The Godz – Power Rock From USA

The CD is titled Power Rock From USA but should be called Belligerent Biker Metal From Columbus, OH. Combining all of their self titled debut album (produced by Don Brewer of Grand Funk!) and most of the 2nd one, Nothing Is Sacred, this is essential 70’s hard rock, especially if you love Steppenwolf, The Dictators, (early) Kiss and Mahogany Rush.

The Godz should have been huge. Despite being signed to Casablanca Records and touring with Kiss and Cheap Trick on the Love Gun tour, it just didn’t happen the way it should have. Maybe their biker image scared off the Kiss crowd? The label quickly lost interest and the critics HATED them. Rolling Stone described The Godz as a “miserable hard-rock quartet from Columbus, Ohio, epitomizing the most wretched excesses of Seventies rock.” That quote alone should have earned them some gold records. Poppy songs like “Go Away,” “Baby Love U,” and “Gotta Muv” could have roped in radio listeners so The Godz could unleash their harder jams on unsuspecting young girls.

Their greatest song is “Gotta Keep A Runnin” – 7 and a half minutes of cowbell driven arena rock fury. It’s like “Born To Be Wild” and “Highway Star” rolled into one giant middle finger boogie. Like they say before the guitar solo, this is “GODZ ROCK N ROLL.” And they’re only getting warmed up. Bassist/vocalist Eric Moore delivers an incredible monologue in the middle that rivals the best stage raps from Jim Dandy, Ted Nugent or Dee Snider. Here’s a small sample – “Now dig up ya’ll. Now we stoned & boned, hot & sweaty. Look at us: we're everything your parents ever warned you about. They think we're all junkies. Everybody is some kind of junkie. There's money junkies, booze junkies, dope junkies, sex junkies, & there is one thing they don't understand. All of us, you & I are GODZ. And Godz are rock & roll junkies.” The rap goes on and on getting more frantic before exploding in a chorus of “THE GODZ ARE ROCK N ROLL MACHINES!” This is an anthem that should still be reverberating in every arena and stadium around the world.

Another killer jam is “714,” a love song to pharmaceutical Quaalude Lemmon 714. The lyrics are explicitly anti-education and celebrate “getting’ messed up everyday.” Is this an example of the “wretched excesses” mentioned in Rolling Stone? Who wants to share their ludes with a party pooper from a lame ass magazine when there are plenty of chicks in suede vests and wineskins around? Not The Godz! “Candy’s Going Bad” is a cover of a song originally by Golden Earring. Clocking in at 10 minutes, it includes an instrumental freak out similar to “L.A. Blues” by The Stooges or “Dream Lover” by The Plasmatics.

Some of the best lyrics are in the song “Luv Kage.” A stomping beat underlines the plea for freedom from an oppressive relationship. A man and woman agree to live together but “still have fun on the side.” Later the woman tries making the relationship exclusive but the guy is having none of it. What kind of insane woman would try to put one of The Godz in a “Luv Kage?” That will never work!

Eric Moore still leads a version of The Godz to this day and recently played some shows with their old rivals Angel. Based on some recent interviews available on youtube, Eric is still belligerent and unrepentant. Would you want the main man of The Godz any other way? Sadly, Power Rock From USA is out of print in the USA but you can probably find a used copy easily enough if you check ebay. This is perfect quittin’ time music. After yet another crappy day at the job, put this in your car as you burn rubber to the nearest happy hour.


--Woody


Buy here: Power Rock From USA

http://www.thegodz.net/