Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the double LP set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from 1965 to 1968. The collection of short punchy songs was a major influence on the punk movement in the UK.
Rhino Records reissued an expanded version of the set in 1998, with 118 tracks in total.
The set included top 40 hits like ‘Incense and Peppermints’ by Strawberry Alarm Clock (#1), ‘Louie, Louie’ by the Kingsmen (#2), ‘Wooly Bully’ by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs (#2), ‘Little Bit o’ Soul’ by the Music Explosion (#2), and ‘Time Won’t Let Me’ by the Outsiders (#5).
But it concentrated on obscure acts, chronicling the work of forgotten bands like Michael and the Messengers, The Magic Mushrooms, and Clefs of Lavender Hill. It includes embryonic works from future stars like Warren Zevon, Glenn Campbell, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and The Raspberries, but most of these acts had to keep their day jobs.
I’ve profiled and rated each of these 118 tracks.
| Artist | Track | Rating | Track | Disc | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Electric Prunes | I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1966 |
| The Standells | Dirty Water | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1966 |
| The Strangeloves | Night Time | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1966 |
| The Knickerbockers | Lies | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1965 |
| The Vagrants | Respect | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1967 |
| Mouse | A Public Execution | 9 | 6 | 1 | 1966 |
| The Blues Project | No Time Like the Right Time | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1967 |
| The Shadows of Knight | Oh Yeah | 7 | 8 | 1 | 1966 |
| The Seeds | Pushin’ Too Hard | 8 | 9 | 1 | 1966 |
| The Barbarians | Moulty | 8 | 10 | 1 | 1966 |
| The Remains | Don’t Look Back | 9 | 11 | 1 | 1966 |
| The Magicians | An Invitation to Cry | 6 | 12 | 1 | 1965 |
| The Castaways | Liar, Liar | 7 | 13 | 1 | 1965 |
| The 13th Floor Elevators | You’re Gonna Miss Me | 9 | 14 | 1 | 1966 |
| Count Five | Psychotic Reaction | 10 | 15 | 1 | 1966 |
| The Leaves | Hey Joe | 9 | 16 | 1 | 1966 |
| Michael and the Messengers | Romeo & Juliet | 6 | 17 | 1 | 1967 |
| The Cryan’ Shames | Sugar and Spice | 9 | 18 | 1 | 1966 |
| The Amboy Dukes | Baby Please Don’t Go | 9 | 19 | 1 | 1968 |
| Blues Magoos | Tobacco Road | 8 | 20 | 1 | 1966 |
| The Chocolate Watchband | Let’s Talk About Girls | 4 | 21 | 1 | 1967 |
| The Mojo Men | Sit Down, I Think I Love You | 8 | 22 | 1 | 1967 |
| The Third Rail | Run, Run, Run | 9 | 23 | 1 | 1967 |
| Sagittarius | My World Fell Down | 9 | 24 | 1 | 1967 |
| Nazz | Open My Eyes | 10 | 25 | 1 | 1968 |
| The Premiers | Farmer John | 9 | 26 | 1 | 1964 |
| The Magic Mushrooms | It’s-a-Happening | 8 | 27 | 1 | 1966 |
| The Music Machine | Talk Talk | 8 | 28 | 2 | 1966 |
| The Del-Vetts | Last Time Around | 9 | 29 | 2 | 1966 |
| The Human Beinz | Nobody but Me | 9 | 30 | 2 | 1967 |
| Kenny & the Kasuals | Journey to Tyme | 7 | 31 | 2 | 1966 |
| The Sparkles | No Friend of Mine | 6 | 32 | 2 | 1967 |
| The Turtles | Outside Chance | 8 | 33 | 2 | 1966 |
| The Litter | Action Woman | 9 | 34 | 2 | 1967 |
| The Elastik Band | Spazz | 8 | 35 | 2 | 1967 |
| The Chocolate Watchband | Sweet Young Thing | 7 | 36 | 2 | 1967 |
| Strawberry Alarm Clock | Incense and Peppermints | 9 | 37 | 2 | 1967 |
| The Brogues | I Ain’t No Miracle Worker | 7 | 38 | 2 | 1965 |
| Love | 7 and 7 Is | 9 | 39 | 2 | 1966 |
| The Outsiders | Time Won’t Let Me | 9 | 40 | 2 | 1966 |
| The Squires | Going All the Way | 10 | 41 | 2 | 1966 |
| The Shadows of Knight | I’m Gonna Make You Mine | 7 | 42 | 2 | 1966 |
| Kim Fowley | The Trip | 2 | 43 | 2 | 1965 |
| The Seeds | Can’t Seem to Make You Mine | 5 | 44 | 2 | 1967 |
| The Remains | Why Do I Cry | 8 | 45 | 2 | 1965 |
| The Beau Brummels | Laugh, Laugh | 9 | 46 | 2 | 1965 |
| The Nightcrawlers | The Little Black Egg | 6 | 47 | 2 | 1967 |
| The Gants | I Wonder | 9 | 48 | 2 | 1967 |
| The Five Americans | I See the Light | 7 | 49 | 2 | 1966 |
| The Woolies | Who Do You Love? | 7 | 50 | 2 | 1967 |
| The Swingin’ Medallions | Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love) | 9 | 51 | 2 | 1966 |
| The Merry-Go-Round | Live | 9 | 52 | 2 | 1967 |
| Paul Revere & the Raiders | Steppin’ Out | 7 | 53 | 2 | 1965 |
| Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band | Diddy Wah Diddy | 10 | 54 | 2 | 1966 |
| The Sonics | Strychnine | 9 | 55 | 2 | 1965 |
| Syndicate of Sound | Little Girl | 9 | 56 | 2 | 1966 |
| Blues Magoos | (We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet | 8 | 57 | 2 | 1966 |
| Max Frost and the Troopers | Shape of Things to Come | 8 | 58 | 2 | 1968 |
| The Hombres | Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) | 7 | 59 | 3 | 1967 |
| The Golliwogs | Fight Fire | 8 | 60 | 3 | 1966 |
| New Colony Six | At the River’s Edge | 6 | 61 | 3 | 1966 |
| The Daily Flash | Jack of Diamonds | 6 | 62 | 3 | 1966 |
| Lyme and Cybelle | Follow Me | 8 | 63 | 3 | 1966 |
| The Choir | It’s Cold Outside | 8 | 64 | 3 | 1966 |
| The Rare Breed | Beg, Borrow and Steal | 7 | 65 | 3 | 1966 |
| Sir Douglas Quintet | She’s About a Mover | 7 | 66 | 3 | 1965 |
| The Music Explosion | Little Bit O’ Soul | 9 | 67 | 3 | 1967 |
| The E-Types | Put the Clock Back on the Wall | 8 | 68 | 3 | 1967 |
| The Palace Guard | Falling Sugar | 7 | 69 | 3 | 1966 |
| The Gestures | Run, Run, Run | 9 | 70 | 3 | 1964 |
| The Rationals | I Need You | 8 | 71 | 3 | 1967 |
| The Humane Society | Knock, Knock | 8 | 72 | 3 | 1967 |
| The Groupies | Primitive | 7 | 73 | 3 | 1966 |
| The Sonics | Psycho | 8 | 74 | 3 | 1967 |
| The Lyrics | So What!! | 7 | 75 | 3 | 1965 |
| The Lollipop Shoppe | You Must Be a Witch | 8 | 76 | 3 | 1968 |
| The Balloon Farm | A Question of Temperature | 8 | 77 | 3 | 1968 |
| Mouse and the Traps | Maid of Sugar – Maid of Spice | 9 | 78 | 3 | 1966 |
| The Uniques | You Ain’t Tuff | 8 | 79 | 3 | 1966 |
| The Standells | Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White | 7 | 80 | 3 | 1966 |
| The Mojo Men | She’s My Baby | 8 | 81 | 3 | 1966 |
| The Unrelated Segments | Story of My Life | 9 | 82 | 3 | 1967 |
| The Third Bardo | I’m Five Years Ahead of My Time | 9 | 83 | 3 | 1967 |
| We the People | Mirror of Your Mind | 8 | 84 | 3 | 1966 |
| The Shadows of Knight | Bad Little Woman | 6 | 85 | 3 | 1966 |
| The Music Machine | Double Yellow Line | 9 | 86 | 3 | 1967 |
| The Human Expression | Optical Sound | 8 | 87 | 3 | 1967 |
| The Amboy Dukes | Journey to the Center of the Mind | 9 | 88 | 3 | 1968 |
| The Chocolate Watchband | Are You Gonna Be There (At the Love-In) | 8 | 89 | 4 | 1967 |
| The Leaves | Too Many People | 8 | 90 | 4 | 1966 |
| The Brigands | (Would I Still Be) Her Big Man | 7 | 91 | 4 | 1966 |
| The Barbarians | Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl | 6 | 92 | 4 | 1965 |
| Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs | Wooly Bully | 9 | 93 | 4 | 1965 |
| The Strangeloves | I Want Candy | 6 | 94 | 4 | 1965 |
| The Kingsmen | Louie Louie | 10 | 95 | 4 | 1963 |
| The Knickerbockers | One Track Mind | 7 | 96 | 4 | 1966 |
| The Wailers | Out of Our Tree | 8 | 97 | 4 | 1965 |
| Harbinger Complex | I Think I’m Down | 8 | 98 | 4 | 1967 |
| The Dovers | What Am I Going to Do | 8 | 99 | 4 | 1965 |
| The Charlatans | Codine | 7 | 100 | 4 | 1966 |
| The Mystery Trend | Johnny Was a Good Boy | 6 | 101 | 4 | 1967 |
| Clefs of Lavender Hill | Stop! Get a Ticket | 7 | 102 | 4 | 1966 |
| The Monks | Complication | 9 | 103 | 4 | 1966 |
| The Sonics | The Witch | 9 | 104 | 4 | 1965 |
| The Electric Prunes | Get Me to the World on Time | 8 | 105 | 4 | 1967 |
| The Other Half | Mr. Pharmacist | 9 | 106 | 4 | 1966 |
| Richard and the Young Lions | Open Up Your Door | 6 | 107 | 4 | 1966 |
| Paul Revere & the Raiders | Just Like Me | 10 | 108 | 4 | 1965 |
| We the People | You Burn Me Up and Down | 6 | 109 | 4 | 1966 |
| The Lemon Drops | I Live in the Springtime | 8 | 110 | 4 | 1967 |
| Fenwyck | Mindrocker | 8 | 111 | 4 | 1967 |
| The Rumors | Hold Me Now | 8 | 112 | 4 | 1965 |
| The Underdogs | Love’s Gone Bad | 6 | 113 | 4 | 1967 |
| The Standells | Why Pick on Me | 6 | 114 | 4 | 1966 |
| The Zakary Thaks | Bad Girl | 8 | 115 | 4 | 1966 |
| GONN | Blackout of Gretely | 7 | 116 | 4 | 1966 |
| The Bees | Voices Green and Purple | 9 | 117 | 4 | 1966 |
| Davie Allan & the Arrows | Blues’ Theme | 7 | 118 | 4 | 1967 |
Nuggets: Codine by The Charlatans
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: Johnny Was A Good Boy by Mystery Trend
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: Stop! Get A Ticket by Clefs of Lavender Hill
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the two-LP set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic…
Nuggets: Complication by The Monks
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: The Witch by The Sonics
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: Get Me to the World on Time by The Electric Prunes
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: Mr. Pharmacist by The Other Half
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: Open Up Your Door by Richard & the Young Lions
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: Just Like Me by Paul Revere & the Raiders
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: You Burn Me Up and Down by We The People
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: I Live in the Springtime by The Lemon Drops
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: Mindrocker by Fenwyck
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: Hold Me Now by The Rumors
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: Love's Gone Bad by The Underdogs
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: Why Pick On Me by The Standells
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: Bad Girl by The Zakary Thaks
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: Blackout of Gretely by GONN
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: Voices Green and Purple by The Bees
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
Nuggets: Blue's Theme by Davie Allan & the Arrows
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First…
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