (MGM), producer (Tom Wilson) and bent towards the avant-garde.

There are a few aspects that could have been incorporated and a couple minor criticisms that did surface. One aspect I wished Unterberger covered was the Velvet Underground sharing a seemingly incongruous bill with Chicago (Transit Authority) at Hollywood’s Whisky A Go Go in October 1968.  However, odd pairings were somewhat the order of the day in the late ‘60s, Chicago (CTA) was considered a progressive jazz pop group at the time and the show is covered in his aforementioned White Light/White Heat: The Velvet Underground Day-By-Day book. In addition, the standard practice of endnotes would have served this book well and would have provided a resource for researchers. From time to time, Underberger does have the tendency to get a little too matter-of-fact and shouldn’t be afraid of bringing out his inner-Lester Bangs more often. As good as his granular details, Unterberger's writing gains momentum and takes flight when describing their music that spurs revisiting, relistening and reevaluation. For instance, Unterberger’s details regarding how the recording sessions for Loaded were loaded with problems are especially illuminating. He then proceeds to convey the essence of these mostly straight-ahead songs. Despite all the complications, the group arrives at their most accessible record with “fully rounded pop-rock harmonies” in their catalogue that acts as an entry point for new listeners as well as an enduring classic for long-time fans. Still, I have always appreciated that Unterberger keeps his writing music-centric and mostly objective in a world that is otherwise. If one wants more dirt and conjecture, there’s a towering stack of Lou Reed biographies readily available. Further, his chronological history is also not a hagiography, but an even-handed account on how they were on the vanguard of the ‘60s.  As a journalist who values and trades in actual fact, Unterberger manages to keep their mystique intact with his careful handling and passion for their music.

"We’re Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together"
L-R: Lou Reed, Maureen Tucker, Sterling Morrison, Doug Yule

Do What You Fear Most advances our understanding and admiration for what the group accomplished in the second-half of the ‘60s.  It’s never something current listeners should take for granted because so many of the stones have been unturned and their music catalogue is now readily available. The proto-punk group were so ahead of their 1964-1970 time, it has required decades for their sounds of extreme contrasts and everything in-between to find their multi-generational audience. Overall, Unterberger provides readers and listeners with an even deeper and greater appreciation of a daring and courageous group who made music both endearingly human and startlingly original. In the end, the Velvet Underground created their own musical waves that continue to move forward today.

A version of this review was submitted for possible publication in the fall 2026 (Volume 57, No.2) edition of the ARSC Journal. 

TeenBeat Mayhem -Slipped Through the Cracks

What’s more American than U.S. bands from basements, garages and rec rooms incorporating, interpreting and counterattacking the British Musical Invasion of the Mid-'60s?  

Chicagoland’s Patrick & the Shamrocks come storming in with “Wind Blowing Through the Trees.” The winsome gem has a “Little Black Egg-ish” feel to it, while “Yes, That's What I'm Gonna Do” begins with a “Moulty” like statement of self-determination to initiate one of the most rousing and catchy numbers heard in ages. Be sure to check out Patrick’s next band Society’s Children, which was a warbly psych-folk-rock outfit with his mom on lead vocals that can be heard here. Thankfully, both sides of the Gnomes’ 45 have been included from the Northeast prep school combo, whose origin story took over 4 decades to track down! The soul-pop-garage of “Something's Going Wrong” recalls “Something’s Gone” by the Jam (the 1968 U.S. band on Sire). Just when you think it can’t get even better, “The Sky is Falling” comes tumbling through the speakers. It’s a moody soul-pop ballad with a Memphis feel like the Guilloteens and something that Greg Cartwright should cover. Be sure to catch their nod to We Five's “You Were On My Mind" on the outro. The Phoenix groups had something for the minor key, perhaps due to the major local influence of Phil & the Frantics and "It's Only Her” by the Present Daze is no exception. Hope to hear more of their sounds on The Wild Thymes' Reflections collection. 

“Need Your Love” by the Soul Survivors (not the Philly group) brings one of the closest approximations to ? and the Mysterians that I have ever heard.  It's a gloriously  ramshackle affair that appeared on Delta, an Albuquerque-based record label that also released the Striders. The Soul Survivors hailed from San Jon, New Mexico, which is along Route 66 and near the Texas border. The Imposters’ “When You Say” sounds like the Gants’ Sid Herring backed by the Beau Brummels, while the Palmers, from La Mesa, CA, bring us an intrepid surf-folk-rocker with “Once Again.” Trickling down with its murky and cool Chocolate Watchband sound is the Imperials Limited from Atlanta with “She Said It So Sweet.”  

The comp saves for best for last. When I saw the track listing my heart lifted because I never heard the super rare and super local (to me) 45 from Tinsel Mecca, although I wrote about them in 2017. “Things That Do Exist” is perhaps a response to “I Believe in Things" by Floyd & Jerry with the Counterpoints.  To these ears this "Donovan-esque" diddy borders on novelty.  However, clear the decks and stand back as the grand finale is about to happen. With “Life's In Vain” and its enthralling “Mother's Little Helper/Paint it Black raga-ish drone," Tinsel Mecca succeeded in making timeless and melodic art out of frustration and agony. Aesthetically, it leans way more into 1966 than its late-1968 recording & release date.  It’s a one of a kind standout from the flatlands of Chandler, AZ. 

