Wreckless Eric - Big Smash!
Original Release Date
1980
Release Information
UK 2xLP 1980 (Stiff - SEEZ 21)
US 2xLP 1980 (Epic / Stiff - E2 36463 / SEEZ 21)
UK 2xCD 2007 (Stiff - CDSEEZ 21)
Odd Record
1 A Popsong 3:26
2 Tonight (Is My Night) 2:43
3 Too Busy 3:39
4 Broken Doll 3:50
5 Can I Be Your Hero? 2:26
6 Back In My Hometown 2:16
7 It'll Soon Be The Weekend 3:32
8 Strange Towns 3:33
9 Excuse Me 2:47
10 Break My Mind 3:10
11 Good Conversation 2:34
12 Out Of The Blue 4:23
Even Record
13 (I'd Go The) Whole Wide World 3:01
14 Take The Cash (K.A.S.H.) 3:40
15 Lets Go To The Pictures 3:09
16 Walking On The Surface Of The Moon 3:43
17 Hit + Miss Judy 4:35
18 I Wish It Would Rain 3:43
19 Reconnez Cherie 3:17
20 Veronica 2:39
21 Brain Thieves 4:00
22 Semaphore Signals 2:56
23 I Need A Situation 3:16
24 The Final Taxi 4:29
25 There Isn't Anything Else 2:46
CD Bonus Tracks (1993)
26 A Little Bit More 3:46
27 Take The Cash (K.A.S.H.) - Live 3:11
28 I Need A Situation - Live 3:26
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UK CD 2017 (Edsel - EDSA 5058)
1 A Pop Song 3:22
2 Tonight (Is My Night) 2:42
3 Too Busy 3:38
4 Broken Doll 3:49
5 Can I Be Your Hero? 2:24
6 Back In My Hometown 2:15
7 It'll Soon Be The Weekend 3:30
8 Strange Towns 3:31
9 Excuse Me 2:46
10 Break My Mind 3:09
11 Good Conversation 2:33
12 Out Of The Blue 3:22
Bonus Tracks
13 A Little Bit More 3:46
14 Take The Cash (Live) 3:11
15 I Need A Situation (Live) 3:26
Chart Placings
UK Chart Hit: 30, 1 wksCredits
1980 LP:
Tracks 1-12:
Eric:- vocals, organ on 'Hero', rhythm gtr. on "Too Busy" + gtr. solo on "Conversation".
Pete Gosling:- LOADS of lead gtr., electric + acoustic rhythm gtrs.
Walter Hacon:- electric + acoustic rhythm gtrs, lead gtr. on "Tonight" + "Broken Doll".
"Wildman" John Brown:- electric bass gtr.
Dave Otway (Professor Carnage):- drums + percussion.
Organ, piano + bits of acoustic gtr by Malcolm Morley
Brass on "Pop Song" + "Excuse Me" by John Earle + Dick Hanson
Clarinet on "Strange Towns" by John Earle
Pedal steel on "Hometown", "Break My Mind" + "Out Of The Blue" by Roger Rettig.
Backing vocals:- Eric, Walter, Bazza, Malcolm, Martin Ace (for an evening) + Philippa Thomas.
Produced by Bazza
Recorded at Parkgate Studios, Sussex + D.J.M., London.
Mixed at Air Studios, London by lan Winstanley.
Engineered by Mel Tober, Dick Plant + Tim Cuthbertson.
Tracks 13-25:
13: Produced by Nick Lowe, remixed by Bazza on the China Shop
14, 16, 24: Produced by Pete Solley
15, 17, 23: Produced by Shane O'Fancy, mixed by Nick Garvey
18: Produced by Wreckless Eric as a demo
19: Produced by Larry Wallis, remixed by Dave Robinson
20: Produced by Pete Solley, remixed by Roger Bechirian
21, 25: Produced by Larry Wallis
22: Produced by Ian Dury
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EDSA 5058:
Produced by Bazza and mixed by lan Winstanley at Parkgate Studios, Sussex, D.J.M. London and Air Studios London.
