Wayne County - Singles

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The question really is, without all the theatrics and props and how does the music hold up. Well the music is a hotchpotch of influences with a heavy dollop of the obscene initially. Wayne's influences are there for all to see by his choice of cover versions of Night Time by the Standells and I Had Too Much Too Dream by the Electric Prunes.

He was a DJ that played US garage rock. He was also the first person in the US to play Anarchy In The UK. However the rest of his music is more difficult to define incorporating standard rock and boogie woogie piano (Fuck Off) to some real meaty classic punk tunes (On The Crest).

 
Likewise a run through the song titles gives an indication of what you will be getting  - Mean Muthafucking Man, Toilet Love, Cream In My Jeans right through to a more thought provoking and elegantly constructed tune like Things Your Mother Never Told You off the final album. The fact is that Wayne owes a lot to his backing band the Electric Chairs who rarely failed to deliver and provided the oomph.

Still 3 albums and a clutch of singles is not a bad haul over a two and half year period. Though guaranteed publicity though Wayne's antics and suggestive lyrics it also meant any kind of success eluded the band. As of June 2005 none of the albums or singles mentioned here are available. Its a crime and denying them their place in punk rock history.

Stuck On You / Paranoia Paradise/ The Last Time (Illegal June 78)

A seven half minute cover version of an old  Rolling Stones song might seem a strange and tame way to kick off a punk rock recording career and it was! Safer ground on the flip side with the excellent Paranoia Paradise (originally titled Fucked By The Devil) and Stuck On You. A precursor to the shocker that was ....

   

Fuck Off / On The Crest (Sweet FA Records Nov 1977)

"... If you don't want to fuck me baby well baby fuck off."

Yes indeed! While the music sounds like some boogie woogie tune till the ramalama punk ending kicks in the lyrics and obscenity are pure over the top punk. Pity the a side overshadows On The Crest. Its an excellent out and out punk rocker and recommended!

Released on Sweet FA after Safari had trouble releasing the record!

     

Eddie & Sheena / Rock'n'Roll Cleopatra (Safari February 1978)

"Eddie & Sheena...starts off as a tongue in cheek 50's rock'n'roll ballad after we learn that Eddie (a Ted) and Sheena (a punk) have married and 'named the little brat Elvis...Rottennnnnnnnn!' It explodes into a mad race as they 'pogoed the night away'" Summer Salt Fanzine 1978

     

Blatantly Offenzive EP (June 1978 Safari)

Just in case you didn't get it here's Fuck Off again available on a shit brown coloured disc and including Toilet Love about some dodgy S&M club in New York and a gratuitous Mean Muthafuckin Man. Nice version of Night Time tho! Blatently offensive is an apt description!

 Click to hear clip of 'Fuck Off

   
Trying To Get On The Radio/ Evil Minded Mama ( August 1978 Safari)

Hard to explain this single. At first glance I thought it was the Radio Stars! A dig at the powers that be that ban songs off the radio. A squeaky clean song song with pianos, violins and well that's it. The back cover features a list of radio stations who had banned Wayne. File under novelty record.

   

Thunder When She Walks / What You Got (Illegal Feb 1979)

What was it with Illegal Records back then. As the picture cover shows its Wayne from Mid 77 which is exactly when these recordings date. Didn't they do the same with Menace with I need Nothing? What you Got is shortened from It Ain't How Much You Got That Counts It's What You Learn To Do With What You've Got. Yep its another song laced with sexual innuendo.

   

Berlin / Waiting For The Marines (June 1979 Safari)

End game and a  different sound, look and feel to the band reflected in the picture cover.  Berlin was where Wayne was virtually exiled due to visa problems, home to many a transsexual at a time and where she was awaiting her sex change operation.  Waiting For The Marines is one of JJ's (The Chairs drummer) favourite tracks...", for its atmosphere and at the time it's groundbreaking man / machine type approach to the rhythmics, dynamics, and production, and the lyrics, which was about soldiers in the jungle waiting to go into battle."

 Part 2 - Albums 

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