Chinese Cowboys Live 1987

Back from another of their periodic hiatuses, the Pink Fairies reconvened in 1987 around a lineup that paid homage to every past grouping the band had ever enjoyed -- even to the extent of employing two drummers, Twink and Russell Hunter. Add guitarists Larry Wallis and Andy Colquhoun, and bassist Duncan Sanderson, and here was a bunch of sweeties that even the purists would love. The repertoire, too, serves up the greatest Fairies set you could imagine. Recorded at a couple of different shows (including one at a speedway stadium), Chinese Cowboys cherry picks from all three original Fairies albums, to serve up almost desperately dynamic versions of "Do It," "Street Urchin," "City Kids," and an excoriating ten minutes of "Walk Don't Run," around which a slew of friends and relatives cavort with equal abandon. Mick Farren's "When's the Fun Begin" is an early set highlight; Wallis' solo "Police Car," stretched out to three times its vinyl-length, is in on the blazing finale. The sound quality is superb, and superbly rough, throughout -- turn it up and you really could be there; turn it up even louder, and your neighbors could join you. And, though they might complain at the time, secretly they'll love every moment. After all, it's the Fairies. How could anyone do otherwise? ~ Dave Thompson|