Reviews (page 6 of 7)
Wasn’t my thing. Wasn’t awful, but not sure why this is an album I had to listen to….
This is one of those albums that while I didn't love it, I can see why it's on here. Obvious lineage to Ramones, early influence for punk. But it's two covers which aren't amazing and for punk the songs aren't overly tight. Even for proto-punk. So I get it, but wouldn't come back to it.
Very generic punk rhythms and the vocals/lyrics feel vulgar and grating to me. Weird blend of schlock/glam/punk, I don't like it.
sounds like early era alice cooper band (think “love it to death” era), but instead of alice singing, they recruited one of the sweat hogs from 70’s sitcom “welcome back kotter”. a couple of cover tunes. and the last song a parody of the beach boys. a mixed bag, this one. overall, i like punk, but i didn’t really get much of a punk vibe from this album. i honestly didn’t “get it”.
Obnoxious rock. 2/5
No nie. I jeszcze ten cover I got you babe. Kolejny zespół, któremu się wydaje, że jest inny, a jest taki sam. Jakieś krzyki, wyciszanie utworów. Za jakie grzechy dobry Boże? Nie była to najgorsza płyta na tej liście, ale w swojej miałkości była po prostu słaba, przeciętna i łatwa do zapomnienia. 4/10.
Not great. the bands that formes when members moved on (Manowar and Twisted Sister) are much better.
Didn't care much for this.
Didn’t love the album, but it’s cool seeing the early days of what became punk rock. Teengenerate and California Sun were my favourite tracks on the album.
Almost immediately you can hear the distinct New York sound that seems to permeate through any band from the city. Had never heard of these guys and while I can appreciate that, in 1975, this was one of the frontrunners of what would become punk, it also suffers from (for me, at least) a lot of that genre’s faults - namely that much of it seems quite shallow and doesn’t have that much replayability. An enjoyable listen but not sure I’ll be coming back to it much.
Don’t think I like American ‘punk’ and I didn’t like this album!
Sometimes, being the earliest version of something means that other folks come behind you and do it better. This is one of those cases. 2/5
I like to think of myself as a real student of the punk game, but I have never heard of this before today. This is a poster-child proto-punk album. I can see this really mattering and being influential. It's got some Ramones-y sounds, NY Dolls, that sort of thing. I mean, the riffage is fine, the songs are fine, but it's also real stupid, and not the fun kind of stupid. "Back to Africa" and "Master Race Rock" are NOT funny or clever. The "I Got You Babe" cover doesn't do anything interesting with it. I did, however, like the Beach Boys/Ramones/Bad Religion/NOFX-y oozin ahs of the last track.
Punk rock? More like punk schlock.
Meh, I knew of this band but never really listened to them before. I honestly expected more, it was a little boring, but I’ll give it a 2+ stars for timing and influence.
There were a few good ones on here, but mostly forgettable....
It's ok, nothing crazy here Will I listen to again: 3%
Go girl give me nothing
Not for me
Shocked I never heard of this still going NYC protopunk outfit!
an incredible mix of uninteresting, uncomfortable, and unremarkable. always good to hear the proto-punk albums on this list and see just how far we've come with the genre... favorites: the next big thing, i got you babe, i live for cars and girls
I feel like this is the type of thing that is somehow really nuanced and clever and satirical and I missed it all.
I guess this is part of the lineage that explains punk. It's fine, it sounds fine. It's for teenage boys in the 1970s. A couple of fun cover songs.
Interesting. Never heard of them before
If I was drunk this would be good. Since I was sober, this was shit.
Þetta fannst mér hálf pirrandi. Sem betur fer stutt plata. 2.4 / 5.0.
Poor lyrics… I mean, really poor. Sonically a mix between glam, garage, surf and proto punk. Kind of a special thing considering it was 1975.
Pretty poor punk. I know it was foundational but it dragged and just wasn’t as in your face as other albums of the era
(2.5) i need to get my partial marks system sorted i round sown 😔😔😔 but this was enjoyable
Some competent enough early punk, although with the sort of grotty, over the top lyricism that I've got very little time for. Yeah, it probably was influential in some way, but it's a listening experience which doesn't lend itself well to 2025. Two stars for having a bit of energy to it, I guess.
Lyrics pretty immature, wasn't a fan of the talk singing or the surfer songs.
Just not for me
Nothing super memorable.
Wanna be Kiss with a hint of punk. Not for me.
Not terrible like I thought it would be. It's kind of a joke album I'm guessing. The music was not bad and the lyrics were kind of funny. Not something I would listen to often but I didn't hate listening to it this one time.
Sounds kinda punk, but wouldn't have described it as such without knowing. It's an ok rock/proto-punk album, nothing stands out. 2*
Not my Cup of Tee
Sure, I can hear the proto punk influences. This is an album that I probably would not have discovered. Will it be something I am likely to listen to in the future? Unlikely, but I guess you never know. Well recorded and produced silliness that I might have enjoyed with my buddies when I was 12. Only 34 minutes long but man does this album drag. Not convinced that it needs to be on this list.
It's OK. Still not a big punk fan.
A bit punky and some tracks are interesting but broadly not very remarkable
Not as good as AC DC, but better than the Ramones.
I guess it's pretty cool this was one of the first instances of punk or whatever
falls into the more important than good category It's always called "one of the first punk albums" but it's really a mix of 60s garage with glam rock sound. Definitely a big influence on what came later. The music is good but a lot of the lyrics are sophomoric and haven't aged all that well.
Listenable but not what I like. The last song was obnoxious.
2/5
I listened to the whole thing... there's a reason this went out of print for a long time.
I don't know this band at all. I feel like it's a mix of (wanna be) Kiss and... New York Dolls? Also, this cover of I Got You Babe is not really working. I mean, this just feels like it's not quite making the cut for me. There's so much other great punk from this era, I don't know why one would ever spin this when there's so much better stuff to pick from. It's a no for me dawg
Overrated, listen to Johnny Thunders instead
Щось якось зовсім не пішло сходу. Поміняю на 2, бо мені не сподобалось зовсім.
