By: Heartbreakers / Johnny Thunders - L.a.m.f. (CD)

The Heartbreakers revolved around two former members of the New York Dolls, Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan. Having decamped to London in 1976, they became an integral part of the early punk circuit before recording their solitary studio album. The set contains some of the era's most expressive songs, notably "Born Too Loose" and "Chinese Rocks", the latter a chilling account of heroin addiction, co-written with Dee Dee Ramone. Tight, unfussy playing emphasises the power of material that proved pivotal in the development of the new music in both the UK and USA. Sadly, the featured line-up disintegrated soon afterwards and numerous permutations failed to recreate its strengths.