Well it only took 52 years, but Bastard finally has a record out! Famously, Bastard was the early-to-mid '70s U.K. and Belgium–based heavy rock band that featured Brian James (later of The Damned) and Alan Ward (later of Elton Motello). When we talk about "proto" punk rock, Bastard was a prime example. Listening to the single "Doctor Gong" (recorded in 1974), you can hear a band building off of The Stooges, MC5, Alice Cooper, etc. and cultivating a sound that has much in common with punk rock as we know it. The songwriting and musical approach aren't quite as lean as what "New Rose" would be a couple years later, but you can hear the raw energy and hard-pounding sonic attack starting to take shape. In celebration of issuing its 30th release, the red hot Dutch label Wap Shoo Wap Records did something special and rescued these two tracks from the dustbin of history. For those who thought these recordings might be interesting for music historians or Brian James super-fans but not exactly essential tracks in their own right, I'd say this record pretty much erases the skepticism. These tunes rip! Man, that Brian James sure could play the guitar! I honestly can't believe these tracks went unheard for five decades plus. The classic punk recordings of 1976 and '77 certainly weren't created in a vacuum, and it's thrilling to find one of the most direct precursors to first wave punk finally getting a record out. With a pressing limited to 300 copies, this thing is bound to be gone before you can blink twice. Pounce, my friends!
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