Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers - Born To Lose


Just listened to the Heartbreakers '76 demos with Richard Hell. Thank God they got rid of that hack before LAMF came out. Now if they had only got rid of Walture Lure also. He's a dildo.

6 comments:

hairfarmer said...

Richard Hell a hack? Blasphemy.

Watson said...

Pffff he's a pompous, self important asshole. According to him, he's the most important man in the history of punk.

But his best song is a blatant rip off anyway.

But I'm Your Man is a great song. I just think Richard Hell thinks he's so important without the great songs to back it up.

hairfarmer said...

Yeah I agree that his ego is somewhat out of control. The first Voidoids album(one of the best punk albums ever imo) and any live Hell from the 70's is straight classic though. And if I was compelled to single out any one person from that whole scene I would have to go with him as being the most interesting. Hell definitely works better in the Voidoids' more progressive setting as opposed to the more straight rock 'n roll of the Heartbreakers.

Watson said...

Yeah, I disagree with him being the most interesting, but he was definitely better suited for his own band than he was in the Heartbreakers. If you listen to the 76 demos with him in them, it's just not right. So many of the classic Heartbreakers songs sound way too jazzy and shit.

Have you read Please Kill Me by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain? It's THE single most important thing ever written on punk. Best book ever.

Man I'm so stoked people are commenting on this blog! Ahahaha.

hairfarmer said...

I've read that multiple times. I bought a copy years ago in some random second hand bookstore in New York for seven dollars. Upon opening the book on the bus ride home I discovered that my copy was signed by Legs McNeil! Of course I have no way of knowing if the signature is authentic or not, but whatever. Definitely one of my favorite books. If you haven't already, you should check out "Let it Blurt", the Lester Bangs biography, it's also very good.

I think that there is a newer edition of Please Kill Me with a shitload of extra stuff, I've been meaning to track down a copy.

Watson said...

Ahahah signed by Legs McNeil! Ahaha so funny.

The edition I read was brand new. They got it in at the library in New Zealand and I was the first person to take it out. Definitely gonna buy it.

I'll check out that Lester Bangs bio.