{"id":13356,"date":"2020-09-18T05:00:01","date_gmt":"2020-09-18T05:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=13356"},"modified":"2020-09-14T17:39:45","modified_gmt":"2020-09-14T17:39:45","slug":"wayne-county-and-the-electric-chairs-the-safari-years-captain-oi-cherry-red-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=13356","title":{"rendered":"Wayne County And The Electric Chairs – \u2018The Safari Years\u2019 (Captain Oi \/ Cherry Red Records)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Love them or loathe them, Wayne\/Jayne County has been challenging musical and gender boundaries for decades. Before the dawn of punk, with the band Queen Elisabeth and giving Jools Holland his first studio job providing the ivories on \u2018Fuck Off\u2019, it\u2019s been quite a ride. That this 4 CD collection spans a mere 3 year period is an eye opener.<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s pretty much an exhaustive collection; the three Electric Chairs studio albums; a live set from Toronto 1979, plus a John Peel set and various singles. \u2018The Electric Chairs\u2019 debut includes 10 extra tracks, and holds together better than I remember. The quality of both songs and musicians is surprisingly good, from the ballad of \u2018Eddie And Sheena\u2019 onwards. There\u2019s a hefty nod to the Dolls on the likes of \u2018Bad In Bed\u2019 and \u2018Rock N Roll Resurrection\u2019, but Wayne\u2019s personality was always centre stage.<\/p>\n

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\u2018Storm The Gates Of Heaven\u2019 is, for me, their strongest set of songs, though the band weren\u2019t keen on the rushed production of Martin Birch. It doesn\u2019t detract from the likes of \u2018Trying To Get On The Radio\u2019 or the bold \u2018Man Enough To Be A Woman\u2019. The title track is like Alice Cooper with better lyrics, while \u2018Speed Demon\u2019 is perilously close to the Count Bishops\u2019 version of The Kinks\u2019 \u2018I Need You\u2019. Extras include the \u2018Toilet Love\u2019 EP.<\/p>\n

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\u2018Things Your Mother Never Told You\u2019, divided into Side Us and Side Them, is part Lou Reed observationals like \u2018Wonder Woman\u2019 and \u2018Midnight Pal\u2019, and a side step into more experimental songs such as \u2018C3\u2019 and \u2018Berlin\u2019. The title track would certainly have suited Iggy at the time. And \u2018The Boy With The Stolen Face\u2019 may have influenced pre-fame Ants. Have a listen.<\/p>\n

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\u2018Rock N Roll Resurrection\u2019, live in Toronto 1979, is tighter than you might imagine, though, unfortunately, there\u2019s not enough between-song berating from Wayne.<\/p>\n

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If it\u2019s to your (bad) taste, and you don\u2019t own these already, it\u2019s a great package at a reasonable price.<\/p>\n

Buy The Safari Years Here<\/a><\/p>\n

author: Martin Charmarette<\/p>\n

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