The Knaves

Emerging from Chicago, the Knaves issued two singles during 1967. One of these, the coupling “Leave Me Alone”/“The Girl I Threw Away,” appears regularly on various anthologies devoted to 1960s garage rock. What set the group slightly apart from most garage acts was their pronounced incorporation of brooding folk-rock touches inside an otherwise aggressive and raunchy approach. Connoisseurs have singled out “The Girl I Threw Away” as an especially representative specimen of the folk-punk micro-genre, whereas garage aficionados tend to celebrate the A-side “Leave Me Alone” just as highly, if not more, for its straightforward rebellious stance. Although the Knaves remained little-known even locally throughout their short career, they stockpiled sufficient recordings to permit Sundazed’s 2001 release of an eight-song 10" LP that gathers both sides of each single plus several previously unheard outtakes.