Well at least it was short
Vaguely offensive and racist?? Back to Africa was sure... something, and Master Race Rock had me running to Google the lyrics (pretty sure it's satire or sarcasm, but still). I did enjoy the I've Got You Babe cover and there was some interesting bass stuff happening. Overall was not a fan though. 2.5
A project that takes itself much too seriously in not taking itself too seriously.
Baffling choice this, could not even to begin to explain what is remarkable about this 1.5*
Things which have aged badly and were also shite to begin with.
Sounds like kiss, but with irony
47/100. Musically, it rides a line between glam rock, early punk, and surfy throwback riffs. But it’s the lyrics and tone that dominate the experience and for many, that's where the love-or-hate reaction starts.
Me dio igual
Fun and silly proto-punk, but lacking some substance (that might kinda be the point of the album, though). Not sure it deserves a spot on this list… 2.5⭐️
Yeah it's ok
This one was kinda interesting. Very rock-vibe heavy and straightforward, but also went some weird places. It wasn't bad, just not necessarily something I found good. It reminded me a lot of KISS in the style/presentation. There's probably a lot more that can be said for it, though I don't really feel strongly enough to go deeper. I thought it was mostly fine, but not really something I think I'll listen to again. It just didn't do a lot for me even if it wasn't bad. Overall: 2.5/5
Squeaks into a 2. At least it's early punk so it basically has some doo-wop songs?
Not much substance with this one…
Yet to find anything that can be described as punk and is from America that I enjoy. Mostly samey, mostly boring, partially irritating.
Estoy seguro que en la época esto era lo más cool que podía escucharse pero a mí me ha costado conectar con el proyecto. He disfrutado algunos momentos de la interpretación vocal y algunos momentos instrumentales, pero no creo que sería un álbum que volvería a escuchar. A pesar de que dura solo 34 minutos en total, se me ha hecho largo porque no siento que haya una variedad de ritmos/emociones dentro del propio género que explora el disco. Creo que destacaría “I Got You Babe” y “California Sun”.
Silly, but not in a cool way.
Pretty uninteresting rock/punk. Not bad, but it's too kind and bland to stick out.
whatever. forgot to review this until the day after listening and i can not remember a single thing about it so can’t say it left any sort of impression
This is the type of music I would enjoy and write when I was 16. A lot of satire and intentionally edgy lyrics. I get big Beastie Boys energy from this. It's like you're at a house party and these guys are playing in the basement and there's only so much time before the cops show up. I would say some of "Back to Africa" is a bit insensitive, and I panicked when the next song was called "Master Race Rock", but it is all tongue-in-cheek. I guess the shock is the point. The album is interesting and important from a historic standpoint, but I didn't find it a particularly enjoyable listen. The guitar is especially interesting for 1975, but just not my thing. I liked the energy though, and I respect it.
Pönk getur alveg verið skemmtilegt en mér finnst það samt alltaf vera svo ofboðslega svipað. Skiptir eiginlega ekki máli hvaða hljómsveit það er. Þarna stendur eiginlega ekkert upp úr nema ábreiðan af I Got You Babe sem var skemmtileg.
Renodlad rövrock
Meh. It's like they. Couldn't decide if they wanted to be Glam.Or they wanted to be punk.The couple cover songs were okay , that's about it 2/5
Cheeky album. Kind of a proto punk album full of weird humor and making fun of established norms. Not all of it holds up and some you really have to listen to see what he's pointing at. Still though historically speaking not terrible. It won't make my rotation but I'm not mad I listened to it.
Kinda fun but kinda forgettable: 2.5 stars. Perhaps I should round up because of the release date - this must've been an early influence on punk rock in general and in particular that strand of punk (especially big in the 90s/00s) that leaned heavily on puerile, adolescent humour. But I won't.
I get that this is supposed to be satirical, and can see how it might have been somewhat funny at the time. But the humour hasn't really aged well, and a lot of it is really dumb. Some decent guitar playing, but I would much rather just listen to New York Dolls or The Ramones.
Feels like one of the shallowest albums in this project. Absolutely no nuance or subtley to be found here, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing since the songs themselves are decent enough once you get past the smarmy shock value. Feels like a good album for angsty teens, and can definitely see how this inspired later punk bands. Top tracks: Back to Africa, Weekend
Never listened to proto-punk. Enjoyed the satire and sound. Props for influencing Beastie Boys - minus points for suing Caribou…
Stradling the line between between parody and terrible. They get points for being the goobs that inspired a lot of better NYC punk bands, and honestly liked it more than I thought I would given the sing titles, but not great.
This is completely new to me. I have never heard of them. Off the bat, + one star for having a sequined Manitoba jacket on the cover. And I can see how this led to the Ramones. So + one star for that. And...I'm out of stars. I do understand why it's on the and it deserves credit for what it led to. It's just that in and of itself, it's a pretty generic sounding proto-punk album in hindsight.
I can't believe that punk was actually the american invention, I thought it was the brits again. I will burn down my mexican flag now and will never speak favourably of the USA ever again
This was the most album of all time. I don't have many thoughts. Positive or negative.
It's kinda fun, it's fairly simple, it's not hugely essential, it's just very very early punk rock. Which is fine, but I don't really like punk rock. So I probably wasn't going to like what punk sounded like before it even existed or had a name. I was right. I didn't enjoy this much, but thankfully as is the case with most punk records, it's pretty short. Nothing excited me here and I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to hear it again. That's pretty much all I can say on it really. A bit of a crap review unfortunately but there we are. If you're a fan of the genre you'll enjoy it, if you're not, you won't. Simple as that.
offensive, not in a fun way
Opening monologue reminds me of Stevo32 from Sum41 and I think he'd appreciate the comparison. Feels a little bit like a proto-Ramones. I think it was probably great back in the day, but doesn't really hold up anymore on its own. "Seinfeld isn't funny" and all that. Still, good to be familiar with history! I wish we'd covered more stuff like this in my history of Punk music class in college.
