Wild Zeros - "Teenage Lifestyle"

I raved about a new single from Wild Zeros a little while back. But actually that was just one of two new 45s from this veteran band out of La Rochelle and Bordeaux, France. Out on Chickpea Records, "Teenage Lifestyle" of course leads with a cover of the classic track from Syracuse, New York garage punk legends The Penetrators. Why make a cover tune an A-side? I say why NOT make a cover tune an A-side?!

One thing I like about Wild Zeros is their choice of cover material. They have a tendency to cover powerhouse songs from bands that ought to be household names in punk circles but are still unknown to a lot of people. Taking on "Teenage Lifestyle" (first released in 1979), Wild Zeros don't try and out-do the original (that would be impossible). Their rendition is faithful to The Penetrators' version, but with that special Wild Zeros touch. It sounds wild...and French! This track is from sessions recorded by Lo'Spider at Swampland in Toulouse a couple years back, and it totally rips! It is my fervent hope that more than a few people will hear this and immediately want to own the original version on record (Luckily you can still get the re-issue of The Penetrators' Kings of Basement Rock LP from Slovenly Recordings!). To finish off this one-sider, Wild Zeros turn out an original called "Vampire Girl". It's exactly what you've come to expect from this band: trashy garage punk rock n' roll done right! It's like the '90s never ended! Copies of this single are limited, so head on over to Discogs if you want to buy the vinyl. These tracks - and the rest of the Wild Zeros catalog - are available digitally via Bandcamp!



-L.R.

https://wildzeros.bandcamp.com/album/teenage-lifestyle-7-chickpea-2018  
https://www.facebook.com/wildwildzeros/