"And now for something completely different..."

Found when reading an interview with Repo Man director/former Moviedrome host Alex Cox, one of my favourite new-to-me discoveries of this decade: the 1980 EP by L.A Chicano Punk band The Brat. Bird up front on vocals, teenage angst on deck, and a strong ear for a tune. Comparisons with X are inevitable, but The Brat were rawer which generally helps Punk music age better dunnit?



Related trivia: when Alex Cox first met Harry Dean Stanton's agent he tried to get Cox to consider another one of his clients for the role of Bud in Repo Man instead of Stanton.

All seemed to be going properly and professionally, so I paid a courtesy visit to Harry's agent at the most famous Hollywood agency. This was an eye opener. I spent 20 minutes chatting to the agent about what a great actor Harry was, and the wonderful work he'd done. The agent listened and then said, ‘Harry Dean's okay, but he's past it. You need someone younger, more up-and-coming. I also represent Mick Jagger. Why don't you offer Mick the part?’

This gobsmacked me. First, Jagger was completely wrong for the role of a grizzled, burned-out L.A repo man. And second, the agent was out of line. We'd offered Harry the part, and here his agent was trying to do him out of the job. It was immoral, surely a breach of contract, and stupid. I replied that Harry's age, experience, and nationality made him the best choice, made my excuses and left.