AKA: The Kids

Anvil Chorus 1975 Album

Heavy Metal Kids

If just one or two things had happened differently we might be talking about the Heavy Metal Kids as one of the most important bands of the 70's. In the very least, when you hear a song of theirs, you begin to understand that the nihilism of punk rock wasn't that far removed from other colorful movements of the decade, like art, prog, and even pop. The oddly-named Heavy Metal Kids (their actual music had little to do with Heavy Metal) were formed from the remnants of two failed prog groups, with the name being much more of a homage to the UK's early 70's twisted gang culture partly inspired by the movie A Clockwork Orange. After a great first album (which fell flat commercially) they rebranded themselves as "The Kids" for their second album, which is just as good, if not better than their debut. Tough, ballsy rockers like "Hard at the Top", "On The Street", and "Blue Eyed Boy" both wear their influences on their sleeve and far surpass them. Slower, more sensitive affairs like "Situations Outta Control" and "The Big Fire" are both desperate and magnetic. Lead vocalist Gary Holton is an obvious star, portraying himself as a tragic, manic figure throughout - yet, like the debut, this album would not find a mass audience, either.