ZIP ZIP!
The Soft Boys! Sometimes I think there is no better sound than Kimberley Rew and Robyn Hitchcock’s interlocking psychedelic guitars. And this recording, from the band’s brief east coast Underwater Moonlight tour in 1980, is full of that sound. The audio here isn’t perfect, but it’s very listenable, capturing the supremely tight Soft Boys in front of a very enthusiastic Maxwell’s crowd in Hoboken, NJ. 21 years later, I caught the reunited band at this very same venue. As nice as that show was, I think I’d’ve rather seen this one. There’s a selection of tunes from the two proper Soft Boys records, along with a handful of rarities, including two Barrett-era Floyd covers, Maureen & the Meatpackers’ “Zip Zip” and “Out of the Picture,” which would emerge on Hitchcock’s excellent solo debut, Black Snake Diamond Role. “Out of the Picture,” by the way, has been appearing in setlists from Robyn’s current tour with the Venus 3 — a welcome return of a great song. If only he would deign to play Colorado sometime. Enjoy this show, it’s one of my favorites. And if anyone out there has more classic-era Soft Boys recordings, get in touch! I don’t have many.
