If you grew up around the time I did, it was basically compulsory to own a RHCP album, often more than one. I own six, which - with the hindsight of age - is clearly far too many. I stopped after Californication, which I'm pretty sure was the point when most people agreed it was now definitely time to stop - my collection is then six of the seven they'd released up until 1999. Luckily, this is the only one I have on vinyl, so the only one you'll have to read my thoughts on.
A friend of mine who played the bass got into the Chili Peppers after reading a list of the 100 best albums, as rated by a bass guitar magazine; Blood Sugar Sex Magik was number one and he instantly became a huge fan. I picked up a few albums as and when I found them, including this copy of their debut for a mere £3.50 at a record fair (where I also got Blood Sugar Sex Magik on cd on the same day. Needless to say, that would get more play over the years that followed than this one did).
As of this moment, I can't say how many years have passed since the last time the needle hit the record on this album. I don't have mp3s of these songs, so I've not heard these songs in many, many years. Have the years helped it? No. True Men Don't Kill Coyotes was always a highlight and sounds pretty good, all considering. On first listen, all those years ago, I wondered if maybe early Chili Peppers was the era for me having not particularly gelled with the more recent era (despite my rampant album buying I wasn't a huge fan - I felt there was more to get from them that I wasn't seeing so kept buying more). However, Baby Appeal swiftly followed and quickly made me realise that wasn't the case. The real low of the album is Green Heaven, which is musically dull (a feat quite difficult for a funk band) beneath some of the most turgid lyrics surely ever committed to a major label debut. Mummy, Where's Daddy? is pretty dire too. Easily a contender for worst Side Two Track Two.
It's hard to predict when, if ever, I'll play this album again. I'm impressed by how well True Men Don't Kill Coyotes has aged, but that is more than cancelled out by how horrified I am by the rest of the album. I've clearly repressed a lot of memories of it.
Format: 12"
Tracks: 11
Cost: £3.50 second-hand
Bought: Record Fair, Southampton
When: 26/10/02
Colour: Black
Etching: none
mp3s: no
