5 Songs - The Dictators
Sorta punk pioneers fronted by former roadie and faux wrestler, Handsome Dick Manitoba.
The Dictators were critical favorites. That doesn't always means "don't sell many records." But in their case, it probably did. They released three studio albums in their heyday, in the late Seventies. They released a few more several decades later and a few live albums in the midst of it all. This list only draws from the first three albums.
Co-founder Ross the Boss Friedman also co-founded metal band Manowar (death to false metal!) after The Dictators' inital run. I thought for sure I had one of their early album, but it's not on the shelf. Original Dictators member Scott Kempner went on the found The Del-Lords, in 1982. Bruce Springsteen was said to be a fan of the early albums and provided a mid-song countoff in the fourth song listed below.
'I Got You Babe' - The first Dictators album, Go Girl Crazy!, (1975) is a goofy, mostly lighthearted affair that some have called proto-punk. Whatever. Their take on the Sonny and Cher song - complete with a touching (!) duet and rousing guitar - is a highlight.
'Weekend' - Also from the first album. There's nothing fancy here. Just a catchy song celebrating some of the simple pleasures of life.
'Sleepin With The TV On' - Manifest Destiny (1977) generally had a harder edge to it, but this song counts as a ballad, more or less. It works.
'Faster And Louder' - Bloodbrothers (1978) was even heavier, by my reckoning. It's likely the one I'd reach for nowadays, if I was going to listen to The Dictators. The song punches hard and I'd rank it as their best.
'Baby Let's Twist' - The second of the 1-2 punch that opens Bloodbrothers. Just as heavy, but with a catchier hook.
"Minnesota Strip" is such a great sleazy riff, but my all-time go to on Blood Brothers has to be "Stay With Me", a guaranteed crowd pleaser any time I play records out at a bar.