Richard Hell

Richard Hell set the standard for reckless hard-living and articulated (if in a simple way) the disengaged politics and decadent hedonism of a bunch of heroin-addicted pro-punks in the 1970s. No one could play bass with as much vengeance, and songs like the title track, "I'm Your Man" and "Pure Pleasure" almost stand the test of time.

Like all the best CBGB bands, the Voidoids make unique music from a reputedly immutable formula, with jagged, shifting rhythms accentuated by Hell's indifference to vocal amenities like key and timbre. I'm no great devotee of this approach, which harks back to Captain Beefheart. So when I say that Hell's songs get through to me, that's a compliment: I intend to save this record for those very special occasions when I feel like turning into a nervous wreck. (Grade - A-)