The Godfather of Garage Rock. A stalwart of the rock scene who began in 1959, became a scenester in the mid 60’s, an urban legend in the mid and late 70’s… and an icon ever since whose influence abounds. With a unique look and image, sideburns that can kill, Jesse Hector is an icon and a rock legend.
This compilation, the first ever to tell the full story of Jesse Hector, pulls the best recorded evidence together. A stripped down band set up, often live in the studio, no frills, plenty of menace, high energy, a rock’n’roll sensibility underpinning everything. Where Jack White has drawn on Blues for the bedrock to the White Stripes material, Jesse Hector drew on Rock ‘n’Roll. It is no coincidence that both acts produced some of their best work at Toe Rag studios, the first three on this compilation being recorded and produced by Liam Watson.
Other producers have also got great results from Jesse; Chiswick’s Roger Armstrong producing the punk era classic ‘Gatecrasher’ and the later Jesse Hector & The Sound recordings, Larry Page producing the equally classic version of ‘You Really Got Me’. The latter graces the recent compilation “Glitterbest” and is often played on the radio by the likes of DJ Mark Lamarr. *The album is timeless, like it’s a brand new album, even though the recordings span 1972-1988, they bear a consistent sound and performance. Even the bonus track on the end – Jesse’s first recording in 1959 – doesn’t sound out of place!
[Amazon Reviews]
KICK ASS compilation-overview of this 70’s UK cult Garage/Punk/Glam rocker career, gathered his recordings with different groups as The Gatecrashers, The Sound, Hammersmith Gorillas, Helter Skelter, Crushed Butler and Jesse Hector Rock’n’Roll Trio. EXPLOSIVE mix of MC5, Stooges, Glam Rock & Garage JESSE HECTOR style!
The Hammersmith Gorillas or Gorillas as they were also known, were formed in 1974 and lasted until 1981. Based around the creative talents of Jesse Hector, who was no stranger to the music scene, the band made a reputation for itself in the early days before and during the punk revolution. Jesse Hector had been involved in the music scene since the age of 15. He had played guitar in the mid-’60s cult band The Clique (not to be confused with the U.S. band of the same name) then fronted some politically incorrect bands by the names of Helter Skelter and Crushed Butler in the late ’60s. In 1971, Hector got together with Alan Butler (bass) and Gary Anderson (drums) and took the name of a pro-Castro activist group and the band, The Hammersmith Gorillas were born.
The band recorded a wild, pumped-up version of the Kinks'”You Really Got Me,” as their first single for Larry Page’s Penny Farthing label, and it immediately captured the attention of a young generation yearning for a new style of music. The sheer energy and attitude behind the single won it immediate recognition among the young people, but it failed to impress the radio programmers, so it didn’t receive the airplay it deserved. After the failure of Page’s label, the band signed to the fledgling Chiswick indie label and recorded further singles.By 1976, the punk movement began to rear its ugly head and The Hammersmith Gorillas were right in the midst of the movement. Along with their friends in the Damned, Eddie & the Hot Rods, and more, the Gorillas, as they were then known, went to France to play in the legendary Mont de Marsan Punk Festival. After the Festival, punk took the world by storm and many bands popped up vowing to change the world. In 1978, the Gorillas recorded their debut (and only) album titled “Message to the World” for Raw records. The band rode the wave of the punk movement, and in 1981, bandmember Alan Butler died a tragic death and the band broke up.
Nearly a decade later, in 1991, Hector returned to the music business and formed the Sound. “Gorilla Got Me” compiles 22 tracks from the careers of The Hammersmith Gorillas and the Gorillas. This set contains singles and selected album tracks originally released between 1974-1978, and a number of previously unreleased live tracks. Although the Gorillas will never make the rock & roll hall of fame the band’s contribution to the ’70s music scene is worthy of documentation. The set also contains detailed liner notes, a history of the band, a discography, and rare photos. A fitting tribute to one of the forgotten innovators of the punk movement. [Allmusic]
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