Doll By Doll: Night of the Psychotic Woodsmen

Major Doll by Doll piece by Kris Needs shortly before the release of the debut album Remember (23 March 1979), nine months after the first interview in ZigZag No. 85. Needs raves about the album, which was recorded live, apart from a few overdubs, at Wessex Studios with Bill Price, describes “Sleeping Partner”, “Chances”, “Janice”, “More Than Human” and “Palace of Love” (as a shortened single, because “Teenage Lightning” could no longer be pulled off after three attempts). He recounts the path since summer 1978: ZigZag as a port of call for record companies, the contract with Nick Mobbs' Automatic (WEA distribution), being thrown off the Devo tour after two concerts (“not Devo enough”), the band still living in a squatted house in Maida Vale (“Hard Ventures HQ”). Leven is annoyed about an advance review in Sounds. In conversation, over whisky, Leven (and Jo Shaw) explain that the band are “amateur”, its members “all fucked up”, standing outside political camps and rock clichés. Then the interview turns dark: Leven speaks of a “death trip” of the band, predicts his own end “within the next three LPs”, compares himself to Sid Vicious (whom he knew from Maida Vale) and tells of a suicide attempt before Christmas 1978. The next day in the pub he is relaxed again; at night Needs listens to Leven's “Spanish only” solo album (Control). Outlook: tours, a second album in the autumn, new songs such as “Hell Game” and “An Honest Woman”. Tone: fanlike, moved.