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Rating: Outsiders, harassed, defeated.
Yet, in the jungle of the "punk before you" era, Johnny Moped are technically the quintessence of the movement, true pioneers.
Active in the Croydon area since the mid-70s in various line-ups (in the earliest days, the Burns brothers were present, one of them Raymond aka Captain Sensible), they came late to the creation of a true first LP, remaining confined to the limbo of legend.
Cycladelic is from 1978, when the punk phenomenon had already peaked (everything); the record arrived decidedly late for a band with years of gigs and clubs behind them. It was precisely the live shows that created the Johnny Moped legend, led by punk’s most unlikely frontman: Johnny Moped himself.
This album is a must-have because it captures the essence of punk attitude, crystallizing and passing down what, without an official record, might have risked being lost. Of course, it's not on par with other albums, released earlier and of superior quality. Nonetheless, its value lies precisely in its dangerously incendiary tracks and its authentic and coarse imperfections.
To better understand this album and to relive the punk phenomenon from the outsider’s perspective, I recommend the documentary: "Basically, Johnny Moped" from 2013. Director Fred Burns (Captain Sensible’s son) renders a fitting tribute to punk legend Paul Halford, aka Johnny Moped.
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