Johnny Moped
Quonk! – Damaged Goods
Those who thought that proto-punk pioneers Johnny Moped would start to slow down once
vocalist Paul Halford received his bus pass had better think again. Opening track ‘Heebie Jeebie
Boogie’ finds the band arriving with the throttle wide open and they rarely let up over the course
of eleven raucous cuts. Without skipping a beat, the following ‘Roxy You’re Gone’ is suitably
snotty and with foot hard on the (distortion) pedal takes the listener on a wild ride (so hang on
tight). Johnny Moped’s past has been well chronicled and they’ve played with the good and
great of punk (The Damned) and metal (Motörhead), yet they’re not content to rest on former
glories and ‘Lockdown Boy’ places them firmly in the present. However, Quonk! exists in that
magical space where high energy pub rock morphs into punk, and it swings as such. It’s all very
pogo-inducing and these songs are sure to transfer well to the live environment where the likes
of ‘Doggy Woggy’ will raise a smile and a pint glass. Celebrating their fiftieth anniversary in style,
Quonk! suggests there’s plenty of mileage left in Johnny Moped so be sure to jump aboard at
the next opportunity.
Review by Peter Dennis