It's like the kids from School of Rock wrote an album. I mean It's ite, but it's very silly isn't it. It's pretty forgettable but I kinda enjoyed it (in the same way I enjoyed the song that the children from School of Rock wrote. 'Maybeee we were making straight As..' etc).
Don't got much to say other than I'm not a fan. Guitar work is pretty solid, but otherwise it's not impressing me. Singing can get kind of annoying. A middling cover of I Got You Babe by Sonny and Cher is here, I guess. Some songs that are good like Weekend, but yeah, basically just some passable proto-punk, but just doesn't do anything for me.
Rating: 3.5/10 What a stupid album.
I really don't get this pick at all. If they're the start of punk rock then what the hell are MC5? Or the Stooges? This list doesn't get to include every shitty experiment from the 70's because "it's foundational for rock and roll." You get a couple of the good ones for vanity then skip these and include actual good music. These just feel like tryhard picks.
Wish a dictator would oppress these lot
equal (?) parts cringe,fun, stoopid, and not bad
I guess it was supposed to be satirical but it’s merely immature and obnoxious.
Not my jam
Len Houmous used to call wives 18-24 ‘The Dictators’ Interestingly they actually wrote the final track of the album about Len! 2.2 9/9 (I Live For) Cars & Girls
Early punk. Young dumb and fun. But too early for me. Not rock enough but not punk enough yet. Not funny enough. In its time I probably would have loved it but now more artifact than entertainment.
I really thought this had a chance when I saw it was protopunk. Alas this fell well short of my expectations. The lyrics, while sarcastic and funny in places, for the most part were delivered in a way that just made me cringe. Some very nice shredding in parts but overall this whole album just made me cringe and wish it would end. Did like the shot at Lou Reed though.
I can hear inklings of Green Day, a bratty, don't-take-yourself-too-seriously grandfather to that type of music that is largely fine - though some of the snottiness doesn't age very well. Might be a low 3/high 2 kind of situation, but since it's nothing I think I'll go back to, grading down for today.
Sort of liked a little of this, but not really
Punk without anything to actually be mad about.
ts kinda butt ngl
Really early punk-rock with a clear sound and even some sort of ballads sprinkled in (even if its a cover). A real fun listen through.
As far as hard rock goes its aggressively by the numbers. Overall harmless, albeit some shallow poorly aged lyrics. California sun is alright
Interesting twist on the classic track "I Got You Babe" though I feel it looses most of the charm of the original. Their voices work well together, which really makes it feel like a band. So overall it works out. At the beginning of "teengenerate" they used an organ or something, then never used it again. I feel they should have utilised that more. Ultimately, it does what it's trying to do very well. Personally, I found it too corny, but I can see how someone could enjoy the album. "Back to Africa" is my favourite track, and "Weekend" is my least favourite.
Some lyrics were questionable and laughable. Especially in the song Master Race Rock. This is my first ever rock album I've sat down and listened. The album didn't have a ton of substance although it didn't overstay it's welcome and had enough variety across the 9 tracks to make it an enjoyable album, however not something I am likely to return to. Favourite song was the intro track The Next Big Thing. Enjoyed California Sun and Two Tub Man as well.
So this one surprised me a little. It was pretty stupid, but not horrible. I don’t know who listens to this stuff for fun, I really don’t. The singing was not great. Not great at all, but…..it had a special something. It was so ridiculous that it was actually entertaining. I’ll never listen to this again in my life, but I’m going to give it two stars not one, because I was expecting something in particular, but it delivered a little something more.
Imagine a garage full of teenagers yelling at their amps. That’s the vibe. It’s raw, messy, and very stupid, but also kinda fun? It’s the type of thing that makes you want to throw beer cans at the wall, in either joy or frustration. The humor’s juvenile, and the production’s almost nonexistent. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions: - (I Live For) Cars and Girls
it has its moments. dumb fun.but I think I will forget about it in a week.
Nah. 2 stars. Not for me. Fine.
Eh.
Sure it rocks pretty hard, but they’re idiots, not even in a good way
The primordial ooze from which punk originated.
I get that they’re being satirical and intentionally ripping off the cheap sound of bands like KISS and Twisted Sister… but ripping off the cheap sound still requires having the cheap sound as the main entree, so… It’s fine!
this just falls flat for me. it feels of an era, and I can imagine where this is probably hugely influential, but also, it's just not my thing. best song is two tub man, which is pretty good
Not great. Not awful, I suppose. It's just kind of bland. I'll give it a 3. I don't think I really ever want to listen to it again, but I can't really say that it's "bad." but I don't like it.
First song was decent, downhill from there
Bit dull
pfrt
Nah
Wow. This is a lot. It's the right length. And it doesn't take itself to seriously. But it's also just abrasively there.
I'm usually all in on "proto-punk", but this is pretty boring -- and stupid.
Another entry under the category, "Why is this album on the list?!". If the album cover didn't signal a crappy album then listening to it certainly does. It was so amateurish that it had me wondering if it was satire. It is marginally fun which barely saves this from being a 1-star review.
Скучно, может и юмор там и новаторство, но мне пришлось скучно.
Gotta drop to a 2 here. These guys have the right idea, but fall way short of contemporaries like Black Flag and the NYDolls
Kinda fun but very forgettable, another questionable edition to the list.
I guess this is earlyish in 1975 for this kind of attitude, but not a great album
Okay, sure
Not my jam
One person's silly is another person's stupid, I guess. Or maybe it is just that time hasn't been kind to this album. In any case, sort of fun but mostly dumb.
# 427 - 03/03/2025 : A two line bio doesn't give me much confidence in this LP. Alas it lived up to it's hype. Tracks that were clearly recorded in one take. Some of it is really fun, but there's a lot of dumb bad music here.
2.5
This is more like pre-punk than Pop. Not bad for a virgin esteem but nothing stands out for me. Punk fans may enjoy
4/10
Funny and fun, but not particularly good.
