This is one of my all-time favorite KBD singles, released 2 months after I was born in December 1977. Neon Hearts hailed from Wolverhampton, which the map tells me is smack dab in the middle of England and right down the road from Birmingham. They featured future Killing Joke bassist Paul Raven, and the saxophone plays a big role in their sound, which I guess pushes them closer to new wave territory than punk territory. They played together for four years until breaking up in 1981, releasing an LP and three singles in that time, the first of which is presented here.This is a double A-side, self-released slice of fried gold. "Venus Eccentric" melds jangly guitars with a sax lead that just works. My favorite part? Keith Allen's drums sound so cool, like he has two different sized boxes and a pie tin for a cymbal. "Regulations" is definitely the punker of the two cuts. It has this fantastic tempo to it; the guitar is a buzzsaw, the sax, honking goose calls. It's super bratty, even with a four-measure guitar solo. This song is pure teenage ecstasy.
Overground Records in the UK reissued these two songs as part the "Ball & Chain" CD compilation back in 1997, and Germany's Last Year's Youth Records reissued them on vinyl back in 2001. So I'd say we're due for another release. In the meantime, check this slab out.
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