#1!
HOLLYWOOD BRATS - S/T AKA "Grown Up Wrong" (1973)
While the New York Dolls were getting beer bottles tossed at 'em in the Bowery, across the pond in Blighty, an eerily similar quintet of He-Venuses in Faux-Furs were suffering through much the same abuse. As frontman (and transplanted Canuck) Andrew Matheson explains: "We simply couldn't stomach what was happening in music at the time. It was all denim and drum solos. Where was the excitement, the danger, the outrageous clothes, the aggression, the glamor that made rock 'n' roll the erotic narcotic we craved?" To answer his question, he and fellow nogoodniks Brady (guitars), Wayne Manor (bass), Lou Sparks (drums) and keyboardist Casino Steel (more about him later) donned frilly lace and lipstick and set about getting their lamé-covered asses kicked. They shuffled their platform heels in earnest in 1972 as The Queen, but a certain band with a recent hit single objected to that particular moniker as you can well imagine. Thus, they decided to be mere Brats instead.
They garnered the attention of none other than the Loon Keith Moon who got 'em a chance to sign on the dotted line. The resulting recording, originally called "Grown Up Wrong," for one reason or another was only released in Scandinavia at the time (chances are good that they were seen as a tax write-off by the very Good Fellas who ran their record company). 'Tis a shame as their brazen brand of sleazery holds up every bit as well as the Dolls' debut LP. Truth be told, upon first hearing this opus, I gasped in amazement that two bands who were unlikely to be aware of the other managed to sound so uncannily alike. It's all here-- the malformed Keef cops, the buzzing amplifiers, the pouty vox and the Spector Girl Group aspirations. Speaking of which, they cover the Shirelles' "And Then He Kissed Me"-- without changing the gender (something Paul Stanley didn't have the "balls" to do).
Casino Steel would make another grab at the brass ring. Forming a songwriting partnership with Matt Dangerfield after the Brats' dissolution, they would soon become Pop-Punk stalwarts The Boys, who received some modest chart action during the Punk Years (remember "Brickfield Nights?" What a catchy fuckin' song that was!). They also recorded an inferior version of "Sick on You," a Brats number that y'all can check out here in its original incarnation-- wreckless proto-punk at its best!
Look in the comments, slut.
http://lix.in/0e60f69e
ReplyDeletepw = sln2008
that's fun to think hb are the last great glam band that deserves better that remain on absolute obscurity. their version of sick on you made the boys look like the pre-fabric they were, and my band used to cover chez maxime, til we found out we were not good enough to make justice to this great song...anyway, i love the guitar and piano sound of this record, even thinking andrew lost on vocal department to johansen by miles.
ReplyDeletedo you know doctors of madness,sir? they´re this great early seventies band who influenced damned and the adverts, and by now is tottally forgotten. if you have a chance to hear something by them, surely you gonna love the sound. balls, creativity and a violin instead of a solo guitar.
hope ya the best
Sure... good stuff. I was a bit disappointed with 'em at first, but it's grown on me. Richard Strange has done a lot of acting over the years-- can't say I've seen a lot of it, though.
ReplyDeleteA lot has been written about The Hollywood Brats, they have become icons of a music age long gone, but hopefully not forgotten. Often compared to the New York Dolls, no way, the Brats have their own style, more raunchy, punchy with a kick to the nether regions. Yes they were Punk (if that's the term)before it was invented and long before Johnny Rotten & Co were learning joined-up writing! But in my opinion the HB are more Sleaze Rock with a touch of Glam. Matheson's vocals come across as a mixture of Ray Davis and Jagger with a hint of someone else who's name escapes me. Some of the high notes (and bum notes) don't quite make it, but along with the rough n'ready mix it adds to the charm! Without doubt the driving force of the Brats is guitarist E.S. Brady, a true talent slashing and raunchy but at the same time subtle guitar playing without mercy. The rythmn section (for you dumbos out there, that's bass and drums) drive it all to the limit. Although it sounds like the brillant bass player "Wayne Manor" had his work cut out, the drummer sucks! On the Hollywood Brats site it states that Wayne is dead, what a waste, he was as good as many top name bassists, sadly missed and overlooked as most bass players are (people I know what I am talking about here 'cos I am a bass player too!) Listening to some of the Brats songs covered by other artists I can only say forget it, the originals are best. The Boys rendition of Sick On You is like a flacid member in comparison! But in retrospect The Sirens have done true justice to some Brats numbers, check 'em out great gals.......... This album is unique, it should be in every one's collection. Enjoy yourself............
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