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I’m sure there’s a Daily Mail article somewhere in cyberspace criticising rock and roll for promoting the use of drugs – I won’t go into the long list but can I present one song which would put you off the notion of illicit substances ? I give you “Chinese Rocks” written by one drug user, Dee Dee Ramone and sung by another,�� Johnny Thunders. Two men who wouldn’t look out of place in a warning poster about looking after your health. I have heard that Dee Dee presented the song�� to the rest of his Ramone brothers first, but Johnny disapproved of the drug theme. I’m not sure why, as lines like ‘Everything is in the pawn shop’�� and ‘My girlfriend’s crying In the shower stall’ don’t paint a rosy picture of life with a needle.�� Elsewhere on the show, another drug song – Bo Diddley’s ‘Pills’ reinvented by the New York Dolls and copied note for note by the Lurkers.�� Imitation is indeed a form of flattery.

Lurkers – Pills
Heartbreakers – Chinese Rocks
Corsairs – Wait For Me
Nick Lowe – Half A Boy And Half A Man
Cortinas – I Don’t Really Want To Get Involved
Rezillos – Destination Venus
Tea Set – Sing Song
McCarthy – The Well Of Loneliness
UK Subs – 500cc
Scriiti Politti – Confidence
Go-Gos – Tonight
Josef K – The Missionary
The Fall – Fiery Jack
Sting Rays – Joe Strummers Wallet
Stranglers - Waltzinblack