Miswanderlust
Ann 1Albums That Changed My Life: The Knack: Get the Knack 1979
January 28th 2010 04:56
Most “radio friendly” rock bands of the 70s seemed to be fronted by some toothy pretty-boy who wanted only to chirp about his keen girl or his keen car or the keen time he and his buddies had on Saturday night. I just wanted a change from the “safety” of these musical offerings. I wanted excitement, adventure, and I wanted it now! Enter The Knack’s first album, “Get the Knack.” The Knack with their Beatlesque appearance (which actually worked against them) belted out “My Sharona”, a catchy power poppy gooey hit covering a dark, smirky, contemptuous hardness. Then hold the phone. The Knack came out with their hit “Good Girls Don’t” Who didn’t like explicit lyrics that moved past innuendo to the very threat of action -- and one that was loaded with parental fear? Many of my guy friends giggled in delight when GGD hit the airwaves while their female counterparts flushed with embarrassment (if they actually understood the lyrics).
It was this parental outcry that removed “Get the Knack” from the shelves of any “respectable” record store who self censored all LPs with questionable content. This little tidbit made me want it even more. I located a copy of the album at Dr. Feelgood’s (a local headshop). The only problem was that I was seventeen and all patrons of this fine establishment had to be 18 years of age. Soon after its release, my dad and I happened to “be in the neighborhood” so I appealed to his strong held belief against censorship and presented a valid enough case that he actually bought it for me. In retrospect, I chuckle because it never crossed my mind to get one of my older friends to buy it for me or to procure a fake ID to get one for myself. There is nothing like the feeling of giving the “finger” to the proverbial “Man” and the conservative right then going home and listening gleefully to your first “R rated” LP. BTW when I played it for my dad he just raised his eyebrows and sighed. I did, however, know better than to play it for my friends (until college). I am sure my parents would have put the kibosh on my listening pleasure if I had shared my musical taste with my peers!
The first concert I ever went to without parents was to see the Knack. My parents even let me drive “parent free” to Dallas’ McFarland auditorium with friends in tow. The band was great and really understood their audience (screaming teenaged girls and their clued in boyfriends who were hoping to get some after the concert).
I bought a shirt at that concert that simply said “The Knack”. The next day I wore it proudly. The jocks noticed. The nerds noticed. The potheads noticed. The ropers noticed. I talked to guys who had never given me a second thought. It was truly an inside joke between me and the males of my high school. For one day I was a rock star. It was the best day of my high school career….a real Ferris Bueller moment. Thirty years later, I still rock that Knack concert T-shirt. Take that however you want (wink).
PS. After the concert, there was some guy dressed in an ape costume chasing who chased us our car. That Damned dirty ape scared the shit out of us.
And it's a teenage sadness
Everyone has got to taste.
An in-between age madness
That you know you can't erase
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