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9 out of 10
Between 1984 and 1987 The Stupids - formed in Ipswich by singer/drummer/guitarist Tommy Stupid - almost single-handedly brought American hardcore into British punk. Knowingly or not they completely embraced the sounds of Washington DC (Minor Threat, Bad Brains) and Boston (Gang Green, SSD), as well as Black Flag, the Cro-Mags, DOA and Dead Kennnedys. Unlike Ian McKaye, Jello Biafra or John Joseph however, The Stupids' lyrics didn't engage in the sociopolitical, instead they sang about skateboarding and discos and were sometimes genuinely very funny. And they were no less confrontational than their American forefathers, with songs like 'You Die' and 'People In Your Neighbourhood'.
But they were serious as well; serious about their music and serious about being as good. As Tommy Stupid (Real name Tom Withers) said in a 1985 interview with 'Thrasher': "We do care. We care about how people who like us are treated. We’re a serious bunch of guys. We mean only good and we appreciate everyone who’s paid attention to us." Unfortunately, not many people have paid attention to them since they broke up in 1989, although Ian McKaye was a fan (He rode in their van to a show on their American tour. The Stupids also toured in Australia), they were the first hardcore band to record a Peel Session and 'NME' put them on the cover in 1986. Members went onto play in various other bands, while Withers became progressive drum & bass and techno producer Klute.
These band-approved reissues look to inform people of The Stupids important position in UK punk and hardcore history. They were the precursor the skate punk of the '90s and the thriving UK hardcore scene headed by Gallows at the moment, even 'NME's' review of 'Orchestra Of Wolves' did declare it "year zero" for British hardcore. Two more reissues are due on Visible Noise but these 120 songs will do for now, I'm sure. With additional B-sides and demos, we've got: their 1984 debut EP, 'Violent Nun'; debut album 'Peruvian Vacation' (Including three songs from their Coolest Retards side-project); 'Retard Picnic', which includes a full live recording of their 1987 show in Washington DC; and all the songs they recorded for John Peel, most of which have been unavailable since their original broadcasts.
Of course, with this many songs and so many of them being demos the quality varies, but there is much here to enjoy. Like 'Violent Nun's' humour, violence and scrappy exuberance on songs like 'Take Too Many', the Ramonesy 'It's Gotta Be Love' and the pre-Streets story telling on 'Waltz Of The New Wavers'. The 'interview' at the end also shows that punks took the piss long before NoFX and Blink 182. 'Peruvian Vacation' and 'Retard Picnic' take everything up a level, with higher and heavier production values. Amid the jokes and the carnage though, The Stupids also have a brilliant grasp of melody, as on the furious instrumental 'It's Fun To You', 'Life's A Drag', the Springsteen spoofing 'Born To Built To Grind'. The foundations for Bad Religion, Alkaline Trio and Blink can be heard on 'The Memory Burns', 'Terrordome' and 'Something's Got To Give'.
The Stupids live aren't much different from in the studio, whether it's because they were a tight live act or chaotic studio band is hard to decide. They were probably just really good, and they're between-song banter is funny, but it's often dry rather than loads of dick/poo/mum jokes ("The English humour and good cup of tea shine through", they quip). The Peel Sessions are just as much a treat, including four songs they recorded as Frankfurter, including their proto-metal song 'John Peel'. Like much of this retrospective, it's an odd pleasure.
Listen: www.myspace.com/thestupidsuk
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