Album: Stoneage Romeos
Year: 1984
So here’s a thing I just learned: Dave Faulkner, lead singer and principle song writer for those Hoodoo Gurus, is now a pop music critic for The Saturday Paper in Australia.
Which is doubly good, because one thing I like is knowing where a music critic is coming from, and I’ve known exactly where Faulkner is coming from since the first time I heard the searing “(Let’s All) Turn On” back in 1984.
“Shake Some Action”
“Psychotic Reaction”
No satisfaction
“Sky Pilot,”
Sky Saxon
That’s what I like
That’s what I like“Blitzkrieg Bop”
Do the Jailhouse Rock
“Stop, Stop”
“At The Hop”
Do the Blue-jean pop
That’s what I like
That’s what I like
That’s what I like
A non-punk song done at punk speed, featuring a circular repeating bassline and guitar riff, “(Let’s All) Turn On” attempts to cram all of the energy of all of these songs into a single song, which means a plethora of guitar leads, drum builds and even a harmonica wailing away throughout.
“Born To Lose”
Those summertime blues
In blue suede shoes
The Hoodoo Gurus
That’s what I like
That’s what I like“Waiting for My Man”
Baby, can the can
“I Wanna Hold Your Hand”
Remember Sam The Sham?
That’s what I like
That’s what I like
That’s what I like
One one hand, “(Let’s All) Turn On” is nothing more than a glorified list, but on the other hand, it’s also a pre-emptive strike on the inevitable “so, what are your influences” question. Because they’re all right there in the song.
“When You Walk in The Room”
“Sunny Afternoon”
A-wop-bop a-loo-bop,
A-lop-bam-boom
That’s what I like
That’s what I like“Sugar Sugar”
“Talk Talk”
“Money Honey”
Boardwalk
Who wears short shorts?
(We wear short shorts)
That’s what I like
That’s what I like
That’s what I like
Walking the line between completely nonsensical and totally essential, (“Let’s All) Turn On” is also part of a glorious tradition of super-rocking list songs that include Deep Purple’s “Speed King” and R.E.M.’s “It’s The End of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine).”
So let’s all turn on!
“(Let’s All) Turn On”
“(Let’s All) Turn On” performed live in 1987