Engineered by Mel Tober, Dick Plant and Tim Cuthbertson.
Wreckless Eric - vocals, rhythm guitar on Too Busy, organ on Can I Be Your Hero, guitar solo on Good Conversation
Pete Gosling lead guitar, electric and acoustic rhythm guitars
Walter Hacon - electric and acoustic rhythm guitars, lead guitar on Tonight and Broken Doll
John Brown - electric bass guitar
Dave Otway (Professor Carnage) - drums and percussion
Malcolm Morley - organ, piano and acoustic guitar
Brass on A Popsong and Excuse Me by John Earle and Dick Hanson
Clarinet on Strange Towns by John Earle
Pedal steel on Back In My Hometown, Break My Mind and Out Of The Blue by Roger Rettig
Backing vocals - Eric, Walter, Bazza, Malcolm, Martin Ace (for an evening) + Philippa Thomas
Project manager - Phil Penman
CD mastering - Phil Kinrade at Alchemy
13: Released as b-side of US single of Broken Doll. Produced by Bazza, mixed by lan Winstanley
14-15: Recorded on the 2JJJ Mobile, live in Sydney Australia
Additional Credits
1980 LP/1993 CD:
13, 22: Whole Wide World 7", released August 1977 (although C1 is remixed)
14, 16, 20, 24: From The Wonderful World Of Wreckless Eric LP, released October 1978 (although track 20 is remixed)
15, 17, 23: Hit And Miss Judy 7"/12", released July 1979
18: B-Side of Crying, Waiting, Hoping 7", released November 1978
19, 21, 25: From Wreckless Eric LP, released March 1978 (although 19 is remixed)
Bonus Tracks on 1993 CD:
26: B-Side of US Version of Broken Doll 7", released March 1980
27-28: B-Side It'll Soon Be The Weekend 7", released August 1980 in Australia only
Bonus Tracks on 2017 CD:
13: B-Side of US Version of Broken Doll 7", released March 1980
14-15: B-Side It'll Soon Be The Weekend 7", released August 1980 in Australia only
Reviews & Opinions
DAVID HEPWORTH, SMASH HITS, APRIL 3-16, 1980: A pity Wreckless has lumbered himself with this drunken fool image so that no one takes him seriously - because the man's a genius. Here he seeks that elusive breakthrough via this bargain double with two sides of his greatest sandwiching a new album of some of the best raucous pop-rock you're ever likely to hear. Everything from gritty to witty, it's great stuff and brilliantly enjoyable. Buy this one - both you and Eric deserve it. (8 out of 10).
TERRY STAUNTON, RECORD COLLECTOR, 2007: Bringing together his first two long players, Big Smash! is a terrific compendium of Stiff's most notorious nearly-man. It’s a ragbag of low-fi pop ditties oozing with charm (Veronica, Reconnez Cherie, Semaphore Signals), where heart and intent play a more vital role than Grade A musicianship. Eric’s awkwardness and amateurishness were arguably his biggest selling points. The work of such a dishevelled, shambling individual is unthinkable in today’s glossobsessed singles market. Curiously, his biggest success came when one of the tracks featured here, Broken Doll, was covered by Cliff Richard, of all people. It resulted in tidy royalty cheques, which helped Eric continue his idiosyncratic career long after Stiff shut up shop in the early '80s. To have these 28 songs back in catalogue again is cause for celebration.
Additional Notes
Disc two had previously been released as a stand-alone US LP, The Whole Wide World.
Images
UK 2xLP 1980 (Stiff - SEEZ 21). Click here for more
US 2xLP 1980 (Epic/Stiff - E2 36463/SEEZ 21). Click here for more
UK 2xCD 2007 (Stiff - CD SEEZ 21). Click here for more
UK CD 2017 (Edsel - EDSA 5058). Digipak. Click here for more
