Richard Hell – Time (Matador)

The godfather of pink, Richard hell has yet another retrospective detailing many of the more interesting aspects of his short, yet influential career.

Most of the recordings on this double disc were available on the Roar ‘R.I.P.’ release, although a few other gems have been unearthed including the previously unreleased 1979 Voidoids track ‘Funhunt’  and a broadcast from CBGBs featuring a youthful Elvis Costello sing ‘You Gotta Lose’.

The reminder comprises of Heartbreakers and Voidoids demos, some live material from the ;’Destiny Street’ era and a full gig from the Music Machine in 1977. The quality is dog rough but for raw energy and spirit this recording is a must. It even includes Johnny Rotten goading the audience into giving them an encore.

If you have the essential Hell debut album ‘Blank Generation’ you’ll need this to complete your collection. As Robert Palmer said, rarely has a rocker been so influential with such a small body of work. 9/10
Rotten Johnny