Vol. 1 (Bomp!)
by Nik Rainey

Bomp! grew out of the seminal ‘zine of the same name started by avid collector/mojo navigator Greg Shaw in the early ’70s, and continues to make available much of the best stuff to earn the name “punk,” and it behooves me to give shout-outs to their two best reissue projects. One, the Pebbles series of pre-Pepper excavations, has been given ample ink in these pages previously, but I just can’t get enough of that fuzzed-out, sneery stuff. Good thing, too, ’cause between this series and a couple of offshoots, there’s over sixty volumes of phabulous phreaky obscurities from every disgruntled corner of the Great Society. If such variety overwhelms you, grab The Essential Pebbles Collection – Volume One, a bargain-priced two-disc collection skimming the most exquisitely curdled cream of the circa-’66 crop. Disc one excerpts the first ten volumes of the series (except for the comparatively weak surf sampler), while disc two compiles never-before-collected rarities (some so obscure that even the artists’ names are unknown!). Sound quality varies, but who cares when you can get a good thumbnail sketch of mid-’60s teen sexual politics just by reading the song titles consecutively: “I’m In Love.” “I’ve Gotta Go.” “I Want You To Know” “I Want You.” “I Just Don’t Know.” (“Fed Up”) “I’ve Had It.” “It’s Your Fault.” “Some Other Guy.” “Go Go Girl.”