Hello - Teenage Revolution, 1975

Hellowere a pop group whose greatest success happened during the limbo period between glam rock and punk, and have been almost forgotten about nowadays. Produced by Mike Leander, better known for his work with Gary Glitter, between 1974 and 76 they managed to rack up a couple of hits, with a fat, compressed and hand clap heavy sound not unlike Glitter's, although less camp.

Their success in the UK was patchy - their Games Upsingle, written by The Glitter Band unexpectedly flopped, and their debut LP, Keeps Us Off the Streetswas released to little interest in late 1975.

Most of the album consists of covers and tracks written by their patron of sorts, Russ Ballard from Argent, but the most intruiging track was penned by band member and drummer Jeff Allen.

Teenage Revolution, the opening track on the LP, was scheduled as a single before being pulled, and this cancellation makes this tune an intruiging might-have-been.

The glam rock genre is full of paens to youthful rebellion; School's Out, Children of the Revolution, All The Young Dudes are just three exmples. But most were written by men in their mid twenties - the members of Hello were much closer in age to future members of the punk movement.

Sonically, Teenage Revolution doesn't predict what was to come, and is best described as a bubblegum Blues number. Starkly orchestrated with thumping guitar and harmonica and interspersed with waves of buzzing analogue synth and the percussive sound of what seems to be rifles being loaded, there's a definite sense of menace rarely seen in pop music from this period.