Credit the compilers for their sequencing instincts along with their expertise to include double-siders from the strongest bands. Overall recognition is due to Mike Markesich for sharing these rarities from his deep well and Freddy Fortune for presenting these records in their best possible sound with his audio restoration. Tom Nikosey provides the design with a great "Howard Johnson's" orange & light blue color scheme. A booklet with requisite label scans and liner notes round out the package. Recommended for those who dig Pebbles, Highs in the Mid-Sixties, Teenage Shutdown, Fuzz, Flaykes, & Shakes and the Original Artyfacts of Nuggets.

Yea-Ming and the Rumours-Residue

Four albums into their consistent run, Yea-Ming & the Rumours have released their most provocative and pop-forward album yet with Residue. It's no secret that we all hear and experience music differently. It's all part of what makes the artistic world go round. We come to our favorite musicians and groups with certain expectations and on different levels of degrees. Whether it's a major stadium act adorned by millions by or a cult musician who seems tied down by work obligations, it's what keeps us anticipating new albums and searching the internet for show and/or tour announcements. Additionally, we have our preferred phases of our favorites and embrace their "return to form"-whatever subjective form that is.

Sidetracks

Stepping back from what makes listeners feel comfortable, allows musicians space for growth, development and surprise. Being multi-faceted, flexible, and versatile are still part of the criteria used to assess artists. While the Ramones perfected their formula early on and pretty much remained the same before eventually aging out, Blondie took a different trajectory. What if Blondie just stayed in their Lower East Side lane and never merged to bring seemingly disparate elements together for some of the most remarkable pop music of the 20th century? Both bands eventually became legendary, influential and iconic (i.e., t-shirts) which testifies we cannot make very valid or accurate assessments amidst the activity. Time and distance are required for comparison, contrast and reassessment.

Yea-Ming Chen, Photo by Corey Poluk

I came into Residue with an initial reaction regarding the denser production values and I left with the realization that Yea-Ming and the Rumours are making their own way, while striking a balance between the adventurism of Blondie and the straightforwardness of the Ramones. For instance, "Sweet Opiate," a slinky and shimmering dance pop song with a Cardigans/St. Etienne slant, makes clear sense in the context of a group diversifying their sound and expanding their range, while “Uncommon Dreaming” works for those who prefer them tapping into their innate strengths of twangy folk-rock-pop.

Things truly kicked in for me on "Waist" with its resonating line: “Oh, it’s been quite a year” and then a big smile broke over my face when I heard the dashing "Cold." It might be the best song of 2026! It reminded me of a Fastbacks number played by the Feelies! A joyous rush is felt in one vibrant sunburst of a song (albeit with stormy lyrics). Just as this punchy song gets up to full speed, it detours for one of the most charming organ solos ever.

“Cold” is also the transition point that sets the scene for the rest of the album. The second half of the record casts a melancholic, subtle and understated atmosphere, yet the songs retain an innate sense of catchiness and hope through the Darklands. Additionally, these finely-crafted songs are built with high structural integrity as this is arguably the most accomplished version of the Rumours. For instance, the sparkling and spiraling lap steel solo on “Uncommon Dreaming” could be Eóin Galvin’s finest recorded moment.  

 

The album takes on an additional hushed atmosphere a la Cindy on “Birds Fly Home.” Cyclical themes of personal & artistic authenticity contend with contradiction, compromise, the pull of the past, multiple standards and expectations as Yea-Ming musically pauses to gather her thoughts over the course of the second side. After this acknowledgement of cognitive dissonance, reconciliation and transformation can begin again with the human and humble admission of “Mistakes” made. This austere closer, featuring Yea-Ming’s ornate fingerpicking, also evokes Dear Nora’s moving cover of Dylan’s “Girl from the North County.”

As many young bands around the globe now emulate the ‘80s & ‘90s heyday of indie-pop and crash pop, Yea-Ming and the Rumours maintain their unmistakable, yet welcoming sounds. Operating from a perspective of possibility, Yea-Ming demonstrates the remarkable ability to further evolve and refine as she incorporates additional life experiences, lessons and musical approaches, while also retaining the youthful sense of wonder and undeniable melodies that attracted listeners in the first place. With Residue, Yea-Ming has taken another courageous turn and listeners can go along with her quest for understanding.  For me, it took a little longer this time around due to my own production preferences, but I’m thankful for the reckoning as there is really no other group out there like this in the world. 

L to R: Eóin Galvin: lead guitar, lap steel, Yea-Ming Chen: vocals, guitar, organ, Rob Good: bass
Luke Robbins: drums. Photo by Corey Poluk

Addendum, I added their cover of “Pale Blues Eyes” as a bonus track on the CD-R version I made following the path of the Feelies when they concluded Only Life with “What Goes On."