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Album Details

• Artist: Johnny/Wayne Thunders/Kramer
• Album: Gang War
• Label: RER Entertainment
• Year of Release: 1980/1995
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2005-06-01

An artifact from the dying days of the first wave of Punk, this record presents us with one night in the life of begging to die legend Johnny Thunders, and MC5 legend Wayne Kramer, in an all-too appropriately named band. The sound, musically and between songs, is full confrontation and staking out of territory. Thunders does most of the verbal posturing, asking the audience for coke, berating them for not having any to spare; daring them to attack him for calling them pussies when it comes to treating their women. Musically, it is standard Johnny Thunders; a warped and occasionally glorious mix of surf and standard 50's rock tunes, with scenes from his harrowing life depicted therein. Kramer, at least on the night recorded here, is underused. His ferocious, "my guitar would have won Vietnam all by itself" assault is missing. He provides a gritty, dirty counterpoint, but does not step out in front to shred.
Still, this is a great record, and a reminder of the days when the distance between audience and performer was shattered, supposedly forever. When not only did your heroes make you feel that if they could do it you could, but also that maybe you ought to get off your lazy ass and do it better. More so than his heroin, that was Johnny Thunders' real daring.

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