Various - Kris Needs Presents...Dirty Water: The Birth of Punk Attitude

  by Jamie Rowland

published: 17 / 12 / 2010

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Review

Journalist and DJ Kris Needs’ two-disc compilation is a thoroughly in-depth exploration of the bands and musical styles that would prove to be the spark that lit the fire of punk in the mid-late 70s. Sampling tracks from the 1950's rock’n’roll scene, through 60’s psychedelia and garage rock right up to 1977, the majority of the songs on 'Dirty Water' actually prove to be a more entertaining listen than a lot of the albums they would later influence. Alongside the obvious and better-known pleasures of the Stooges, New York Dolls, T. Rex, Mott the Hoople and the MC5, listeners are also treated to lesser known bands like tThe Standells (whose opener on disc 1 also provides the title for the compilation), Jook (their song ‘Oo Oo Rudi’ is a particular treat; should go down very well at parties), Hollywood Brats, the Last Poets and Zolar X. While one might expect a lot of Stooges-esque punk front-runners, a lot of the choices on Needs’ album might be less obvious – selected more for the performers’ pioneering attitudes and experimental natures than a straight-punk sound. As such, we are also treated to the likes of CAN, Silver Apples, the Silhouettes, Sun Ra and the phenomenal Culture, who bring proceedings to an end with the brilliant ‘Two Sevens Clash’. While there are a couple of more forgettable songs – tracks from The Deviants and Pink Fairies pale in comparison to the Standells and the Seeds, for example – overall this is a frankly excellent double-album which proves punk spirit was there from the very start and has carried on strong right through to today; most of the songs on this album are as good as anything coming out of the punk scene today, and a lot of it is much better. A real treat for any music lover.

Track Listing:-

1 The Standells- Dirty Water
2 Gene Vincent- Bluejean Bop
3 The Deviants- Garbage
4 The Pink Fairies- Do It
5 Mott The Hoople- Moon Upstairs
6 The Monks- I Hate You
7 Zolar X- Space Age Love
8 Sun Ra- Rocket Number Nine
9 MC5- Rocket Reducer No. 62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa) Live
10 The Up- Sisters Sisters (Sisters Rising) Live
11 Death- Politicians In My Eyes
12 David Peel & The Lower East Side- Up Against The Wall
13 The Silhouettes- Get A Job
14 Suicide- Do It Nice
15 The Last Poets- On The Subway
16 New York Dolls- Subway Train
17 The Dictators- Teengenerate
18 Dr. Feelgood- Roxette
19 Peter Hammill- Nadir's Big Chance
20 Can- Outside My Door
21 The Hollywood Brats- I Need You
22 The Saints- I'm Stranded
23 Culture- Two Sevens Clash