Customer Reviews

Christmas 1979

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Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

NOT BLOODY LIKELY MATE!

When most everyone on the planet is putting out the same sort of middle-of-the-road-warm-and-sensitive Christmas music, trust Billy Childish - the consummate contrarian - to out out a disc that is a three-chord shout put to the season of good cheer.

Twelve songs are on this album. Some - like 'Christmas Lights' and and 'Pete Townsends' Christmas' are chestnuts that have new - and mmmm...more seasonal - lyrics. Others are lyric-adjusted versions of songs done by 60s incons such as The Sonics and Link Wray. Finally, there are new pieces. All are typified by Childish's "Crash-Boom-Bang/use the first take" approach to music.

The band is wife Julie and Wolf Howard (and someone named Bloody Jim on harp); together they are Wild Billy Childish and The Musicians of the British Empire. It could be the Buff Medways or Thee Headcoats, too. It doesn't matter when the performances are this good, this pure and this right.

The aural equivalent of a thunderstorm at Christmas. What a way to celebrate!

I've loved The Milkshakes and Mr. Childish for years and didn't find out about this cd until after Xmas 2007. I listened to it this week and it was holiday season all over again, as only Billy C. could do it! I have a lot of holiday music, but this is now one of my top 5 holiday cd's (and could be enjoyed all year long). So simple, so much fun, so brilliant!!