Catching the Doctors unexpectedly in 1975, supporting Be-Bop
Deluxe, came as a bit of a shock for this then-15-year-old. I'd seen
glam-rockers wearing glitter and lipstick, but the Doctors, particularly their
bass player, Stoner, were a nightmare in panstick and mascara. That visual
impact nearly saw them through into punk, but their music was rooted in the
songwriter-end of prog-rock, with occasional touches of Krautrock. Kid Strange's
songs compare well with someone like Steve Harley, albeit in a much darker vein,
and the heavy violin workouts make for a varied and dynamic album. Sadly for
them, within 18 months, their 'show' had been eclipsed by an all-too-real
musical horror! Ozit have done a good repackaging job and discovered one extra
track from the sessions for the album, as well as adding three recent solo
acoustic versions by Mr. Strange, plus a couple of live tracks from the late
70s.
Trevor King, Record Collector, Nov 1999