Obscure punk classic - Johnny Thunders - So alone.

I just bought this CD today, partially inspired by the Punk: Attitude DVD but mainly inspired by the fact that 'Chinese Rocks' is one of the greatest songs ever (so great, in fact, that it was namechecked by Nick Cave on the last Bad Seeds album).

Johnny Thunders was guitarist and lead IVDU with noted transvestites the New York Dolls. After the collapse of that band he went on to form the Hearbreakers with Richard Hell, touring the UK with the pistols and the clash as well as introducing Sid Vicious to Nancy (and smack).

The heartbreakers album LAMF (like a mother fucker) includes chinese rocks (co-written with deedee ramone) and born to lose. Both of these songs kick ass but I haven't got round to buying the CD yet. It's meant to be good.

I picked up this album in FOPP today when I was meant to be studying. Thunders is backed by an all star cast including two sex pistols, seve marriott, phil lynott of thin lizzy and various members of the only ones.

The album kicks off with the surf guitar classic 'pipeline'. I've heard this song a million times but I can't remember where. Probably in a tarintino film. I'm humming it just now but that doesn't benefit you, gentle reader. Download an MP3 or something. You'll know it.

The next song is 'you can't put your arms around a memory'. Widely thought of as a classic it's a sad song about why being alive is better than being dead. It's a sentiment we can all share. Johnny Thunders often said that it was the best song he ever wrote. It's good but I prefer 'chinese rocks'.

'Great big kiss' was previously ripped off by the New York Dolls on 'looking for a kiss'. Here thunders plays the original version and pays overdue royalties to the writers.

'London Boys' is a reply to the Sex Pistols song 'new york' where johnny rotten sings about 'a poor little faggot, looking for a kiss'. Thunders puts the boot in. This album was recorded in 1978, when john lydon was public enemy number one and was getting the shit kicked out of him on a regular basis. Lydon is dismissed as a 'poor little puppet' who 'need(s) an escort to take a piss/He holds your hand and shakes your dick'. Handbags at ten paces!

So to summarise - this album is good. I'm glad I've heard it. You might like it but I would advise you to listen to 'never mind the bollocks...' by the sex pistols first. Also check out the ramones (especially their version of chinese rocks) and the Velvet Underground/Lou Reed. If that stuff turns you on, you might like this. If not, try something else.

phunky

note - guns and roses and their ilk (motley crue, skid row, ad nauseum) really like johnny thunders. I don't like their style of music but I guess if you do, you might like this CD.