Thrift Store Finds, Volume 2: The Godfathers/More Songs About Love & Hate

The following is adapted from and expanded upon an Intagram post I made. There was copy-and-pasting going on, which always seems to irrevocably mess up the font size and font type in Blogger.

I recall loving The Godfathers' song "Birth School Work Death" back in 1988. It was full of piss and vinegar, righteous anger, and in the video, the guys in the band looked like extras from The Long Good Friday. For whatever reason, however, I never bought the album. After finally discovering, 32 years after the fact, the no-frills, Clash-meets-AC/DC rock 'n' roll of More Songs About Love & Hate, I now feel the need to dig into their earlier stuff. And in fact, I have finally ordered Birth, School, Work, Death album a mere 33 years after its release. (Update, the disc arrived yesterday and I love it).

More Songs About Love & Hate (I assume the title is a nod to Leonard Cohen) largely avoids the cheesy production that mars many '80s albums. It might help that, from what I've read, The Godfathers' producer Vic Maile was chosen largely because the band liked what he'd done on Motorhead's Ace of Spades album. (Though I'm sure it didn't hurt that he'd also produced the legendary British band Dr. Feelgood, who are similar to The Godfathers). Vic Maile produced The Godfathers' first three albums, concluding with this one. (Vic Maile died on July 11, 1989, presumably not long after More Songs... was completed).

It's a shame that Epic changed the album cover for the American release. The British cover features an atmospheric photograph of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, while the American release replaces it with a somewhat pedestrian group shot. Apparently Epic thought that American audiences were either too stupid to know about the couple's tumultuous passionate marriage or had never seen Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. That photo of Liz and Richard fits the mood and feel of the songs as well as the title. And by the way, I am merely speculating on Epic's decision to change the album cover. I really have no idea why they did it.

Regardless of the album cover, this is a tremendous record. I know that it is a cliche to claim that an album is an "overlooked gem" or "lost classic," but this applies to More Songs About Love & Hate. "She Gives Me Love" kicks off with frantic drumming and might be the most infectious song on the record, though the album is full of infectious rockers. "Those Days Are Over" combines AC/DC and Byrdsy influences, with a prominent Roger McGuinn-like guitar break. (It definitely sounds like a Rickenbacker guitar on that tune, and that is the only instance of any Godfathers song I've heard to feature anything remotely resembling a Rick). "Life Has Passed Us By" enters Kinks/Madness territory, while the guys dial up the rockabilly on the amusing "Walking Talking Johnny Cash Blues" with the funny line "Well I took some speed I thought it was what I'd need." The stylistic range these guys possess is impressive.

My conclusion is that I wish I'd forked over my hard-earned dorm cafeteria employee money for these Godfathers albums back in the late '80s. I would have played them with the fervor I played R.E.M., The Replacements, U2, The Smithereens, and U2. But hey, better late than never, right?