Wow - Checking out some Undertones and Only Ones stuff and seen our song up on the playlist. Funny how other kids can be so obsessed with our hair, when truth be told, we could have cared sweet fuck all about it. For us it was all about the music. We never saw ourselves a punk rock band, though we loved the shit coming out at the same time as ours. We were a Rock and Roll band - Period. Anyone who doubts that should listen to some of the rest of that first lp. Reggae Reggae could be as much a power pop song as it is a reggae song. And yeah, that was me that Jonathan was looking at when singing "I'm Straight". I didn't care. I wasn't. For any of you all who might care, my dear friend, our rhythm guitarist on that first lp, as well as the Lowdowns lp, Billy Borgioli, passed away 2 weeks ago. Will miss him as much as I miss Allen, which is to say, alot. But to the fans who wrote in sharing their memories of the early Boston/NYC rock scene: it sucks that things ain't what they used to be, but that don't keep that love of REAL Rock and Roll down. Seems like you guys love it as much as we do. We have a new record out on Ace of Hearts Records, and have started recording a double lp for our second release. People who expect straight up rock from us will not be disappointed. Me and Billy Cole, who has played rhythm since '78, still wear our hair pretty much as we always have, and I still ain't straight, but we rock. And Jay-bar, the answer is "yes" my brother. Keep your eyes and ears open. We be playin'. And everybody else is invited down too! Let's see if we can't get it back again. Just like in "Better Be Good" John Felice

@RamusiewiczRockMe

9 жыл бұрын

john felicejoh Rock On, John !!! (Allan, Former Roadie for Reddy Teddy and a Person Who LOVED 'Living' at The Rat !!!)

@SupernovaA-dj8dh

8 жыл бұрын

Sorry for the loss of your bandmates and friends,John.I was 17 in '77,juuuust a little too young to have gone to the Rat but I went to a ton of shows early mid 80s.Bunrattys,Cantones,Chet's Last Call across from the Garden...

@milissa5678

8 жыл бұрын

+john felicejoh I still care.

@straycatsean

8 жыл бұрын

+john felicejoh It's hard enough to be in a rock n roll band these days, but I'm happy just to be alive.

@tfries1607

8 жыл бұрын

Classic fuckin record , as punk as any of the contemporary bands. Much respect.

One of the greatest rock-n-roll songs ever written. Period.

@felixfranzen7318

Жыл бұрын

Most definitely! Some times I'm certain that Shake Some Action is the best powerpop song of all time. But it just be this one. Do the Only Ones qualify as powerpop? They've got a couple of contenders as well.

@craighiggins2873

Жыл бұрын

@@felixfranzen7318 I'm not familiar with the Only Ones. I do agree with you about 'Shake Some Action'; I'm also a fan of the Flaming Groovies' cover of "River Deep, Mountain High".

@Spectrescup

7 ай бұрын

​@craighiggins2873 you could make a 12 track 'Best of' the Only Ones that would be one of the best records ever. Sadly heroin destroyed them by the time of the 3rd lp, and ignore the new stuff ( that goes for all reformed bands, cept Pere Ubu and maybe Wire). The first few Peel sessions are brilliant, as is 'Only Serpents Shine', the 2nd album. Plus Another Girl, Another Planet, of course, No Piece for the Wicked, It's the Truth, the version of Oh! Lucinda from the last Peel session etc etc. You'll not regret it. Plus, despite being a straight 'cis' ?(sorry) male, the picture of Perrett on the rear of the Baby's Got a Gun lp is my ideal of male attractiveness. That's if you like the pale, wasted look of course.

One of the greatest powerpop songs of all time, and the whole album is beyond great. This record changed my life -- I bought a Rickenbacker guitar a couple weeks after hearing it for the first time about 20 years ago. Still one of my all-time faves. The songs! The voice!

Thanks YT algorithm! My new favourite song. I hear some of The Jam and Replacements here. All around fun!

1977, 27 years old, drinking Jack Daniels, Jim Beam with Mickey O'Halloran, the Manager at Bunratty's in Allston/Brighton until 4 in the morning or until the sun came up.

Urban, modern, romantic, melodic, melancholic... One of the best rock'n'roll bands of 70s and early 80s. On stage, they were great.

Sounding not a little like the Groovies in the Shake Some Action years... a great US garage rock and roll record from a barely ever mentioned group. A class act!!!

Saw these guys on several Occasions in Boston back in the late 70's and early 80's. They kicked Ass.

Beautiful song, fills me with happiness and positive energy every time I hear it.

