I discovered punk rock (and, by association, post-punk and lesser-known New Wave) via college radio, when I was a junior in high school. Eventually, I shifted from buying Rick Derringer 45's and Charlie Daniels LP's at Caldor to seeking out Dead Kennedys, Joy Division and Phantom Tollbooth albums at independently owned Capitol Records (R.I.P.) in Hartford.
At Capitol, there were so many albums to go through, that often, after I'd picked a few records I'd heard of, I'd select something purely on how cool the cover was, or whether the name of the band clicked with me.
I've still got most of my LP's, stored in the attic, although I haven't listened to them in years. Every year I swear I'm gonna buy an MP3 turntable and get all my vinyl onto my iPod. I think this is the year. Really.
Anyway, I figured over the course of some posts here, I'd feature some of the hits and misses from those blind album choices of years gone by.
The most colorful album cover to strike my fancy was The Rezillos' Can't Stand The Rezillos, seen above. The band's debut, it featured covers of '60s songs including The Dave Clark Five's "Glad All Over," Gerry & the Pacemakers' "I Like It" and "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight," a song originally recorded by Fleetwood Mac in 1969 (see below for The Rezillos' version).
The band had a Top 20 hit in their native U.K. with "Top of the Pops."
While that song is catchy, I favored the album's lead cut, "Flying Saucer Attack," a choice that will surprise no one who knows me.
"(My Baby Does) Good Sculptures" is pretty darn good, too.
But for pure pogoing pleasure, nothing beat the band's version of the aforementioned "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight."
Score Can't Stand The Rezillos a hit.
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