RED ROCKERS
Condition Red (Lost & Found)
Reviewed by Alan Wright

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I've been waiting some time for this to be reissued on CD. The Red Rockers were a great punk band from New Orleans who took their name from the Dils song of the same name. Inspired by groups like the Clash, Stiff Little Fingers and the Dils, they started off as the Rat Finks doing cover tunes of aforementioned groups, then changed their name and released the "Guns of Revolution" single before moving to San Francisco. There they hooked up with 415 Records and put out this great LP in 1981. Despite popular claims, this was not produced by Jello Biafra, something which has been constantly perpetrated on rare punk lists for years. He does, however, sing backing vocals on their punk-country cover of "Folsom Prison Blues." This reissue includes the original 12-song LP, plus six live bonus songs. Oddly, they could've also included that first 3-song single, and the original version of "Dead Heroes" and "Red Star" from the rare No Questions, No Answers comp. LP, but alas they didn't. Also, two of the bonus songs are mistitled: "Shakin' All Over," a Johnny Kidd and the Pirates cover is called "Shackin All Over." "Let's Rock" is actually a cover of D.O.A.'s "Let's Fuck," which in itself was a pisstake of "Let's Dance."

That said, the sound quality is excellent, and their raunchy but melodic sound is heard in full force on this CD. Songs like "Teenage Underground," "Know What I Think," and "Can You Hear" are totally rockin'. "Dead Heroes" also hits home with its lyrics "We've gotta fight - I don't know why/We've gotta die - tell me why/I've got to kill - that's the American way" that unfortunately still ring true today. After this LP, their original drummer left and was replaced by former Stiff Little Fingers drummer Jim Reilly, and they were signed to CBS, for whom they recorded two subsequent LPs, Good As Gold and Schizophrenic Circus, neither of which come close to capturing the raw energy on this album. They did score a minor A.M. radio hit with "China," but much of the magic was gone and the slick major label production didn't do them justice. But, stick with this one and you can hear how great they were in the early days.

© 2003 - Alan Wright