Thee Headcoats are the brain child of one of England's most prolific artists - "Thee" Billy Childish.  This 39 year old Limey bastard from Chatham has created more poetry, artwork, and music than The Sonics, Rimbaud and Kandinsky combined.  He is on more than 80 albums, has over 30 collections of poetry and has put to brush more than 1000 paintings!  Phew, I think I am too tired thinking about all the work he has done to finish this here review but I will do it Helen!

Someday I am going to have to find out what drives this art brut savant.  I starting digging Mr. Childish back in the early 80's as one of his bands, Thee Milkshakes, was featured on a compilation of Psychobilly music that I had called "Rockabilly Psychosis and the Garage Disease."  The lp featured acts like the Cramps, Hasil Adkins, and the Legendary Stardust Cowboy.  Thee Headcoats, however, (a headcoat is the head covering worn by Sherlock Holmes,) are a fusion of delta blues, garage punk, and 60's trash.  All the bands in the Childish ouevre are a mixture in varying degrees of the aforementioned elements.  His first, the Pop Rivets, had more of a Clash sound, his solo work almost African American chain gang, and Thee Mighty Caesars a screaming go-go salad.

Billy Childish put on a marvelous show for the packed audience.  I knew I had a splenderous time as the next day my neck and arms hurt from shaking like crazy. Sexy!  In addition to doing all the hits from his various Hangman, Get Hip, and Sub Pop recordings ("Comanche," "Why Don't You Smile Now," "Troubled Times," "Farmer John," must have been at least 20 tunes,) he covered a Hendrix number, "Let Me Stand Next to Your Fire," that he had never performed before live.  I think only Billy Childish could pull that off without looking real uncool.