The one and only Adamski serves up the first and last records he bought and the one he always turns to in times of need
Devo
‘Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! ‘
(Virgin, 1978)
If I knew I’d grow up to be a person who’d be asked what the first album they bought was, I’d have bought something cooler than the ‘Best of Elvis’, but not sung by Elvis. The first real album I bought, from Woolworths with Christmas record tokens, was ‘Are We Not Men?’ when I was 11. Wonderful Eno production, fab grooves, melodies and electronics, with vocals sounding like nerdy spacemen.
Hasil Adkins
‘Out to Hunch’
(Norton, 1986)
I just bought this as a download, does that count? It’s nutso DIY rockabilly. I read somewhere that he thought he was supposed to play all the instruments himself at the same time! The best song is ‘She Said’, which is better known as a cover version by The Cramps whose singer Lux Interior stuffed a styrofoam cup in his mouth to achieve the same vocal effect.
Alan Vega
‘Alan Vega’
(PVC, 1980)
When I was about 14 or 15, an old hippy friend put Alan Vega’s first solo album onto a cassette for me as he knew I liked psychobilly and drum machines. I love the simple, monotonous riffs over the mechanical rhythms with the moody, sexy American rockabilly flavours. I still play it now in the gym, in the kitchen, in DJ sets, in the car. It’s the single biggest influence on my current project, Sonny Eriksson, a Teddy Boy from the 4th Dimension…
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