The Pagans
Shit Street

Dear DeBaseriano reader, it is urgent to rectify the absence of reviews for the magnificent Pagans, little-known figures of the late '70s American punk scene, who unfortunately never received the visibility and recognition they deserved due to their very limited official discography.

«Shit Street» is perhaps the best and most easily accessible among the posthumous collections, published by the commendable Crypt Records both in the vinyl version, comprising 20 tracks, and in the CD version, which also includes a well-recorded live performance by the group.

The band, originally formed by brothers Mike and Brian Hudson (vocals and drums, respectively), Mike Metoff (guitar), and Tim Allee (bass), released only 4 singles between 1977 and 1979 (all included in «Shit Street»), rising to the status of a cult band in the Cleveland scene, thanks to a handful of absolutely perfect punk’n’raw songs.

It is enough to listen to «What’s This Shit Called Love?», strategically placed at the opening of the record, to fully grasp the devastating impact of the Pagans, built on a magnificently raw sound accompanying a fittingly unrefined voice: even if they hadn't written other tracks, for this alone the Pagans would still deserve a place in the history of world punk.

Fortunately, they wrote more songs, and at a very high level too. Just mention «Six And Change» (a monument to the most obtuse and insane punk), the (so to speak) melodic «Street Where Nobody Lives», the relentless «Not Now No Way» and «Dead End America», the almost-beat punk of «Yeah Yeah», and then… practically all of them.

A deserved mention for the covers of «Can’t Explain» by the Who and «Heart Of Stone» by the Rolling Stones, but especially «Boy Can I Dance Good» by an obscure Cleveland band (forgive me, but I can't even remember their name) which also stylistically recalls the «Do You Love Me» by the Contours rendered by Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers: even without knowing the original, I am sure that the Pagans' version is one of those rare cases where the remake is definitely superior.

Final invitation to the DeBaseriano (even to the less punk-enthusiastic one): whatever you think of this review, do yourself a favor, GET THIS RECORD!