Hooked (Hello Sailor) (LP 2715)

Hello Sailor  Hello Sailor (Vinyl, Key Records, 1977) *****  

Genre: NZ music, rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Blue Lady

Gear costume: Gutter Black

Active compensatory factors: Interesting that Gutter Black (the lead off song on side one) has over 11 million listens on Spotify and Blue Lady only has 4 mill.

This was the band's debut album and it distills all that is best about the band - Faces/Stones style guitar riff-a-ramas, attitude songs about the down and out underbelly of Auckland life, and in lead singer Graham Brazier they had a genuine rawk staaar.

They were far from a one trick pony though as Dave McArtney and Harry Lyons were also talented singers, songwriters and musicians (is in Harry's case as he's still with us - McArtney and Brazier both died far too young).

Five stars? Oh yes! A Nu Zild classic!

Where do they all belong? At the time I was more a Split Enz/ Citizen Band fan (The Beatle influenced locals) than a dedicated follower of Hello Sailor, so I only have this album and memories of seeing them at The Gluepot (I think - maybe it was The Windsor Castle) with Mike and Greg. Should try to get their second album Pacifica Amour at some stage, though.