THEE HEADCOATS – Round Every Corner [Surfadelic Collection!]

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Son told his daddy,
“I wanna be a headcoat man”

This legendary UK garage punk gang need no introduction but anyways here it is:

Thee Headcoats was a band formed in Chatham, Kent, England in 1989, that was well known for its garage rock sound, explicitly sticking to this style on almost all of their albums. The band’s signature sound as well as their prolific writing has been attributed to Billy Childish’s love of simple, direct recording. The band has been on multiple labels including Billy’s own Hangman Records, Damaged Goods and Sub Pop.

“Round Every Corner” is a Surfadelic collection dedicated to one of my favorite garage revival bands next to Lyres, The Fuzztones or The Swingin’ Neckbreakers. As you know, Billy Chidish is one of the most prolific garage rock musicians with 100’s of records under the various band names as The Milkshakes, Thee Mighty Caesars, Buff Medways and Thee Headcoats. This collection gathers what I think are the best recordings from first six Headcoats Lp’s from 1989. to 1991 – Headcoats Down!, Beach Bums Must Die, The Earls of Suavedom, The Kids Are All Square: This Is Hip!, Heavens to Murgatroyd, Even!, Headcoatitude. 33 trax of Wyld Billy’s Headcoats garage rock action in style of The Kinks, Sonics & Downliners Sect. ”Elementary my Dear Watson”, Dig!!!

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THEE HEADCOATS – Heavens To Murgatroyd, Even! It’s Thee Headcoats! (Already)

 

Billy Childish & The Headcoats 5th or 6th album from 1990.[there are so many ya know] and probably their best, one of those classic garage revival lps, my favorite. First time when I heard this stuff I thought it’s from 60’s or some other dimension. Raw garage rock action in The Kinks, Sonics, Downliners Sect style with “Mantrap”, “No Way Out”, “Reindeer Are Wild”, “Headcoat Man”, hit tune “Girl Of Matches”, “Pokerhuntus Was Her Name” [with Thee Headcoatees!], “We’re Gone”… Cover art by Daniel Claws. It’s 30th anniversary already! And remember, Don’t play with matches, dig!!!

 

“Burn… I’m gonna burn you… you don’t live long child… you gotta learn!”

 

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THEE HEADCOATS SECT – Deerstalking Men [1996] / Ready Sect Go! [1999] [Killer Garage Punk/R&B]

”Thee Headcoats Sect, a creature with the body of a beast and the hat of a gentleman.”

Already have posted these two slabs, my favorites from 90s garage punk revival and here they are again. Logical & natural, almighty colaboration between the Downliners Sect and their ‘modern days’ garage punk counterparts Thee Headcoats must be a ‘dreams come true’ event for fans of raw r&b/punk sound. And it is!

’96 Lp “Deerstalking Men” is a perfect junction of 60’s The Sonics/Downliners Sect garage rock sound and Thee Headcoats raw punk rumble with faithful remakes of classics as Strychnine, The Witch, Baby What’s Wrong, Why Don’t You Smile Now and probably best versions of some old Billy Chilish/Headcoats/Mighty Caesars tunes like My Dear Watson, Troubled Times, Cowboys Are Square, Lie Detector, I’m A Gamekeeper.  Second album “Ready Sect Go!” is kinda spectacular tribute to R&B classics as Howlin’ Wolf, Slim Harpo, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters… a must for garage blues aficionados and others. ‘Elementary my dear Watson’, Dig!!!

 

• Deerstalking Men
• Ready Sect Go!

 

 

 

 

THEE HEADCOATS – The Earls Of Suavedom [1990] Vinyl Rip!

 

”Thee Headcoats was a band formed in Chatham, Kent, England in 1989, that was well known for its garage rock sound, explicitly sticking to this style on almost all of their albums. The band’s signature sound as well as their prolific writing has been attributed to Billy Childish’s love of simple, direct recording. The band has been on multiple labels including Billy’s own Hangman Records, Damaged Goods, Sub Pop and Crypt records. The band was composed of Billy Childish (guitar and vocals), Bruce Brand (drums and backing vocals), and Johnny Johnson (bass). The band is the most prolific of Childish’s many musical projects so far, releasing 14 full-length albums.” [wiki]

This is 2nd lp by Thee Headcoats. Raw R&B inluenced garage punk, mix of rumblin’ originals Round Every Corner, The Killing Hold, I’m A Headcoat Baby, Alone, My 7th Girl Eve, Going Outside My Head… and covers of The Seeds [No Escape], Chuck Berry [Our Little Rendezvous, Jaguar And Thunderbird] and Link Wray [Branded]. Vinyl rip by Surfadelic, Dig!!!

 

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THEE MIGHTY CAESARS – English Punk Rock Explosion!! [80’s Garage Punk] Vinyl Rip!

 

”Thee Mighty Caesars – punk raconteur Billy Childish’s interim band between the retro-revivalism of the Milkshakes and his ultimate rock & roll expression in Thee Headcoats — were the ideal bridge between the Shakes’ stylish, loyal Merseybeat revivalism and the fully-functioning threadbare punk-rock cathartic songwriting Childish began wielding like a rusty knife once Thee Headcoats had formed. Even though the aesthetic trappings were the most ridiculous of any of Childish’s outfits (the band was pictured and, presumably, performed in togas with leaf wreathes donning their noggins) Thee Caesars allowed him a forum for making a transition between rocker and artist. English Punk Rock Explosion!, a greatest hits compilation, was the only Mighty Caesars album to capture the full scope of this rock & roll culture collision. From brutal guitar instrumentals such as “Death of a Mighty Caesar,” with it’s tribal beat and percussive guitar, to the first recording of the nihilist, venom-spewing anthem “You Make Me Die,” English Punk Rock Explosion! is an unrelenting parade of melodic-yet-raw diamonds in the rough. While this may have been Childish’s least prolific and shortest-lived band, this is a crucial document of DIY punk’s (ancient?) history. Full of all the hubris of youth and tempered by the wisdom of a jaded experience, Thee Mighty Caesars were a force with which to be reckoned.” [Chris Handyside]

 

 

Issued in 1988. this lp is kinda like a “Best Of” part 1 [part 2 is ”Surely They Were The Sons Of God”]. Raw lo-fi garage punk action with Downliners Sect 60’s  r&b/garage influences. Vinyl rip by Surfadelic. Et tu, Brute? Dig!!!

 

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THE MILKSHAKES – 20 Rock & Roll Hits Of The 50’s & 60’s [1984. Garage/Beat] Vinyl Rip!

”For goodness sake, I got the hippy hippy shakes…”

 

”On 20 Rock & Roll Hits of the 50s & 60s, Thee Milkshakes attempt to inject new life into some old chestnuts and succeed, to a point. Billy Childish and Mickey Hampshire both shred things up vocally and their guitars growl and sting in all the right places, while the lo-fi recording gives the set an authentic feel full of vim and vigor. Their choice of songs to cover is both happily inspired (the Shirelles’ “Boys,” Link Wray’s “Comanche,” Eddie Cochran’s “Something Else,” Chan Romero’s “Hippy Hippy Shake”) and sadly pedestrian (Chuck Berry’s “Carol,” and “Sweet Little Sixteen,” Barrett Strong’s “Money,” Little Richard’s “Rip It Up”).” [allmusic]

When in the mood for some wyld garage beat action I pick this among 100’s of Billy Childish slabs. This is one of my favorite all-covers lps and my fav Milkshakes album too. It brings back memories on those early Hamburg days of The Beatles wyld R’n’R rumble. Vinyl rip by Surfadelic. For goodness sake, Dig!!!

 

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WILD BILLY CHILDISH AND THE M.B.E’s – Christmas 1979

“Presents will be given!/They will be given/be given/be given/be given
THEY WILL BE GIVEN!”

This must be 3075th album by Billy C. and Christmass of 1979 must’ve been a cool one who knows, but this is great Christmas party slab with 12+1 Crash-Boom-Bang garage punk tunes typical for Billy Childish and The Musicians of the British Empire [with wife Julie and Wolf Howard]. Here you got real cool versions of The Sonics ”Santa Claus”, Tamrons “Wild-Man” [as Knick Knack, Paddy Wack], The Who (Pete Townsend’s Christmas), Link Wray, Christmas Lights, A Poundland Christmas, Mistletoe and other Xmass garage goodies. Dig!!!

 

”I want a brand new car, a twangy guitar
A cute little honey and lots of money
Santa Claus, won’t you tell me please?
Whatcha gonna put under my Christmas tree?”

 

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!!! THEE HEADCOATEES !!!

“Daughter Told Her Mommy, I Wanna Be A Headcoat Girl”

“Formed in 1991, in Kent, as a backing band for Billy Childish’s band The Headcoats, The Headcoatees soon began releasing material of their own. Featuring Holly Golightly, Ludella Black, Kyra LaRubia and Debbie Green, the all girl outfit were active throughout the 90’s, industriously releasing a plethora of albums and singles.”

Straight from [whose else but] the Billy Childish kitchen came thee best girl garage punk band in the world. Surfadelic is pleased to finaly give a treat to Thee Headcoatees LP discography. From their ’91. debut slab “Girlsville” to the real cool ’99 singles collection “The Sisters Of Suave”, you gotta dance, dance, dance to the raw beat of these legendary ”Headcoat” PUNK GIRLS!!!

Their sexy & funny treat of classic Headcoats tunes as well as covers of Bo Diddley, Jimmy Reed, 60’s garage/freakbeat, Sonics, Shadows Of Knight, Troggs, Beatles, Ramones, Undertones, Plastic Bertrand and stuff gonna have you on yer knees.

With one of the most ridiculous 45’s titles ”We Got 7 Inches, But We Wanted Twelve!” and cover of Billy’s tune turned into all-out, full blown fellatio anthem ”Cum Into My Mouth” you know, they’re more than just another girl group. Welcome to the Girlsville!

“Treat Yourself With Respect Be A Headcoat Girl”

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THEE HEADCOATS – Headcoatitude [1991]

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This is their 6th LP of raw Garage/R&B/Punk with attitude. Here you gotta deal with more Kinks/Downliners Sect/Sonics 60’s influenced stuff with thouch of Childish ingeniosity. As you know, Wyld Billy suffers from chronic ultra overproduction but believe you me, this is one of THEE HEADCOATS better slabs next to “Heavens To Murgatroyd…” or “The Kids Are All Square”. Troubled Times, My Dear Watson, Everybody Lies, It’s Gonna Hurt You and other cool low-budget/lo-fi garage hits are all here, so you gotta have Headcoatitude. Dig!!!

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