Album cover has me worried. Nothing I have ever heard of. Early punk can be really hit or miss. Doesn't look boring at least. The Next Big Thing Ridiculous intro. Humorous, dumb, high energy. Powerful guitars, full of testosterone. Sense a bit of irony. Decent 3/5 I Got You Babe Sounds like a standars rock love-ballad. The vocals have a strange delivery to them. Strange inflection. This is a joke song right? Goes on too long. Not a fan. 2/5 Back to Africa Worrying title. Ooga-chaka? Seriously? No thank you... Humour comes across as misguided and slightly racist. If there's an attempt at commentary here it's pretty poor. Has decent energy I suppose. 1/5 Master Race Rock What are they thinking... Juvenile and dumb. A party anthem with a chorus where they're blurting out "we're the members of the master race" is just poor taste, especially since there's no commentary or self awareness there. Just has not aged well at all. Otherwise sounds pretty bland, same high energy as previous tracks. Much of the playing sounds a bit sloppy and theres very few interesting bits anywhere. Bad. 1/5 Teengenerate Honestly pretty fun. Repeating a lot of themes here. Carefree song about embracing being a dumb irresponsible kid. There's something rebellious and free spirited about that. Decent punk song. 3.5/5 California Sun Surf rock vibes, fitting with the title I suppose. Fun guitar riff. Really simple, but succeeds at what it's trying to do. Fun track. 3.5/5 Two Tub Man Shoutout to the intro. Whoever this character is they're building some interesting charicature. Tongue in cheek. Charming in a crass, juvenile way. I find it funny as terrible as it is. Had a good time. 4/5 Weekend. Exactly what you'd expect when you read the title. Loud guitars and singing about how great the weekend is, with all the things he's gonna do. Some gross-out humour and childish energy. Average. 2.5/5 (I Live For) Cars and Girls Obnoxious. Background vocals sound heavily inspired by a Beach Boys song. I guess the sound of the track works. A continuation of the same dumb energy from previous tracks. In the right context it is definitely possible to have fun with this, but to me it just doesn't do much. Do not like. 2/5 I was right that it wasn't boring at least. From the first track I was expecting a bit more depth, some irony or perhaps some messaging relevant at the time, but I didn't pick up much of that. What I did pick up however was a sense of rebeliousness and a love of being young and dumb. A celebration of stupidity and childishness, the album succeeds in being charming at times. Highlighted by ridiculous deliveries, blaring guitars and a long list of tongue in cheek lyrics. I truly believe they had a lot of fun making it. I wouldn't however say there's a lot of quality here. Most of it hasn't aged very well, with lyrics and creative choices that today would be seen as in bad taste. Most of the songs are quite basic, and the performances are quite sloppy at times, lacking polish. While the attitude of being care free might be intentional it really doesn't translate into a consistent and fulfilling product. It fails at remaining much more than a novelty, and I personally wouldn't be surprised if I forget about this album completely in a few months time. Not irredemable, though there are plenty of other things I'd rather be doing than listening to this album. Fave Track. Two Tub Man Least fave track. Master Race Rock
Eh. Pretty generic to me.
Its like kiss meats the beastie boys and kiss. 4/10
While there is some good instrumentals in here, the lazy and sophomoric songwriting is very tedious. The two problematic titles on the album (while not entirely "problematic" in their content) are still juvenile. Not a great listen. 2/5
I had a few punk rock pals who thought the Dictators were the best thing since Wonder Bread and pro wrestling. They loved being in on the joke, reveling in the spoof all while giving you a knowing wink. But I never felt the hook—whether gimmick or song—was all that strong. Coming up in the same mid-'70s NYC scene that gave rise to my favs the Ramones and the Dead Boys, the Dictators leaned harder into Lenny Bruce like humor, a mix of garage rock and wrestling-ring bravado. And, to those old pals of mine: I get it. Sometimes, it’s fun to root for the underdog, to champion the cult band, but other times, the magic just isn’t there. I had no missing piece the Dictators could fill, so it was easy to leave them behind—at parties, in the car, wherever they were being blasted with enthusiasm. Eventually, those pals drifted away, and with them, the band’s presence in my life. No more conversations about their misunderstood genius. And honestly? Life is better without dictatorships, don’t you agree?
The fire alarm in my building went off while I was listening to this and for a few seconds I didn't even notice because I couldn't tell it wasn't an intentional part of the song
2.33
Niet boeiend, en niet goed
2.5
I hate to say it, but there was a time to say “no more cowbell” on the increasingly grating “Next Big Thing.” The Dictators may have paved the way for punk (pre-dating The Ramones by a year), but none of it’s very good. They just seem like they are edgy for the sake of being edgy, the original edgelords, and don’t do the edginess or the music very well.
Funny punk rock
1.75
Probably an important album for punk music, but didnt really enjoy it. Standout songs: The Next Big Thing California Sun
Starting with what I liked, some of the guitar work on this is pretty damn good. I had two big issues with the album one the lead singer seems to be leaning into this bawdy juvenile character and it feels more like a caricature rather than something I can believe. My second is personally I think the songs are shit. I dig good rockin glam based rock, but this felt like third rate Brownsville Station. As far as them being the first punk album. I don't buy it. It contains nothing of the visceral anger of bands like say the Clash or even the Sex Pistols. In fact it feels more like the songs and vocals are playing to the mic. If I heard this when I was 12, I might find this clever and funny, but as a 55 year old coot, it just seemed silly (5.3) ★★½
Hard to go crazy anything with punk music this schlubby and ordinary. Timeline-wise I guess this fits in quite early on in the punk scene between New York Dolls and Ramones but it doesn’t really matter because the record doesn’t hold up as anything special. The very best songs are probably the cheesy garage covers of I Got You Babe and California Sun.
