By

Rob Jones

Here we have a 40 track round up of every A and B side issued between 1976-85 by Canvey Island legends, Eddie And The Hot Rods. The merchandise is available from October 14, 2022 and the nascent material is an adrenalin shot that opens up ears as to the development of a dynamism that severely altered the aural landscape in a 70’s UK that went from static to ecstatic in a short space of time due to a fresh born angst from a new breed of performer.

I have been fortunate enough to see the Hotrods on stage several times across Wales and England but surprisingly two of those events were in the Rhondda – one being at Ystrad Sports Centre and the other at the no longer Penrhiwfer Workingmen’s Club. These experiences offered contrasting shows as the first was a full on more new wave/punk led heavy affair with the second outing swaying more towards a maximum R&B let’s dance stance. Just these pair of performances proved that the sadly now departed Barrie Masters and his boys could turn their aural antenna in different directions but in among their canon of classic power pop it is evident that the early years of their annals offered the most velvet venom.

Running in chronological order the 2CD album starts with the ‘Writing On The Wall’ and ‘Wooly Bully’ singles before the seminal ‘Live At The Marquee’ EP kicks in–and, this work saw the band on Top Of The Pops for the first time as the single reached No.43. The legendary ‘Teenage Depression’ hit No.35 in November 1976, a track that bridged the gap between Pub Rock and the exploding Punk Rock movement. ‘I Might Be Lying’ then hit No.44 before the anthemic call to arms of ‘Do Anything You Wanna Do’ shot to No.9. A staple of pretty much every Punk / New Wave compilation ever since, the song was also covered by German mega stars Die Toten Hosen on their million selling ‘Learning English, Lesson One’ record. Also included as a bonus track is the rare, edited US version of the song. ‘Quit This Town’, a UK No.36, which may have been their last hit single – but, The Hotrods continued to release great 45’s like ‘Life On The Line’ (from their Top 30 album of the same name) and ‘Power And The Glory’ from the Top 50 album ‘Thriller’. The release is completed by rarer singles like ‘At Night’, ‘Wide Eyed Kids’, ‘Farther On Down The Road’ and the independently issued ‘Fought For You’. The colourful booklet contains detailed notes on each single complete with interesting facts and figures about the band.

DISC ONE

1 Writing On The Wall

2 Cruisin’ (In The Lincoln)

3 Wooly Bully

4 Horseplay (Weary Of The Schmaltz)

LIVE AT THE MARQUEE EP

5 96 Tears (Live)

6 Get Out Of Denver (Live)

7 Gloria / (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Live)

8 Teenage Depression

9 Shake

10 I Might Be Lying

11 Ignore Them(Always Crashing In The Same Bar)

AT THE SOUND OF SPEED EP

12 Hard Drivin’ Man (Live)

13 Horseplay (Live)

14 Double Checkin’ Woman (Live)

15 All I Need Is Money (Live)

16 On The Run (Live)

17 Do You Anything You Wanna Do

18 Schoolgirl Love

19 Till The Night Is Gone (Let’s Rock) (with Robin Tyner)

20 Flip-Side Rock (with Robin Tyner)

DISC TWO

1 Do Anything You Wanna Do (USA 7” Edit)

2 Quit This Town

3 Distortion May Be Expected(laughbagindub)

4 Life On The Line

5 Do Anything You Wanna Do (Live)

6 What’s Really Goin’ On (Live)

7 Why Can’t It Be (Live)

8 Media Messiahs

9 Horror Through Straightness

10 Power And The Glory

11 Highlands One Hopefuls Two

12 At Night

13 You Better Run

14 Looking Around

15 Wide Eyed Kid

16 Leave Us Alone

17 Farther On Down The Road (You WillAccompany Me)

18 Fish ‘N’ Chips Part Two

19 Fought For You2

20 Hey, Tonight