Pebbles (compilations)

:(This page is about the garage-rock compilation series. For the Japanese band of the same name, see Pebbles. For the reggae artist, see Pebbles(2).)
Pebbles is an extensive series of compilation albums in both LP and CD formats that have been issued on several record labels, though mostly by AIP. Together with the companion 'Highs in the Mid-Sixties' series, the Pebbles series made available over 800 obscure, mostly American "Original Punk Rock" songs recorded in the mid-1960s — primarily known today as the garage rock and psychedelic rock genres — that were previously known only to a handful of collectors.
The Pebbles series played a significant role in the emergence of a "canon" of garage-rock music and artists in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In his review of the Pebbles series for Allmusic, Richie Unterberger comments:
"Though 1972's Nuggets compilation reawakened listeners to the sounds of mid-'60s garage rock, it only focused on the tip of the iceberg. Behind those forgotten hits and semi-hits lurked hundreds, if not thousands, of regional hits and flops from the same era, most even rawer and cruder. ... More than any other factor, these compilations [in the Pebbles series] were responsible for the resurgence of interest in garage rock, which remains high among collectors to this day."
(Read more at Wikipedia.)
== Links To Peel ==
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Peel is known to have played tracks from many albums in the influential Pebbles compilations series, especially in late 1979 and early 1980, when the unofficial releases first became widely available in the UK, as well as giving airtime to subsequent reissues. 
Having lived in America during the 60s "garage rock" era of US music influenced by British invasion bands such as the Rolling Stones and Yardbirds, the DJ appeared familiar with many of the tracks in the Pebbles collections, which focused on the relatively obscure and commercially unsuccessful end of the "original punk rock" spectrum featured on the earlier 'Nuggets' compilation from Elektra. Peel recalled on 05 December 1979 that when he lived in the US he had owned the single of the Soup Greens' version of 'Like A Rolling Stone' (featured on 'Pebbles, Vol 1'). 
Another favourite appeared to be 'I'm In Pittsburgh (And It's Raining)' by the Outcasts (also on 'Vol 1'), which he played in both 1979 and 1985. The Vibes' cover version of the song entered the 1985 Festive Fifty.
Pebbles artists known to have been played by Peel only from other releases include Dave Edmunds, Electric Prunes, Kim Fowley, Heard, Plague, Pyramids, ? & The Mysterians, Shadows Of Knight, Trashmen.
Other similarly themed compilations of vintage garage rock given airtime by the DJ include LPs in the 'Back From The Grave' series on Crypt Records , whose roster included contemporary bands with a similar musical outlook such as the Gories, Fireworks(2) and Teengenerate.
== Plays ==
(Radio plays by Peel of albums in the Pebbles compilation series, listed by volume number, then show date. Please add more information if known.)
	
	
(LP - Pebbles Vol. 1) BFD
*27 November 1979: Floyd Dakil Combo: Dance Franny Dance
*04 December 1979: Outcasts: I'm In Pittsburgh (And It's Raining) 
*05 December 1979: Soup Greens: Like A Rolling Stone (JP: "Used to have a copy of the single of that, you know, the original single when I lived in America. I had a really good collection of... really odd 1960s American singles by little bands... and I had the whole lot nicked. Heartbreaking. Wish I'd still got 'em.")
*06 December 1979: Preachers: Who Do You Love
*11 December 1979: Wig: Crackin' Up 
*12 December 1979: Split Ends: Rich With Nothin' 
*10 January 1980: Positively 13 O'Clock: Psychotic Reaction (JP: "As the notes hinted, the song originally done by Count Five. Let me remind you yet again, that I wrote sleevenotes for the first Count Five LP, which they considered were too weird to use. But just think how you would have respected me if they had done.")
*01 April 1985: Outcasts: 'I'm In Pittsburgh (And It's Raining) 
(LP - Pebbles Vol. 2) BFD
*05 November 1979: Satans: Makin' Deals
*12 November 1979: Sons Of Adam: Feathered Fish 
*21 November 1979: Litter: I'm A Man 
(LP - Pebbles Vol. 4 (Summer Means Fun!)) BFD
*31 October 1979: Bruce & Terry: Summer Means Fun
*01 November 1979: Fantastic Baggys: Anywhere The Girls Are 
*13 November 1979: Wheel Men: School Is A Gas
*15 November 1979: Dantes: Top Down Time
(LP - Pebbles Vol. 5) BFD
*06 August 1980: Danny And The Counts: You Need Love (As John mentions, they are credited as Danny & The Escorts on the outer sleeve)
*04 April 1988: Fe-Fi-Four Plus 2: I Wanna Come Back (From The World Of LSD) 
(LP - Pebbles Vol. 6 (The Roots Of Mod)) BFD
*09 August 1980 (BFBS): First Gear: Leave My Kitten Alone
*13 August 1980: First Gear: Leave My Kitten Alone
*11 September 1980: Fairies: I'll Dance
(LP - Pebbles Vol. 7) BFD
*07 August 1980: Chocolate Watchband: Sweet Young Thing
*20 August 1980: Soul Survivors: Shakin With Linda
;Reissues
(LP - Get Primitive! The Best Of Pebbles, Volume One: The Originals) Ubik
*09 March 1987: Nobody's Children: Good Times
(5xLP Box Set - Pebbles Box) Ubik 
*16 November 1988: Rogues: Train Kept A-Rollin'
*07 December 1988: Wig: Freak Out
(CD – Pebbles Volume 9) AIP
*09 April 1997: WC Fields Memorial Electric String Band: I’m Not Your Stepping Stone 
== See Also ==
*Mono Men: "Garage punk" session band, with associated Estrus label featuring other similarly inspired artists played by Peel, including session outfits Baseball Furies, Immortal Lee County Killers, Man Or Astro-Man? and Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet, as well as the '!!!Here Ain't The Sonics!!!' covers compilation.
== Links ==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
Category:Compilations
Category:Discography