Ok
Best: The Next Big Thing Worst: I got you babe Liked songs: 56%, 5/9 Strong 2 As is becoming pretty common with most proto punk albums, the only reason that I like any of the songs is simply the guitar. The lyrics are pretty dookie and the vocals are lowkey pretty annoying after a while, but its hard to ignore how fire that guitar is. That said, I can't really give an album with songs called "master race rock" and "i live for cars and girls" a score much higher than a strong 2. Hard to believe this is an album you need to listen to before you die tbh.
this just annoyed me
Bit of an oddball package but there's things here I like. Cool riffs in the opener Next Big Thing and it's a pretty crunchy sound throughout. Lyrics can get weird and it's quite a mix of genres, ranging from proto punk to surf rock. There's a cover of I Got You Babe as well. Probably not one I'd return to but it's a tidy package.
straddling hard rock and doo-wop, doo-whoa
Not very interesting. New, I guess for the time, but not much to get my attention.
Not sure if they are trying to be cute or what.
altså joken er fin nok et par numre, fin nok ide for et punkband at lave sådan en parodi på et rockband. Luften går bare hurtigt af ballonen
Really loved the first song, the rest wasn't as good :(
I saw "Back to Africa" and "Master Race Rock" and was ready to give it a zero 'cause racism sucks. After listening to the album, I realized it was more of a piss-take than anything. The tunes are decent power pop songs that hint at the future of punk rock. Most of the songs were decent, including a cover of "I Got You Babe", but ultimately I probably won't listen to it again.
Ok, not my favorite.
Maybe the politics are good, but they feel super bad.
I don't think the satire and self-awareness of the album overcomes how annoying it is to hear the music. Some melodies are catchy but it's overshadowed by unbearable singing. However purposeful, still unpleasant.
nothing too special, i think the singer is annoying
I lectured in popular music. That included punk. I can tell you who Stiv Bators is. Jayne County. Johnny Thunders. I know the difference between the New York heartbreakers and the Florida Heartbreakers. (Yes the Floridians aren’t really punk.) A hundred others. Never heard of this and listening to it I can see why. It has an energy. But no musical value. Very little entertainment value. Some ok lead guitar. But compared to Johnny thunders nothing terribly special. And the between songs introductions are annoying and amateur. Talentless white boy vicarious fantasia. 1.5/5
Clearly it's here because it's considered one of the first Punk albums but it's not actually that interesting
Not my cup of tea. Just okay overall. No real faves either, but 'I Got You Babe' was fine.
I can’t tell if I love this or hate it. The cover of I Got You Babe is great though.
Fav: (I Live For) Cars And Girls Least Fav: Back To Africa There’s a couple really good songs here that are surrounded by mediocre to bad songs, this could’ve been so much better
I respect their influence in the punk music scene, but I've listened to this more than a couple of times trying to get something out of it, and I've accepted it's just not for me. The tracks I liked best were the two covers. Yesterday's album was Group Sex by Circle Jerks, which I thought was a great punk album, so this was a tough follow-up.
idk man
Oh boy. Ever formed a garage band with your friends? One where one guy has some talent and the rest are there to hang out? No? Well listen to this and you’ll get to experience it.
Just a bit wank really
Sounds like Alice Cooper and the Rocky Horror Picture Show, both of which I'm fine with, but not so much this.
Nothing memorable 2/5
After reading the Wikipedia page on The Dictators, I understand why the album is in this list and what it's place in history is. Maybe when you first heard it in 1975, this would be something special, but at this moment it's not :)
Two punk albums in a row, what am I in 10th grade again?? Widely regarded as a precursor to American Punk Rock, this album goes fast, hard, and pokes fun at the seriousness of heavy metal at the time. This was a fun listen, but that’s about the only thing I had to take away from the album. Won’t revisit, but I respect its impact on the growth of the punk culture.
Ive heard so many variations of this on this list, but it all sounds the same. It's getting boring.
They remind me of Bruce Springsteen singing Santa Clause is Coming to Town: there appears to be no serious intention to sing the songs in key or take themselves too seriously. Unfortunately, like Springsteen's attempt, it falls flat on its face, without leaving much impression.
Like listening to a terrible band
I quite like reading what the artists (out their label) write about themselves on Spotify. The Dictators wrote, "it seemed that nothing said on the way of The Dictators and mega-popularity. But that's not what happened. There were complications with the record companies ... personnel changes, radio hated them, critical responses were wildly mixed, and lots of audiences didn't get the jokes;" So, all that stood between them and success was that they weren't all that popular. I have no idea why this is on this list. The covers are tedious, the non covers are basic American punk. Nothing stands out for me.
I hadn’t heard of The Dictators before. I will say that the album cover is certainly interesting though! My honest reaction to this album was that it was quite bad, being a generally messy rock record that wasn’t trying too hard. Some googling tells me that it is considered by some to be the first punk album. This does help me to understand why it is considered essential, but it didn’t make it any more enjoyable for me listening with today’s ears. I’m happy to have learned about The Dictators, but I doubt I’ll be returning.
Less interesting than it should be Less layers than it should have Ok
..
Ett par av låtarna, särskilt de som är covers, är väl hyggliga.
ok but not memorable
Mid
protoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprontoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoprotoproto.. vamos... dicktaattorit. albumi alkaa paskalla , sitten lämpenee , poitsut voittivat meikän ihanteilun <3 söpikset... master race rock
2,5
Surprised I've never heard of this band before. Surprised it's critically acclaimed. Didn't really stand out to me.
Meh
Very campy. Like listening to the Rocky Horror Picture show. It’s kind of funny but mostly annoying.
Upbeat and sometimes even fun. But the lyrics are stupid and most of the songs just aren’t my thing. 2.5/5
I didn't particularly take to this, and not just because the lyrics were a bit dubious. If it's proto-punk, it's proto-the kind of punk I don't really like. Low two.
They say not to judge a book by the cover, but I don't think there's a rule about not letting the worst album art I've seen in my life negatively affect my enjoyment of meatheaded proto-punk.
