The Official Needles and Grooves 1001 Album Generator Project

I love The Dictators! This is one of those band that I discovered pretty late in the game though, and I actually prefer the more polished "Blood Brothers" to this slightly more messy affair. Still a great slice of New York proto punk in the vein of The Ramones and The New York Dolls. I had completely forgot about Manitobas Wild Kingdom (and I hadn't made the connection to the Dictators before at all to be honest) and that video brings back some long forgotten memories!
 
...as for the Springsteen cameo, he does the count in on "Faster and Louder", and possibly some backing vocals on "Stay With Me" on Blood Brothers from 1978. He recorded "Darkness on the Edge of Town" in the studio next door, and allegedly became friends with Shernoff during the recording. I think Springsteen has said in some interview that The Dictators inspired him to make "Darkness" more edgy soundwise (more "rock" than "soul"), and also to write "Hungry Heart" (which he was writing for The Ramones before he decided to keep it himself).
 
Lee Newman said:
2/7/24
View attachment 194714
Blondie - Parallel Lines



www.allmusic.com

Parallel Lines - Blondie | Album | AllMusic

Parallel Lines by Blondie released in 1978. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
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Love Blondie. I have had a crush on Debbie Harry since 1978.

Fascinating the path that Heart of Glass took as a song. Was in their repertoire for years before they recorded this version and it changed so much from reggae to full on disco to creating what most people back then understood as New Wave. My favourite track is One Way Or Another. Thanks for giving me the excuse to close my office doors and play this today.
 
Lee Newman said:
I was in the same boat when I pulled it before. Recently listened to Autoamerican and really enjoyed it as well.

I did know the hits though as they are fairly ubiquitous.
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I even went through an 80's alternative phase of Talking Heads, B-52's, Television, New Order etc but for some reason skipped over Blondie.
 
dbarila said:
I even went through an 80's alternative phase of Talking Heads, B-52's, Television, New Order etc but for some reason skipped over Blondie.
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I think Blondie’s heyday sort of predates those bands’ biggest moments (well not Television). I definitely think of them as a 70s act. The pervasive disco influence at times doesn’t hurt that notion.
 
Lee Newman said:
I think Blondie’s heyday sort of predates those bands’ biggest moments (well not Television). I definitely think of them as a 70s act. The pervasive disco influence at times doesn’t hurt that notion.
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They were a CBGB’s band, Patti Smith, The Ramones, Richard Hell, Talking Heads, etc…
 
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