Milkbox 2

Who in their right minds would release four albums on the same day…? Who in their right minds – being a mainly vocal group – would release an album of lyricless music…? And who in their right minds would buy this stuff…?
 
Well, here’s a collection of four more delectable morsels for your educated palate which will hopefully provide answers to those questions.
 

FOURTEEN RHYTHM & BEAT GREATS
The second Milkshakes album to be released was Fourteen Rhythm & Beat Greats and highlights the group’s penchant for rock ’n’ roll from the ’50s and ’60s right through to punk rock. As stated in volume one of this series, ‘Black Sails in The Moonlight’ is a direct reference to ‘Red Sails In The Sunset, a favourite tune of the lads off the Beatles At The Star Club L.P., which must be considered a key influence on the group. That number is featured here and acts as a reminder that The Milkshakes were the last group to play at the original Star Club in Hamburg, before it was razed to the ground by a fi re in the early 1980s. It was, at the time, known as the Salambo, the biggest theatre on the Reeperbahn, and managed by a character monikered the ‘Sex Pope’. In negotiations with said gentleman, it was agreed that the Salambo would revert back to the legendary Star Club for one night only, to allow The Milkshakes to play a historic gig there (see Hamburg press). During the event artefacts such as pieces of the original stage were auctioned off. Until recently, Bruce still had a strip of the original stage curtain, which he somewhat optimistically hoped to transform into a “Lucky Star Club Tie”, but unfortunately it disintegrated before that happened. Stories of The Milkshakes’ complimentary visit to the club the following night are mostly fabricated (especially the one about bass player Bertie’s banana trick).
 
THE MILKSHAKES IV — THE MEN WITH THE GOLDEN GUITARS
Instrumentals had always played a key role in The Milkshakes’ set, so for their fourth long player, inspired by the likes of Link Wray, the boys set out to compose their own collection of guitar-led wordless tunes. Long thought lost, the tapes of The Men With The Golden Guitars had to be specially baked to make them edible, sorry – audible – to the consumer. The L.P., recently reissued, is now selling like hot cakes, which are also edible, sorry – audible – no, sorry – edible. I think. Either way, this version contains one tasty track which was omitted from the original release – ‘The Wrong Man’.
 
 
THE MILKSHAKES IN GERMANY
Along with Nothing Can Stop These Men, 20 Rock ’n’ Roll Hits and Showcase (their US debut release), In Germany was released on the same day in 1984 on Berlin’s Wall City Records. Ironically, the photograph for the cover of The Milkshakes In Germany was actually taken in Rochester, England. One afternoon, while sipping tea on the deck of Mickey’s boat, he and Billy were distracted by an angry dot which appeared on the horizon. Two hours later it seemed – as it was moving so slowly – a Junkers JU52 (Mick’s favourite WW2 aircraft) flew noisily a few hundred feet above their heads on its way to Rochester’s airfield. Rounding up drummer Bruce, new bass player Russ and friend and photographer Eugene Doyen, our gallant gang made their way to the airfield and after consulting with the owner arranged a photo shoot featuring the aircraft. They also clambered all over the Junkers like four excited kids. The JU52 famously appears in many classic wartime feature films, including Where Eagles Dare To Land, One Of Our Cuckoos Is Missing, and who can forget, The Guns Of Lena Zavoroni? Other favourite Milkshakes wartime films include I Shaved Monty, Going Down On Dawn and that well known family favourite, Come Here, Lassie, I Got A Treat For Thee.
 
NOTHING CAN STOP THESE MEN
On the now famous and much copied L.P. cover of Nothing Can Stop These Men we see the maturing Milkshakes on Rochester Bridge spanning the river Medway. They often liked to span rivers. Studying the cover, it becomes obvious to the viewer why our four handsomely debonair and chiselled heroes caused sensation and sparked pandemonium every time they visited the outskirts of Strood. Furthermore, listening to the songs, it becomes evident why knicker sales went through the roof in the Medway towns at the time this record was first released. “Nothing can stop these men!”, they said at the time; but that was before whiskey, bladder problems and too many numerous lawsuits to mention took their toll. So, there we have it, four rehashed platters of rock ’n’ roll nosh for you creatures of all ages to get your baby teeth, gnashers and dentures stuck into. Guten appetit!