The Dictators Go Girl Crazy! is the debut album by The Dictators, originally released in 1975. This record is largely considered to be the first Punk Rock album. I wouldn't necessarily agree with that. Plenty of bands throughout the 60s had more of a punk sound and ethos. This falls more into the 70s hard rock most of the time, though I do hear some punk elements. The lyrics are incredibly goofy, but that's probably by design. It's pretty obvious that these guys didn't take themselves too seriously. Oh yeah, a lot of the lyrics also didn't age well at all. Multiple racially questionable moments and even some downright racist remarks. Again, there were more bands which came earlier than this and ultimately contributed more to the punk rock movement. These guys were forgotten for a reason.
Not impressed
so much punk on this list. And each time I reaffirms that it's just not my bag. All that said, while I'm giving it 2 stars, I would rate this one slightly higher than some of the other punk or "proto punk" bands I've listened to so far. would give a 2.25 if I could...
This one had a really rough start, and the Sonny And Cher cover is particularly horrible. It picked up as it went on though, and saved itself from a probable 1.
A fun, shambolic rock band. Bet they were good live. (I live for) Cars and Girls was the best track.
Amazing cover of I Got You Babe. I haven't listened to much proto-punk so it's fun hearing a record that influenced so much music. I love the raw feel. It's just raw enough. Definitely hearing that they probably influenced Beastie Boys. Back to Africa is a little weird in a racist way... but the instrumentals are good with some cool guitar solos. Also what's this master race talk??? Also a Lou Reed diss line? Also misogynistic macho man lyrics. Basically these dudes seem like pieces of shit that would be super annoying and problematic. I appreciate their influence but that's about it.
Not really my thing
This is a great example of an album that I did not really enjoy but I believe it deserves a spot on this list.
I didn't fully listen to this one, kind of skimmed through it. I appreciated the proto punk playfulness of it. But it didn't really transcend the 70's mediocre guitar porn that I disfavor.
Not really that enjoyable for me, it's almost too basic even for punk. It may have been the grandfather of the genre, but it's moved on since then. Kind of cheesy in places too. 21/05/24
Silly. Didn’t hurt to listen to. But silly it’s on this list.
Terrible band and awful album, but I can see the appeal behind having a proto-punk album on a list of albums that everyone should hear. Still, not good. 2/5
This list really should be rebranded as punk albums you need to hear along with some others. This one at least makes some sense as it’s older and kind of a generational punk album but man there really wasn’t a good song on here. This whole album was like the guy that makes jokes about something that was funny 10 years ago. 4.4/10
Hmmmm. I’m not really sure how this ended up on the list. Not sure if it’s even serious music?
Its okay, he is trying to be funny at times but just comes across kind of strange.
Enemmän vitutti kuin nautin. Tähän vaikutti voimakkaasti superstressin täyteinen päivä..
Meh
One of those on here for influence rather than how the music holds up. Cause it’s pretty mid (2.5/5)
Este disco de punk no me hizo nada.
The guitarist had some skills and some of the riffs sounded pretty killer. Other than that I was left pretty disappointed with this album. I guess back in 1970 this is what punk rock was and maybe this was edgy. However, at this point in history, it sounds more like badly produced covers with shitty vocals and sloppy music in my opinion.
another case where it might have a star higher if i hadn't heard the lyrics. very generic rock whatever.
Heillar ekki alveg.
Uh, ok. I’m looking for Ashton Kutcher to pop out because I’m definitely being Punked. It is obviously, intentionally bad, but why? What was the aim here? It’s not really a comedy record. It just seems like a goofy, fun-time album. Did this spark some big trend in music that I somehow missed? Did these guys go on to have stellar solo careers that brought their causes to the world stage? Did we feed continents with their festivals or cure a major disease because of their philanthropic efforts? Or, is this just some obscure band with basically no influence on the world as a whole? I actually listen to this thing twice just to make sure I wasn’t missing something. There’s gonna be a lot of people giving it a five or four or, heck, even a three. I will not be one of those people, but I would be willing to have a dialog with one of those Raters to see if my mind can still be expanded. Maybe that is simply their legacy after all.
An interesting proto punk band. A little more KISS than the Stooges or MC5. I wasn't blown away by anything with the album but there are some solid tracks and some of the extended catalog that played in afterwards was suitable.
Vuosiluvusta uskon merkityksen punkille, mutta ei tää kauheen hyvin toiminut. Taustalle jäi.
Nothing special
Lodged... or wedged... somewhere between the butt cheeks of a dimmer-slower Ramones or a duller-cruder Cheap Trick, it figuratively smells like ass.
Not terrible but one listen is plenty. I do like the first song, especially the lyrics "I won't be happy / til I'm known far and wide / with my face on the cover / of the TV Guide"
I’m slowly realizing I’m not big into this old school punk scene at all. 60’s rock with a variety of sub genres infused, (might I add the cringe comedy element) at times almost feels like reggae.
The feeling from this album blended in with the last album to me. I think that’s going to continue to happen and I am going to get more snobbish as we go through the list. It’s hard not to be critical when the biggest thing that jumps out at me is a Sonny and Cher cover. I do not have the historical context to this band, but I wasn’t super impressed.
I can see why this album is on the list. It feels way ahead of it's time. I think this could have come out during the early 90's punk scene and fit right in. Majorly influential, but not something I'll be going back to.
Muziek uit de tijd dat het poppodium een grote speeltuin was. Beetje klooien, beetje shockeren, beetje flauwe covers maken van draken als I got you babe. Helaas is het resultaat nogal middelmatig.
Crazy how this glam rock album lead to punk. I can't hear any punk here, just annoying whiny rock.
#131. Some of it was okay, but some of it was pretty dumb. I don't know, I don't hate it but I couldn't really get into it. 2/5: meh
Next
Nothing special
Yeah honestly I had to listen again because it was very unmemorable. And the second time around it was really mid. I think I either expected much more or much less and in the end it was just music that was going on in the background.
Marginally-better-than-high-school-band gets a producer and somehow releases an album. I've heard worse - and this week, even - but they sounds like a low-rent Kiss ... who weren't exactly playing in a deluxe apartment in the sky themselves. The cover of "I Got You Babe" is beyond terrible, not even worthy of comic inclusion. Jeez - make an effort. TL;DR: it's dumb. 3/10 2 stars.
