Hollywood Brats - Hollywood Brats

UK punk’s great missing link

It’s almost impossible to mention Hollywood Brats without repeating the attractive myth that these outrageous comic rebels recorded the UK’s first punk album at London’s Olympic Studios in 1973. And what a terrific LP it was to have gone unreleased (except in Norway), until Cherry Red started releasing singles as late as 1978. This is a smartass, kick-ass collection by a foulmouthed brawl of a band: crossdressing fuck-ups, lipsticked pouters and fighters as influential as almost any other domestic band on the protopunk scene.

But here’s the unpopular truth to stop the mythmakers in their tracks: Hollywood Brats sound a lot like Mick Jagger fronting a glam garage boogie band. In other words, they sound like The Rolling Stones. Just the way Joey was envisaging The Ramones.

It’s the rudeness, the sexy snot, the beery fuck-you Vflicking frustration that makes the Brats sound so fresh, so rotten. As an ultimate accolade, when keyboard Brat Casino Steele went on to join The Boys, their temporally legit, selfconsciously punk covers of Sick On You and Tumble With Me sound weedy beside these ethically 100 per cent pure originals.

Cherry Red | CDMRED 106

Reviewed by Derek Hammond
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