Saturday, March 05, 2005

Best Punk Album Ever?

Just got done tracking the New York Dolls' Too Much Too Soon album on headphones in the dark. The disc is way too much fun, produced by Shadow Morton - the man who brought you the great Shangri-Las ... who the Beatles "saved" you from even though the Shangri-Las were much sexier, tougher, and in-a-good-way weirder.

On this album, the Dolls add to their stew of guitar/trampy blasts a bunch of rock 'n' roll throwback moments - "Stranded in the Jungle" (The Cadets), "There's Gonna Be A Showdown" (Archie Bell & The Drells), "Bad Detective"(The Coasters), and "Don't You Start Me Talkin'" (Sonny Boy Williamson.) Songs feature female backing vocals, woo-hoos, honking sax, and a general sense of what's-next anarchy.

But now I'm typing and thinking too much: Did punk peak before it happened (1976-on)? New York Dolls, Stooges, MC5, the original Alice Cooper band, all the punk/garage-bands of the sixties ... Standells, The Count Five, Chocolate Watchband, Paul Revere & the Raiders, The Seeds, etc.

Guess I'll try not to think too much. It's Saturday night. Best to go and blast the Doll's first album (or at least Shangri-Las quoting "Looking For A Kiss", when I say I'm in love you best believe I'm in love L-U-V) and have a Schlitz as a nod to its cover. (bottom right center!)