The Kids
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 () - Keith Boyce -- drums, percussion - Gary Holton (RIP 1985) -- vocals - Danny Peyronel -- keyboards, backing vocals - Ronnie Thomas -- bass, vocals NEW - Cosmo Verrico -- lead guitar (replaced Mickey Waller)
supporting musicians: - Madeline Bell -- backing vocals - Doreen Chanter -- backing vocals - Irene Chanter -- backing vocals - Phil Kenzie -- sax - Lesia -- backing vocals - Vladimir -- backing vocals
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- Ashman-Reynolds (Keith Boyce) - Battleaxe (Keith Boyce) - Caesar ((Keith Boyce and Barry Paul) - City Life (Cosmo Verrico) - The Crowd (Gary Holton) - The Cult (John Sinclair) - The Difference (Keith Boyce) - Gary & the Gems (Gary Holton) - The Heavy Metal Kids (Keith Boyce, Gary Holton, Danny Peyronel and Ronnie Thomas) - Gary Horton (solo efforts) - House of X (Danny Peyronel) - Gary Holton (solo efforts) - Gary Holton and Casino Steel - Leaf Hound (Ronnie Thomas) - Leggs (Keith Boyce and Ronnie Thomas) - Lip Service (Gary Holton) - Phil May and Fallen Angels (Keith Boyce) - Riff - Savoy Brown (Keith Boyce, Barry Paul and John Sinclair) - Shy (John Sinclair) - Smokie (John Sinclair) - Tarzen (Danny Peyronel) - Bram Tchiakovsky (Keith Boyce) - UFO (Danny Peyronel) - Uriah Heep (John Sinclair) - Gary Joe Weise Trio (Keith Boyce)
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Genre: rock Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: Anvil Chorus Company: ATCO Catalog: SD
36-114 Country/State: London, UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: original custom inner sleeve with lyrics Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $20.00
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Their first album
was credited to The Heavy Metal Kids. No idea why, but their second LP
carried the abbreviated nameplate "The Kids". The
revised name was accompanied by a personnel change that saw original
lead guitarist Mickey Waller replaced by
Cosmo Verrico. In spite of the changes, 1975's Andy Johns "Anvil
Chorus" wasn't a major change from their "Heavy
Metal Ki
"Anvil
Chorus" track listing: 1.) Hard at the Top (Danny Peyronel) - 3:46 rating: *** stars Perhaps not the most original melody you've heard, 'Hard at the Top' still managed to generate quite a bit of glam energy. Powered by Holton's growling vocals the track has always reminded of something Ian Hunter and Mott the Hopple might have recorded. Madeline Bell and sisters Doreen and Irene Chanter were on backing vocals. 2.) You Got Me Rollin’ (Ronnie Thomas) - 3:54 rating: **** stars Powered by a churning Ronnie Thomas bass line, 'You Got Me Rollin’' reminded me of a cross between a Southern rock bad like 38 Special and Spinal Tap. I think Thomas was featured on lead vocals and if so, his voice reminded me of Rare Earth's Peter Hoorelbeke. Totally mindless and completely fun. 3.) On the Street (Gary Holton) - 4:03 rating: *** stars More cowbell please ... With Madeline Bell raging on backing vocals, I bet the punk energy-tinged rocker 'On the Street' would have been a blast to hear in a live environment. Always liked toe way Horton spread his Cockney accent on the lyrics. Also worth hearing for Verrico's brief solo. 4.) Situations Outta Control (Gary Holton ) - 4:03 rating: *** stars At least to my ears on the ballad 'Situations Outta Control' Holton's mumbly, Cockney delivery bore more than a passing resemblance to Ian Hunter. Pretty solo from new guitarist Verrico. 5.) Blue Eyed Boy (Gary Holton - Danny Peyronel) - 3:07 rating: **** stars Slinky classic glam rock. Again, 'Blue Eyed Boy' wasn't anything that you hadn't already heard, but it was well done and fun. It was also one of the tracks where I could hear a Bin Scott resemblance. The tune was released as a UK single:
- 1975's 'Blue Eyed Boy' b/w 'You Got Me Rollin' (Atlantic catalog number K 10613)
(side
2) Holton's vocals sounded like he choking on his own phlegm, but 'Old Time Boogie' offered up another slice of mindless fun. 2.) The Turk (An'Wot'E Smokes) (instrumental) (Cosmo Verrico) - 4:02 rating: *** stars Penned by Verrico, the lone instrumental 'The Turk (An'Wot'E Smokes)' finally gave him a chance to showcase his guitar. YouTube has a live take of the song from a July, 1975 appearance on the Jukebox television program: Heavy Metal Kids - Crises 3.) Crisis (Mickey Waller) - 3:32 rating: **** stars 'Crisis' was one of two songs apparently left over from sessions for the debut album (note the Mick Waller credit). With Holton favoring his Bon Scott-styled delivery, the tune had one of the album's stronger melodies and a truly commercial refrain. Taken from the same July, 1975 appearance on the Jukebox television program, 'Crises' starts at the 2:30 mark: Heavy Metal Kids - Crises 4.) The Cops Are Coming (Mickey Waller) - 3:45 rating: **** stars C'mon tell me you can listen to 'The Cops Are Coming' without breaking out into a smile. Yeah, the lyrics were sophomoric; the delivery ragtag, but that's about the right level of sophistication for my intellect. This one reflected the same sense of danger as found watching a Tim and Jerry cartoon. Add in a great chorus and it should have become a radio staple. Kudos to drummer Boyce's performance on this one. Neither the sound, or video quality are great, but YouTube has a clip of the band performing the song for a 1976 appearance on French television: Q125 TMO HSI RVL Red Carpet 15 | T-Mobile 5.) The Big Fire (Danny Peyronel) - 4:35 Again recalling something out of the Mott the Hoople catalog, complete with a Slavic-tinged melody, 'The Big Fire' was the album's oddest offering. The track was tapped as a French single;
- 1975's 'The Big Fire' b/w 'Blue Eyes Boy' (Atlantic catalog number 10627)
© Scott R. Blackerby April 25, 2025
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ds"
debut. Perhaps the overall sound was a little more Faces-meet-Mott the
Hoople rawness this time around.
With the entire band contributing to writing chores, tracks like 'Hard at the Top',
'On the Street' and 'Situations Outta Control' didn't
score very high on the sophistication or originality scales, but that was compensated
for with energy and a sense of aggressive fun. Be sure to checkout former
band guitarist Mickey Waller's classic 'The Cops Are Coming'. With the
exception of the odd anthem closer 'The Big Fire', you got the feeling these
guys knew not to take themselves too seriously. Sounding like a mash-up of
Ian Hunter and AC/DC's Bon Scott, lead singer
Gary Holton had the perfect tear-out-your larynx voice for this
material. Verrico didn't get showcased very often, but he was a
talented guitarist and the Boyce-Thomas rhythm section was tight
throughout. Imagine the attitude of a snotty punk band, but with
musically proficient. You clearly would not have wanted your young
daughter hanging out with these guys. In spite of initial doubts, I'll admit
to being a convert. It's a great party album.
