Ricky Wilde 45 reviews

Ricky Wilde is a favorite here at pop45. He is the son of pre-Beatles British rocker Marty Wilde and the younger brother of Kim Wilde. He made records on Jonathan King's UK label before he was even a teenager.

I Am An Astronaut/Hertfordshire Rock
UK Records #18 - 1973
Ricky was only 11 when this record was released. The A-side is a really catchy novelty song with lots of bizarre sound effects and an inventive arrangement. The tune reminds me of "Neanderthal Man" by Hotlegs with the sounds from "Space Oddity". Dr. Demento has played this one on his novelty radio show.

Hearing the B-side, "Heretfordshire Rock" for the first time is an intense experience. The arrangement is really vicious, with feedback, crunching guitars and drums and loud handclaps. Ricky sounds like a teenie Suzi Quatro on this one. the lyric "Heretfordshire Rock" sounds more like "I'll Treat You Rough".

Mrs. Malinski/Cassette Blues
UK Records #59
We have never heard this single. Somebody please send us a copy!

Teen Wave/Round & Round
UK Records #63
"Teen Wave" is a (pre)teenage rock n' roll anthem in the vein of Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues" or the Jook's "Crazy Kids". The arrangement sounds like a Giorgio Moroder/Chicory Tip song because of the early use of synthesizers. It really has a great Glitter chorus with the backup singers yelling "NO!"

"Round and Round", the B-side, is a cool little song with acoustic guitar, tom tom drumming and bells.

I Wanna Go To A Disco/Bad Boy
UK Records #70
"I Wanna Go to A Disco" sound even more like Chicory Tip than "Teen Wave' does. The synth upfront and like the Chicory Tip song "Good Grief Christina", it sound like an updated Beach Boys surf song. The "Oo Ba Ba" backup vocals emphasize this. I can really relate to "Don't cut my hair..." part.

I have the DJ promo, so it doesn't include "Bad Boy", which is a cover of Marty Wilde's biggest Fifties hit.

April Love/Round And Round
UK Records 45-49013
"April Love" is a cover of Pat Boone's hit song. They probably thought that Donny Osmond's revival of "Puppy Love" made this a good idea. It wasn't.