SOUNDS March 13, 1982
CHARLIE HARPER
'Stolen Property'
(Flicknife SHARP 100)***
DESPITE HIS 'career' amongst the rabble-rousing punk rock of the UK Subs,
rhythm 'n' blues remain the musical anchor, the soul food and, most probably,
the solid influence behind Charles Harper. Take another listen to those
Subs albums.
I mean, 'Louie Louie', 'Hoochie Coochie Man','Hog For You Baby' ... 'Waiting
For My Man'? With the exception of 'Let's Go Go' and the admittedly admirable
'Night Of The Jackal', 'Stolen Property' is no more than a collection of
Lou Reed/Bo Diddley/Chuck Berry covers and I sincerely doubt whether anyone
other than Charlie Harper could get away with such gall.
However, he does. 'Femme Fatale', featuring Rachel of Dolly Mixture, is
delightful, a good turn too since it's about time that band had their best
(cover) song applied to vinyl, while 'Light My Fire' is equally strong.
And the general atmosphere of the album is an invitation to enjoy. No class,
no pretensions either.
'Stolen Property' is, in fact, a recorded version of the Tooting Flyers,
Harper's erstwhile excuse for pubbing it around South London playing live
R&B, and it features some of those included in the venture. Mood Six's Tony
Conway on guitar plus ex-Subs drummer Pete Davies and bassist Steve Slack,
for example. And it's not to be taken too seriously. As if you would ...