Sunday, March 24, 2019

EDDIE AND THE HOT RODS - "TEENAGE DEPRESSION"














Artist: Eddie and the Hot Rods
Album Title: Teenage Depression
Label: Island
Catalog: ILPS 9457
Year: 1977
Genre: punk
Grading: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Sleeve design: Michael Beal
Concept: Ron Michael Beal
Cover painting: Michael Beal
Grade: * star

I recognize that part of the punk experience was an effort to shock the staid establishment out of their dreary, middle of the road, 9-to-5 existences.  Still, there are certain social norms that shouldn't be violated and I've always felt this Micheal Beal cover crossed one of those lines in the sand. Not to sound like a blow hard, but teenage suicide is a plague on mankind and as a parent I simply cannot begin to fathom the pain it inflicts on families that have suffered from a child lost to their own hand.  Island marketing executives having allowed a band to try to score some quick sales with such a tasteless cover just seems mean spirited and unnecessary.

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