Garage rock was a simple, raw form of rock
& roll created by a number of American bands in the mid-'60s.
Since they were usually young and amateurish, the results were
much cruder than their inspirations, but that is what made the
sound exciting. Most of the band emphasized their amateurishness,
playing the same three chords, bashing their guitars and growling
their vocals. In many ways, the garage bands were the first wave
of do-it-yourself punk rockers. Hundreds of garage bands popped
up around America and a handful of them had hits, but most were
destined for obscurity. In fact, nearly all of the bands were
forgotten in the early '70s. In the '80s, there was a garage rock
revival that saw a number of bands earnestly trying to replicate
the sound, style and look of the '60s garage bands.
Definition of Garage Rock: Basic chord structures played on electric guitars and other instruments, often with aggressive lyrics and delivery.
Characteristics of Garage Rock
Focus on energy rather than ability
Based on popular styles of the era
Simple repetitive hooks