Be a Rock n Roll Savant

Be a Rock n Roll Savant

Our Beat.Media Article on Sixties Garage Rockn'Roll

We wrote this article for Beat.Media about how to introduce yourself to Sixties Garage Rock n Roll. It talks about this Nuggets Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era from Rhino Records featuring at least of the garage band you need to know to be a Savant.

Sixties Garage Rock n Roll is a very warm, twangy, fuzzy trip that goes for miles and miles before you even get close to becoming familiar with the bands playing their own brand of angst, heartache, rebellion and wise talk molded with a varied pantry of musical influences from blues to rock n roll and rhythm n blues to pop ballads.

A Great Introduction to Sixties Garage Rock n' Roll

One of the best introductions to Sixties Garage Rock n Roll is ' The Nuggets, Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968 ' compilation. The memory of first laying eyes on this comp still saturates my mind with mist, as if walking once again through the epic and overwhelming jungle of Los Angeles Tower Records.
On this post as a continuation from the Beat.Media article "A Great Introduction to Sixties Garage Rock n Roll" here's quite a few videos from The Standells, Zachary Thaks, Love, The Seeds, Paul Revere and the Raiders, and Captain Beefheart and His Magical Band.

The Music Machine - One of the Best and Favorite Garage Bands

The Music Machine. Sean Bonniwell, their angsty balladeer of Punk and angered nerves exposed a romantic side of himself. Years back, I had the pleasure of hearing their first hit "Talk Talk" off a Garage Rock box set, The Nuggets. All I knew about them was that they wore one black glove.

Feel the frightening pull of one of my favorite tunes below, Trouble!


The Music Machine - "Trouble" 


The Music Machine's First Record in 1966, "Turn On"


The first album, Turn On, was released in 1966, a year that covered everything from baroque RocknRoll to the Sunset Strip Riots. The Music Machine signed a record deal with Art Laboe's Original Sound that jumpstarted the careers of The Five Satins and Sandy Nelson, the highest charting artist on the label at the time in 1959. Art Laboe also went on to garner recognition for his re-releasing Brenton Wood and putting out The Psychotic Reaction.

Bonniwell soon became disenchanted with the label as they had a frightening grip of control that was expressed in the contract. For instance, Bonniwell wanted to release their version of 'Hey Joe' as a single but the bottom line was left up to Laboe. Will talk more about that later.

The Music Machine - Turn On album cover

The Music Machine, Garage, Rock n Roll, Jazz, RnB, Music, Sixties, Guitar, Organ, Blues, Fuzz


The debut album included over four covers, I have heard that the band was nauseated over some of the selections. Bonniwell was livid due to the fact that he had more original compositions. I mean the originals on the album light up the stereo speakers. Mark Landon's fuzz guitar on "Trouble" and "Talk Talk" is like a blade cutting through steel. 

The organ on 'Come On In' is leading you into a carnival house of mirrors while you are taunted by a crooning Showtune Troubador of the Netherworld. This album is like a stuffed jar of olives. I could talk about all of the songs at length but won't spoil it for you.


The Music Machine - Come On In


"Talk Talk"
Charted at #15 on the Billboard charts

'Masculine Intuition'


Savant of Rock n Roll

A true classical poet of charm and romanticism, Bonniwell is also a curator of RocknRoll starting from a young age. He dots that with a song like "Masculine Intuition". Thoughts, wisdom, warnings and cheer permeate the air when the Music Machine's record sprays from the speakers.

He was born Thomas Harvey Bonniwell on Aug. 16, 1940, in San Jose. In high school, he formed his first band after hearing "Only You by The Platters. ~ LA Times Music Machine Article Dec 29, 2011
According to an interview of Sean Bonniwell did with Psychedelic Baby Mag, as a young teen, this is how he describes his start. "The influences that colored my musical evolution were early rhythm & blues, gospel, traditional jazz, the Platters, Bo Diddley, Mario Lanza's powerful tenor, and a hunger to explore the longing in my soul to express myself. It's a great article that I can read many times and still find new inspiration."Check it out.


Best time to play 'Turn On' The Music Machine record is from Sunset to Moonset. If you thirst for one of the originating Garage Rock Pioneers,  look no further because on cd, this record is now available, right here at your fingertips TURN ON  inviting you to take a look and Come on In.

You can also, more preferably, pick up the wax of this on Discogs.

The Bonniwell Music Machine

"Eagle Never Hunts the Fly", from the band's second record, The Bonniwell Music Machine shows the musky bard in mid-soar with the unorthodox arrangements, fuzz guitar, eerie organ and ghostly rhythm patterns spooky enough to raise the hair to stand on the top of your ears...
"Eagle Never Hunts the Fly"




Below is the demo version of 'Bottom of the Soul" which in our opinion is better than the album version. I recommend you at least downloading these on mp3 as I couldn't even find a physical copy from the Original Sound label's page. You can also get your fill on YouTube until you have to hear them everyday.


"Bottom of the Soul"
came out on the second record,
The Bonniwell Music Machine.

This is sort of rare original album to find. On cd, you're more likely to find the extended version that has a lot of demos, rehearsals and singles from the previous incarnation of The Music Machine, and also from The Ragamuffins, the very first line up with Bonniwell. You can find the album on vinyl from Amoeba.

This record has some tremendously spooky tunes specially crafted by Bonniwell apart from his original line-up. It is very moody and special. I have a certain place in my heart for the consolation this album has given me. Undeniably brilliant music that unfortunately did not chart.


Music Machine Albums

So, The Music Machine came out with 'Turn On' and there is an extended version of that album called 'The Ultimate Turn On' with demos and rehearsals. Then there is The Bonniwell Music Machine, which has been a little rare to find but the best bet is to get the extended version of The Bonniwell Music Machine has home demos and unreleased tracks from all of Sean Bonniwell's repertoire. Both extended versions produced by Big Beat Records.











This quote is from The Bonniwell Music Machine Website
The Bonniwell Music Machine was orginally released in early 1968 and consisted of outtakes and single sides by the original Music Machine, along with newer recrodings featuring the band's second line-up: both incarnations headed by charismatic singer, songwriter and rock savant Sean Bonniwell. Now with this deluxe 2CD expanded reissue, the original album is augmented by further non-LP single sides and outtakes, and a whole second disc of vintage Music machine rarities, drawn from the untapped tape collection of the late Sean Bonniwell.
The third record was a solo album, Close, released under T.S. Bonniwell on Capital Records in 1969. It was only released in California so it is another pretty rare find.  He speaks about it at length on this interview.


Close - T.S. Bonniwell










Just found this and I am definitely ordering this mug!!!!'

From the looks of the page, Sean Bonniwell himself was selling these merch items.

Music Machine: Turn On Mug
by MusicMachine





"As the creator and founder of the Music Machine it was my privilege to lead the unique talents and superior musicianship of four gifted young men; to write and sing a body of work now regarded as the vanguard of a musical genre that continues to resonate into rock's evolution and beyond. The merchandise offered herein are contemporary collectibles, reflecting an image and style that was -- and is -- the first of its kind; you are invited to wear and /or use these items with a wink and a smile."
S. Bonniwell

The Neumans: Classic LA Nostalgia Garage at its BEST

Classic LA Nostalgia at its best
I heard that they got their band name from the cover boy of Mad Magazine.



With names like Rex Beaton, Gravel Beaton and Billie Telephone, this band was hard to beat. That's the bottom line. The 5 piece group also included an organist, which isn't too too common in Los Angeles. As Angelinos like to say, “Good luck With That!”