Radio Stars - Songs For Swinging Lovers (Reissue) (1977/2006)

Following the end of their underachieving glam supergroup Jet in 1976, the Radio Stars were formed by ex-John's Children vocalist Andy Ellison,Sparks exile Martin Gordon (bass, songwriting), and Ian MacLeod (guitar) in 1977. Later adding Steve Perry on drums, the group signed to Chiswick Records and released its debut album, Songs for Swinging Lovers, in 1977. On the fringes of both the punk and new wave scene, the Radio Stars were at heart a quirky rock band built around Gordon's songs and Ellison's enthusiastic vocals. Adding Trevor White (who was also in both Sparks and Jet) in 1978 they put out their second, somewhat disappointing record, Holiday Album. Gordon left soon after the record tanked, effectively ending the band, though Ellison attempted to revive the band's name to little success in the '80s. The group's recordings have been anthologized twice, first on 1982's Two Minutes Mr. Smith by the tiny Moonlight label, then on 1992's Somewhere There's a Place for Us by Ace.

In 1977 Punk Rock did not have a great sense of humour, however the Radio Stars did, which might explain why they were somewhat overlooked. Wit only drifts across the rock music landscape occasionally, usually it is a serious business. When it does it tends to wear a funny hat, but Radio Stars were slightly drier than that. This handy sized re-release of their first Chiswick L.P. in miniature, contains a Chuck Berry cover version and 11 originals, including the Top 39 hit Nervous Wreck, which is more ironic than many imagined at the time.