Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Bay City Rollers - Rock 'n' Roll Love Letter (1976)


Featuring quite possibly the ugliest group of teen heartthrobs ever. Not only do I resent their horrible faces, I also resent that they attempted to do the 80s feathered hair look about four years before the 80s actually began. Their outfits, of course, are too horrible to even mention.

2 comments:

Teri in NYC said...

Maybe you should do a little research before you start slagging others. The feathered hairstyle was big in the 1970s. Have you ever seen a movie, TV show, newsreel footage or photographs from prior to 1980? You'll see it everywhere. I also speak from personal experience as one who had that style haircut by the late '70s. But even if it were an invention of the 1980s, why in the world would you resent the Rollers for wearing the cut years earlier? Perhaps your logic is "stupid." Beauty is in the eye of the beholder dear so if you think the Rollers were ugly, fine, but speaking from the perspective of one of the many adolescent girls around the world who adored the Bay City Rollers, they stirred up many female hormones. And, they were a really good band who could cut it live. They were my first concert in 1976 in New York City and I saw them again almost 20 years later (minus lead singer Les). They were rockin' and tight with wonderful harmonies. The Rollers started up in '70s Glam Rock and evolved into a really great power pop band. The "Rock 'n' Roll Love Letter" single is an often overlooked power pop masterpiece. They continued to release great singles into 1979 including the gem "Turn On The Radio." Look it up and have a listen. The whole teen heartthrob thing was an invention of their manager and they spent years trying to overcome it. Are the tartan and denim suits a bit silly? Of course but so was a lot of clothing in those years and it's all become a bit endearing over time. Is the cover terrible and deserving to be on lists like these? No. It simply is a photo of the group in 1976 with the band logo. There's nothing crass here and no bad art. They don't deserve your venom.

Anonymous said...

i think Teri is largely correct in her observations although I think she sounds a little more incensed than than is necessary. I agree with you that this cover is not great. Kind of groan worthy, but IMHO it's more from the passage of time than anything else. Fashion don'ts. What were we thinking, back then? As the former owner of plaid pants and a short-sleeved polyester leisure suit.... I have literally walked the walk. It's a memory I can't unsee, and it's the best reason I have to really squirm when I see covers like this, and there are many.