The Complete Eater

Editors’ Notes Eater in 1977 semi-famously covered Alice Cooper’s “(I’m) Eighteen” but cheekily changed its title and chorus to “Fifteen.” See, Eater and their singer, Andy Blade, were the youngest of the U.K. punks: too young to have been laughed out of the U.K. punk rock scene but also too good to not be taken seriously. Their punked-up version of T. Rex’s “Jeepster” turns sexual ache into teen lust that nearly careens out of control. Other covers (“Queen Bitch,” “Sweet Jane,” “Waiting for My Man”) are equally as great, steeped in that kind of early teen dreaming born of awesome record collections. Punk gave Eater a freedom to create their very own bash-and-pop din too, all mad-speedy, earnest as hell, half-naïve—the same stuff that makes any rock ’n’ roll timeless. Eater's “Lock It Up,” “Thinking of the USA," and “Public Toys” (a smart-beyond-their-years ditty about pop stardom) all made Lou Reed sound like a grandfather in the '70s. This set collects Eater’s only LP, The Album, plus tunes from comps and single A- and B-sides. Basically, it's their whole output. Nice.