While British punks (via The Clash) was declaring "no Elvis, Beatles or Rolling Stones" in the late '70s, a scruffy quartet from Boston Massachusetts was doing the exact opposite. The Real Kids combined the raw, high-decibel energy of '76-'77 punk rock with the emotional and brash melodies of '50s rock'n'roll, '60s garage punk and the early swagger of the Rolling Stones. With their amps cranked up and a set list full of Felice's catchy originals, the band quickly became famous in the local scene. They tore the roof off Boston's infamous venue, The Rat and regularly visited CBGB's in New York. Their performances were unpredictably loud, fuelled by equal parts teenage hormones and cheap beer. Normally, I wouldn't need to write this short introduction. I find it hard to believe that anyone visiting this blog, even for the first time, wouldn't know this but that's okay.
Anyway, this is a compilation I put together recently to listen to on my drive from home to work (and back) and it consists of material from rehearsals, live performances and studio demos. I decided to focus exclusively on the period from 1976 to 1979, as I believe this was when they were at their peak. I also wanted to include songs that were either not particularly well known or that appeared much later on official studio recordings. For instance, there's an incredible rendition of "Roberta" from 1977 with a standout WILD harmonica performance that gives a heavy R&B vibe. Then there's "Rosalita" with Alpo handling the vocals from a 1976 rehearsal, which could easily have been included in the Heartbreakers' repertoire and Johnny Thunders would have killed for it. Or a studio demo cover of Link Wray's "Rawhide" with The Real Kids having some serious fun! I think you've already got it, haven't you?
