Elton Motello – Jet Boy Jet Girl / Pogo Pogo (Lightning Records) 1978. Let’s be honest here. There are punk records and then there are PUNK records. I mean anyone can plug a guitar in, crank it up to ten, write some lyrics and kick out a two minute song. Not trying to downgrade that either. I love plenty of tunes that fit just that description. But to actually write a song that is guaranteed to offend 80 percent of your potential audience and then attach it to the catchiest riff imaginable and release it on a 45? That’s the real deal, baby. Jet Boy Jet Girl is that song. I mean seriously, punk was high energy music with in your face lyrics right? Well, can you get anymore high energy and in your face than this? This is another one that will clear a room at your average punkathon. Don’t doubt it. If you are unfamiliar with this song and recognize the riff…then, yes, it is Ca Plane Poir Ma. There is a whole Hubble Bubble, Damned, Plastic Bertrand backstory to this that is pretty interesting and well researched at the always-amazing Punk 77 site.
Hardcore Podcasts
September of 2010 I put together eight Hardcore Podcasts. You can check them out here if you are interested. For more insight into how I came up with the years 78-90 for the First Wave you can read about The Hardcore Superiorty Myth.
One of the best songs ever.
This is the original version of “Ca Plane Pour Moi”.
Roger Jouret, who later became Plastic Bertrand, was playing the drums in the Elton Motello band.
I own a much-prized, often played copy of ‘Victim of Time’ (this one re-recorded from original masters and new sessions here in Toronto), from Attic Records (merged into oblivion 1999). But I thought I had given it away to a DJ friend until right before a party…
Just blew at least 5 minds at a Xmas party where we’d set up an Audio-Technica USB Turntable – guess I’ll be connecting my computer with that USB port soon, since those 5 seriously wanted a copy of comrade Elton’s magnum opus.
I mention this because Jet Boy Jet Girl is still one of those songs that makes me (at the age of 39) cringe (lyrics) as if my Mom was in the room AND get the lead out and shake my ass all around that same room. Never had that reaction to ‘Ça plane pour moi’ – since my Mom doesn’t know French, I guess.
Fun blog, many thanks from the frozen, no wait… thawed, no wait (Fu*K!) we’re frozen again – city of Toronto, Canada.
DW