Favorite Songs: Master Race Rock (I live for) Cars and Girls Quite funny but nothing that really surprised me or left me overly impressed. Certainly for the time quite punky.
Eh a little too oldschool punk for me
In the category of 'Interesting yes, influential yes, good not really' . An extra half a point docked for a pretty lame cover version. Along with The Tubes their 'progenitors of punk' credentials are slightly oversold to these UK ears.
Not for me. 2.1
Not to be a hater but it's just really bad. Probably the worst album I've listened to in a long time. Would be 1 star but a few funny lyrics and the occasional guitar shredding bumps it up to 2. Weekend and I Live for Cars and Girls are the only two songs I would listen to again. Maybe it hit different in 1975.
A mash up of things I do and don’t like, almost punk, but elements of many musical styles. Lyrically strange.
mid, but "I Got You Babe" is the same song as in Groundhog Day! (i'd pick a different song to wake up to every day but just noticing).
Ok... I get that they probably influenced the Ramones, but is this an album that I have to hear in my lifetime? No, absolutely not. I'm glad that they brought their influence to music, but they certainly weren't good enough to merit a "must listen." Just give me the Ramones.
This is one of the blandest things I have heard. I'm going to have some plain white toast for breakfast to spice up my morning after this. The last song actually wasn't bad, albeit a bit shallow. Handsome Dick Manitoba is the coolest thing about this album.
This album didn't get a fair start because I listened to it directly after a Zappa album so my brain is still slightly mush. This is going to be a no for me though. Just completely cheesy punk album where nothing stood out at all and I just wanted it to end
Bold debut album strategy to make the listeners think you've exhausted all your original content by track two.
Is this glam rock? Early punk? "Hard rock", whatever that means? Whatever it is, music like this just doesn't offer anything I like. It was interesting to hear some Beach Boys-esque backing vocals on Cars and Girls. I'm not giving much credit to what influence this album may have had on the transition away from hippy and glam to 80s hair metal and Kiss, but that's because I don't like that stuff either.
Punk before punk was cool
Upbeat, obnoxious, funny, dumb, lyrics that make you say, Did I hear that right? … it’s not really something I’d listen to again, but it definitely had some worthwhile moments.
Meh, this just wasn't my thing at all.
Um, this was ok and fun to listen to, once. I can't see me being back for it or for any of the tracks individually. I was hopeful based on the daft cover. It's not the Ramones and it's definitely not the Stooges. There's nothing here as catchy as anything New York Dolls did. Ah so this is why Caribou had to change their name, this is the guy.
Vorerwartung übertroffen
After seeing the cover art and the track listing, I was a little concerned about this album. But after the first song it was plainly obvious how much of a influence this band was on early American punk rock. It almost has a cheap trick crossed with the Ramones sound. The production and musicianship all lend themselves to that proto punk scene. The worst part of the album has to be the drumming, very sloppy. But I was surprised by the rather competent guitar and bass work. I can appreciate the historical importance of the album but I don't think I will ever need to listen to it again. Best Songs: Master Race Rock Listen Again: No
I like the cover. Music is OK
The Ramones but make it comedy! Not very good “music” but I guess it’s important for music history 🤷🏻♂️🤦🏻💩
Wasn’t terrible, just didn’t do anything for me, 2*
Nah
This is presumably on the list as a milestone on the route to punk. It's got some good moments - the first track and the I Got You Babe cover in particular - but it definitely loses its way. It's not quite hitting the punk notes of being stripped down to its bare bones (it sounds like a Jim Steinman punk album!). Some questionable lyrics as well, I think it's supposed to be jokey but it wouldn't get written like that today. 2/5.
Favorite Track[s]: I Got You Babe Master Race Rock California Sun
I like: The Next Big Thing I Got You Babe
1. the nezt big thing - 1 2. i got you babe - 2 3. back to africa - 1 4. mazter race rock - 2.5 5. teengenerate - 1 6. california zun - 1.5 7. tuuo tub man - 1.5 8. uueekend - 1.5 9. carz and girlz - 1.5
I'm not really sure what to think of this one. I am a huge punk fan but this was hard to listen to I just don't like the songs or lyrics. 2 stars, I will come back to it and listen again
Kerrassaan vallatonta.. sitten vallattomuus menetetään ja tähden kärjet leikataan irti. Tähti on siis persoona jolla suu silmät.. nyt ilman alaraajoja.. 3 .....hupsista luin aluksi 65... tämä onkin 75... laitetaan vielä yks raaja irti..
Musically this album really isn't bad for an old rock album. The guitar work is decent and there are some fun grooves but my God is the lead singer annoying. I don't usually don't pay attention to lyrics on my first listen but what I heard on here wasn't very good. Despite not really sounding a whole lot like AC/DC these guys remind me of AC/DC and that's not a good thing.
Definitely not as bad as some proto-punk I've heard on this project, but still just confirmation that the proto-punk genre is NOT my genre. These guys clearly influenced and inspired the more mainstream, major punk game, but they fail to do much else, at least for me. This album definitely captures the rebellion against maturity aspect of punk pretty well, in my opinion. But yeah, not much else stood out to me about this album.
If you are not Bob or Larry from Veggietales, then I do not want to hear your silly songs. I fucking hate silly songs. By succumbing to silliness, this album has irreparably dated itself, not to mention included off-color humor that hasn’t aged well at all. Get the fuck out of here with this fucking silliness.
Eh, just feels like generic proto-punk. I enjoyed some of the rock focused stuff, as it felt a tad bit on the glam rock side of things, but it still didn't grab me. Also, some of the song topics are questionable, to say the least, but considering it's punk I imagine it's at least somewhat ironically. Hopefully, any way.
Protopunk... ok. Þetta er ágætlega flutt, en þessar raddir gera ekkert fyrir mig. Og lögin eru bleh. Inn um annað út um hitt. Mun ekki hlusta aftur.
Interesting - Alice Cooper meets The Tubes.Derivative, all quite good but not original.
Maybe I just don't get it.
