Various artists - Cockney rejects greatest tribute 7'' (1997)

Tracklist:
01. Bovver 96 - Oi Oi Oi
02. The authority! - Headbanger
03. First strike - Police car
04. The trouble makers - Flares n' slippers (Canada)

Released as a collaboration between DSS records and Longshot records in 1997.

3 great American bands and a damn good Canadian band doing covers of one of my favourite old British punkbands. Cant really go wrong there. Or can it?
The record starts of ok with Bovver 96 doing a cover of their most famous songs but as great as the original song is this one doesnt really do it any good. Jersey Diabla is a great singer but she fitts more on aggressive songs and it isnt really untill the chorus she sounds like she should.
Next song is performed by The authority! (the first lineup) and they are probably the only band on the 7'' that really captures the CR feeling in their song.
The third song is also the biggest letdown. First strike has always been one of my favourite American bands but their version of CR's Police car is far from good. I like the "retarded" style of singin that First strike has on their records but when you know how great the original song is with Stinky on vocals it just sounds retarded without the ""'s.
Last song is performed by a Canadian band called The trouble makers that i am a big fan of. They oftenly sing in French and has adopted much of their sound from Swedish bands like Enhärjarna, Ultima thule and Perkele. This time they sing classic Oi! in english and its somewhere there that they loose me.

Dont see the point in all these bands doing straight covers of Cockney rejects. It would have been so much better if the bands could have taken the songs and done something better or atleast experimented with the songs a bit. The way the songs are on this record is straight copies of the original songs but worse ones. Why couldnt The trouble makers have done the song in French and why didnt The authority! involve some piano in their version of Headbanger? It was their trademark around that time wasnt it?
This record has been sold out for some years now so you going out buying it is not a risk. Go down to your local vintagestore and pick up some old records by Cockney rejects if you want some good classic Oi! (i bought their The power & the glory in mint condition for under a dollar last month hehe clueless jazzfreak behind the counter).
5/10

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