KNUCKLE GIRLS VOLUMES 1 & 2 are the most recent JUNKSHOP GLAM compilation LP's to hit the streets and despite the replication of 4 tracks from the GLAMSTAINS 3 { CHERRY BOMBS } comp, they do a great job of highlighting some of the unjustly overlooked female performers of the era . The sound quality is decent, they're pressed on nice chunky vinyl and come in magnificent colour sleeves with sleevenotes that cleverly mimic the RICHARD ALLEN pulp novels
VOLUME 1 { 14 BOVVER BIRD BLITZERS } kicks off strongly with '' I CAN SEE THE CHANGES '' by KUNY, a DUTCH release from 1973 seemingly inspired by SLADE and ALICE COOPER'S more melodic mid paced tunes. Sadly it appears to be her only release. Following on swiftly in the SUZI QUATRO mold we have '' SUZUKI 75 '' by CAROL AND THE BOSTON GARDEN, a dynamic stomper full of revving engine noises on the appropriately named VOOM VOOM label out of ITALY. We move aross the atlantic for '' GORILLA '' by DESIRA an L.A. NEW WAVE / HARD ROCK obscurity from '76, then back to the UK for '' OK '' from the ROCK FOLLIES OF 77 Soundtrack and '' CAROLINE '' a rare 70's ROCKIN' B-SIDE from TWINKLE { RIPLEY }. '' RESSURECTION SHUFFLE '' by MISTY is a US BUBBLEGUM reworking of the ASHTON GARDNER & DYKE hit and side one ends with a wonderful GLITTER POP reworking of '' EIGHT DAYS A WEEK '' by KRISTINE { Devil Woman } SPARKLE
SIDE TWO opens in explosive fashion with '' LOOKING FOR LOVE '' by GLO MACARI. Try and imagine LULU going full pelt while THE KINKS pound out a HARD ROCK take on '' JOY TO THE WORLD '' and you're almost there. More GLAM from LELLY BOONE with an excellent cover of THE EVERLY BROTHERS '' WHEN WILL I BE LOVED '' and some COUNTRY tinged GLAM in the form of '' BAD BOY '' by C.STAR. '' FLIPPER STORY '' by VICKY FURY is a real belter and pretty much the hight water mark of FRENCH GLAM, then back to the UK for LIFT OFF presenter AYSHEA with the ROY WOOD penned and produced '' FAREWELL '' . Side two ain't done yet though and closes in great style with some classic DUTCH GLAM in the shape of '' LOVEMAKER '' by HEART and the UK super obscurity '' BLITZ AT THE RITZ '' by VIC LEZAL's PROFESSIONALS, a 1974 release which predates series one of THE ROCK FOLLIES, but sounds like it could have been lifted from the show
VOLUME 2 { 14 PUGILISTIC PLATTERS } begins with '' I'm Aggressive '' by NINA MARTIN. A POST GLITTER bundle of energy with boisterous ABBA-ESQUE backing vox. A GERMAN RELEASE from '76 that also sneaked out in the UK the following year. '' BATTLE FOR MY LOVE '' by NORA follows hot on it's heels. A breathtaking high energy SPANISH STOMPER that builds and builds { Check out the amazing clip of her performaing the song on YOUTUBE! }. Back across the atlantic for '' SCHOOL'S BACK '' by PHILADELPHIA, a HARD GLAM number from '77 in the RUNAWAYS mold. '' IT'S THE MONSTER AGAIN '' by PAULA LINCOLN, is a DUTCH LP track from '75 that's heavily influenced by '' DEVIL GATE DRIVE '' and that has to be a good thing! Back to the UK for some POST PUNK HARD ROCK by biker chic VERMILION with '' I LIKE MOTORCYCLES '' and '' UPSIDE DOWN '' from GLITTER girl BOBBIE MCGEE. Side one ends on a high note with the GLAM CLASSIC '' LONG LONG WEEKEND '' by NQB, an ALL FEMALE SWEDISH GROUP
SIDE TWO opens with '' MIDNIGHT RIDER '' by THE ALISON MARKLEW BAND. No relation to the ALLMAN BROTHERS / PAUL DAVIDSON tune, this is a blusterous GLAM BOOGIE number that dropped on the pioneering UK indie PINNACLE in 1975. '' MR TEASER '' by LORENZA JOHNSON turns the boogie knob up to 11. A ROCKIN' PARTY RECORD that would stand up if you threw it on after '' TIGER FEET '' { now there's a compliment and a half! }. Back to Holland for the DEEP PURPLE meets ABBA monster ''NOBODY KNOWS '' by RADAR { a B-SIDE from '77 }, followed by something more familiar to most '' GOOD BEHAVIOR '' by ROCK FOLLIES, a PRE_PUNK feminist anthem from '76. THE NEW SETTLERS provide '' LIFELIGHT '' , A GLAM INFUSED HARMONY ROCKER , then it's back to the BOOGIE ROCK with '' SETTLE DOWN '' by PUNCHIN' JUDY { shades of ELKIE BROOKS in her VINEGAR JOE days }, before we reach closing time around the old joanna with '' STEAM HAMMER '' by JUDITH CROWNE, a UK obscurity on the DART label that's redolent of '' MY FRIEND STAN '' by those stalwarts of The Bilston Trumpet: SLADE