Ok amerikansk punk-rock, råt, et par udmærket numre
Very generic 70s rock. Gets stale a bit quickly but not terrible. 2.5 stars.
Ну... прикольно? Без контекста я бы вообще наверное не понял. В контексте - это реально одна из первых панк групп, тем более - в Америке. Нельзя сказать, что это прям чистый панк-рок, типа скорее докрученный в нужную сторону гараж. Но в целом... как-то вообще мимо меня пролетело, что-то там поорали, покричали - а я просто рядом проходил. Мне вообще понравилась I Got You Babe - это вообще баллада же)) Может это Коэн так провлиял... 2-3, ставлю 2.
Ok punk album. I understand why it’s on the list, but it wasn’t for me.
Genres: Proto-punk Formed: New York City in 1973 Run time: 9 songs, 34 min, 43 sec The debut album by punk rock band The Dictators. It’s not a popular album. The most played song is track 9, “(I Live For) Cars and Girls” with almost 665k plays on Spotify, then track 1, “The Next Big Thing” with almost 357k plays. Everything else is between 100-200k. It has been suggested that this album was punk before punk was the thing. If that is so, then this is probably an important album in the history of punk. It definitely sounds punk. The group don’t take themselves seriously and the album does come across as some guys having a laugh and enjoying themselves. The influence this album had on later punk groups is there to hear. Unfortunately, apart from a couple of covers, the songs don’t really amount to much in themselves. Track 9, "(I Live For) Cars and Girls" has a Beach Boys sound and theme, cars and girls. They even harmonise like the Beach Boys in this song. Listen Again?: No My Rating: **
This was quite fun in places, but would hardly call it ‘punk’ in comparison to, say, The Stooges. Can see the influence on bands like The Ramones though. Kind of a budget New York Dolls.The covers probably work best to give the idea of what they were trying to do. Loud rock n’ roll that (hopefully) isn’t taking itself too seriously, and the lyrics made me chuckle in places, eg. Two Tub Man.
silly -- reminds me of the Beat Farmers!
Started off okay but the last song made me want to rip my ears off
Might have been influential to a lot of great music I like, but there's far more interesting proto-punk elsewhere.
An unapologetic punk-rock release. The album is a high-octane blend of punk, rock 'n' roll, and garage rock, with a healthy dose of humor and attitude. The band's irreverent lyrics and charismatic performances make for an unique listening experience and whilst fun, it doesn’t exactly impress on the ear. "Two Tub Man," an anthem about a man who can't resist the temptation of a bathtub perfectly captures The Dictators' unique blend of wit and punk rock aggression. Another standout is "Master Race Rock," an unabashed and controversial song that confronts societal issues head-on. Handsome Dick Manitoba's vocals are filled with swagger and attitude, delivering the lyrics with a sense of urgency and always with a bit of unseriousness. The guitar work by Ross "The Boss" Funicello is raw and gritty, providing a fitting backdrop for the band's sound. The Dictators embrace the punk ethos while also poking fun at it. They know they're not taking themselves too seriously, and that lightheartedness shines through in tracks like "Weekend" and "Back to Africa." This self-awareness adds some depth to the album, making it more than just a collection of punk anthems. However it also sacrifices quality of the actual music and turns more into a comical attraction rather a well sounding musical experience. The album's production quality is not up to par with modern standards. The rawness and DIY aesthetic are part of its charm but the sound feels very muddy. It’s a fun listen in a way but from a musical aspect I cannot give it a very high rating.
Skipped through quickly. I didn't hate it but not a fun of punk
Had its moments, but a little too juvenile. Maybe I'm not punk enough.
Meh. Never heard of these before, obviously influential. I don’t know why but this just didn’t land well for me, bordering on the annoying at times. Quite liked Master Race Rock and Two Tub Man, but overall a lot of it reminded me of that band Rodney was in on Only Fools and Horses. Not for me this.
I didn't really like it, a bit too shouty and unfocussed. Really unnecessary Sonny and Cher cover too.
I thought I would enjoy it more but was very forgettable. I didn't dislike it but think it just hasn't aged well. Highlight: The Next Big Thing
this album was dumber than my infant brother
Not that into it!
It's music for a party. I know it's just goofy fun. It felt a bit too juvenile for me. The album is easy listening/background music, but I can't imagine sitting down to listen to it again.
Uninteresting US proto punk (pub rock) band. May be historically significant but not a great album.
meh
Yeah not a bad listen in general, punky. But somewhat wounding at points, found the cars and girls track brought it down, even though its probably ironic... Any way its like a 4.9
Assume it made the list because it's proto-punk but otherwise feels mediocre
Pre-punk, garage rock obsessed with teenage dreams of cars, girls and wrestling. Not heavy, not glam, not punk, not Aerosmith, Kiss or Tom Petty. Definitely not as accomplished or enjoyable as Undertones with similar, albeit Northern Irish, subject matter. Interesting that people believe they influenced Ramones and other punk forerunners. I don’t feel this is essential.
Punk rock by some American nerds. No soul. It's more disappointing because it's almost good
Neither annoying or interesting, just a bit boring
what even is this. it's meant to be mainly popular music, which is why they don't have a lot of great albums, but then what is this dude.
Some recognisable bangers but mostly nothing memorable or enjoyable
It's a no from me
I couldn't really get past this sounding like a novelty act, though to completely contradict this statement, I felt the strongest song was the "California Sun" cover LOL.
meh 6 / 10
A solid start to punk, but the formula was definitely improved by the time it got to the Ramones and Sex Pistols. Dick Manitoba gets on my nerves quickly, as does the excessive reverb.
I'm disappointed that this album had such an important role as a precurser to American punk rock because I found these songs so annoying.
I can see how they'd be influential but damn I did not enjoy it at all, I found it mostly anoying.
Didn't really like it.
Por alguna razón detesto el sonido de los inicios del punk. Cuesta diferenciar a una banda de otra. Solo le doy 2 por el cover de I Got You Babe.
circulez il n'y a rien à voir ici