DAMAGED GOODS 14th November 2025
Laying down tracks in minimum studio time, Thee Headcoatees are reformed from their solo careers to celebrate noise, song and rock. Produced by Billy Childish and nailed to garage rock values, this is vital, stripped down primal rock. A stack of covers and originals, the first song is a statement of intent. The Ramone’s ‘The KKK Took My Baby Away’ is the opener – lifted from The Ramone’s full-sounding Pleasant Dreams album, they take it back to basics and FUN.
The title track is a great cover and the album rolls on in a beautifully bashy simple style. In thrall to rock and roll, fused with sixties style, this is four talents having a good time with sounds and songs they love. It’s all a bit Cramp-ish and swamp rockabilly meets the sound of garages and cellars. Holly Golightly (yes, named after Audrey Hepburn’s ‘Breakfast At Tiffanys’ character) has more than a dozen albums to her name and her counterparts aren’t work-shy either. The original songs vary between songs specific to the writer and songs nodding at garage standards. ‘Jim Bowie’ is grungey fun, carrying a torch for Neil Young’s version of ‘Farmer John’ – all thumpy sounds and backing chorus.
Covers include ‘Paint It Back’, which is given a speedy, no-nonsense hammering, ‘You’re Going To Kill That Girl’ is purest gory Ramones fun with the ever-present awareness of male violence gnawing at the conscience behind the daftness of the Shangri-La’s spoofing. Closing on a cover of a cover ‘The Money Will Roll Right in’ was made famous by Nirvana and gets a righteous full-throttle blast here.
The whole thing is good old fashioned punky rocking fun. Quickens the pulse and makes you grin. References the past but makes it live today with modern sounds, modern values and a mission to rock.
Our review of Thee Headcoats is here: