I heard about Pearl Harbour’s Don’t Follow Me, I’m Lost Too album decades ago, but never came across a copy until this brand new reissue from Liberation Hall arrived in the mailbox. The record first came to my attention because, recorded in 1980, it features Clash rhythm section Topper Headon and Paul Simonon, who were recording Sandinista! at the time. Throw in Wilko Johnson of Dr. Feelgood and Ian Dury & the Blockheads on lead guitar, his Blockheads bandmate Mickey Gallagher playing keyboards and producing, and Gary Barnacle on sax, and you have quite an intriguing group of musicians. If only you could find the thing back then.

Of course, none of this addresses Pearl herself, who had danced with The Tubes and been in a San Francisco new wave band called Pearl Harbor And The Explosions. When the band actually imploded after a single LP in 1980, Pearl’s then paramour, Clash manager Kosmo Vinyl, suggested they decamp to England to record an album because he might, you know, be able to find a few guys that had some free time or something.

Arriving in London, Harbor would add the requisite “u” to her last name and set about recording an album of what sounds like early rock and roll, rockabilly, and girl group standards, but are actually mostly tunes penned by Harbour or Harbour and her bandmates. The record begins with just such a song, “Alone In The Dark,” written by Harbour and starting off the record like… well, sort of like “Brand New Cadillac.” Harbour has a voice that ranges from husky to honeyed with the occasional yelp and some gravel when she pushes it, as with the volcano/WWII-referencing Wanda Jackson standard, “Fujiyama Mama,” which is certainly done justice by the assembled musicians. In fact, Steve New, who’d been in the Rich Kids with ex-Pistol Glen Matlock, plays guitar on these songs. But then comes a curveball: “Everybody’s Boring But My Baby,” which I would’ve thought was an obscure tune by the Crystals or Shangri-La’s. But, no, it’s another Harbour composition and sung with a voice to match Mary Weiss. It’s a great song and possibly my favorite on the record.

“You’re In Trouble” and “Do Your Homework” are fun rockabilly workouts with Headon and Simonon locking in like they might be used to it. “Cowboys And Indians,” written by Englishman Otis Watkins, who released a single on Stiff Records in 1980, takes a successful stab at honky-tonk via Waterloo. “Losing To You” maintains the country vibe, but this time more in the Kitty Wells-mold. It was written by another Stiff artist, Nigel Dixon, who plays rhythm guitar throughout the album and would later end up in Havana 3 A.M. with Paul Simonon.

The tempo accelerates again with “Filipino Baby,” a nod to Harbour’s Filipino heritage, although the song dates to 1899 and was first record in the late 1930s. Here it’s perhaps a little more Blondie than Patsy Cline. “Let’s Go Upstairs” and “Rough Kids” are somewhat more by-the-numbers rockabilly songs, while “Out With The Girls” is a bit of a riff on Commander Cody’s “Hot Rod Lincoln.” “Heaven Is Going To Be Empty” is a dead ringer for a song you might’ve heard on an ’80s country-pop station, complete with big production and late-song key change, but it’s another Harbour song and quite a good one. Mick Jones adds a little lead guitar, even. “At The Dentist” is a jokey toss-off and would’ve ended the original album on a new wave note.

The original album had 11 songs. The purple vinyl reissue adds an additional six singles and b-sides, all of which are in the rockabilly vein, albeit with less heft than the album material. The CD tacks on another two demos for a total of 19 tracks, but the first half of the original album is where things shine brightest.

Apparently not seeing any marketability in rockabilly or American roots music, Warner Bros. would release the record but do virtually nothing with it, which is likely why I never saw a copy. Of course, less than a year later along would come the Stray Cats and everybody was wearing poodle skirts and swing dancing to “Rock This Town.” By the ’90s another rockabilly roots revival was in full swing. But like Robert Gordon a couple years earlier, this was a bit ahead of its time, and is a record worthy of exhumation. It’s certainly more Wanda Jackson than London’s Burning, but fans of both American roots music and first wave English punk will surely find something to enjoy.

Rating: B-

User Rating: Not Yet Rated

Comments