GREAT BAND...HEARD THIS AT THE RAT YEARS AGO...LOVED IT THEN AND NOW

I met Allen at a detox in '79. I was not ever part of his scene, I was more of an R &B fan, so he told me of his successes and failures in the music biz. He was short and sweet and had that bowl haircut. I saw him years later on Cape Cod when he was a drug counselor. I thought maybe I would see him again someday...maybe I will. Who knows? But I am very sad he is gone from this world.

@egretqueen1919

9 жыл бұрын

egretqueen opps...not '79, more like '83 maybe. Yeah, I am pretty sure it was '83., then I saw him on Cape Cod in 2002 or 3. He looked pretty good and still had the haircut haha! I am sorry I missed his music, I had a roommate who was always trying to get me to go with him to the Rat, but I never went. My loss.

@mahatmakanejeeves3706

9 жыл бұрын

egretqueen Shit!! That is how I knew him. Met him on the Cape. And he was healthy when I knew him. I then moved across the country, and when I came back he had already died. And he did have that same haircut.

this and the modern lovers....true Boston rock and roll

One of the best rock'n'roll (+pop-punk) bands in sonic history !

Fantastic Song,fantastic LP...at that time i was 16years old.....Now i'm 58,and i still love it !!

How come I didn't know about them until now? Rockin' out to the Real Kids - punky power-pop at best!

Pure music. This ain't even punk, this is just pure rock and roll.

@RamusiewiczRockMe

7 жыл бұрын

Jonah Fuerstenberg They called everything Punk back then because of the New York Scene when in fact you are 110% correct, it was pure ROCK ! Back then The Rat was my "2ND home" as I Roadies for Reddy Teddy

@RamusiewiczRockMe

7 жыл бұрын

to finish below: and got to know ALL the Boston Bands very well including the great and friendly Mr. John Felice. You can't however talk about it all without acknowledging it was Willie Alexander and the Boom Boom Band that kick started it all !!!

@obscurebandfan

7 жыл бұрын

Ramusiewicz It must have been a great scene in Boston back in the day. You lucked out with being a legitimate part of something great. I'm a Texan but Boston is probably my favorite city in northeast to visit. A rich history and it's significantly cleaner than say NYC lol. Also Bostonians know how to knock down beer haha, always a lovely experience. Tbh I'd rather live in Boston then Houston but hey, home is home.

@harryknackers7892

5 жыл бұрын

Punk is pure rock and roll too, you ignorant hippie.

@harryknackers7892

5 жыл бұрын

Yeah, and they saved rock and roll so hippies like you could keep going to your clubs, smoking dope, and listening to the Dead.

I love this song.

GREAT BAND...HEARD THIS AT THE RAT YEARS AGO...LOVED IT THEN AND NOW LOVE YA AL,,RIP

awesome tune I've never heard before! And I love my 77 punk!👌

@0oo00

Жыл бұрын

You overestimate yourself

As a young Bostonian, I am so proud that such a great band came out of the Boston area! Too bad I'm only 18 years old because I feel like I missed out on such a great time period for music. However, I did see the Real Kids at the Middle East in Central Square in Cambridge, just over a week ago, and they rocked. John Felice is a trooper, he was able to perform, despite the fact that he was under the weather.

@kevinbill9574

10 жыл бұрын

Glad to hear they are still going. I bought their album when it came out in '77. I LOVE this song and I'm from the UK

@kuru308

10 жыл бұрын

>Too bad I'm only 18 years old You what?

@monsieurlaguillotine3481

9 жыл бұрын

Jordan Cooper You have access to the internet. You can find any and all kinds of music if you want.

@ric9759

6 жыл бұрын

Great song. But don't wish or feel like you missed out.Those days are done. Now Make your own scene. Find your own music. Or even better make your own music. There is some good stuff out there, your just not going to find it the radio. You got to actively pursue it. That's what we did in the late 70s and early 80s (punk) without the internet but we managed (don't mean to sound condescending - I hate old farts who do that , trying my best not to be one). Basically the point is there is still something to be said for DIY. Don't wait for some else to create the sounds or for that matter the life you want, DO IT YOURSELF, and fuck what everybody else thinks. Fuck the media, Fuck "normal" society and "fuck me" - I'm probably as full of shit as anyone giving you advice - one thing ill say is think for yourself even or especially if its contrary to the mainstream. They always get it wrong. Doubt you ever read this but WTF; Disobey, Reject, Revolt - Fuck corporate America (world)

@dobbsiancant7736

6 жыл бұрын

felice lived next door to jonathan richman.he's the 'hippy johnny' in the modern lover's song 'i'm stratght' lol.

One of the best songs ever! ROCK'n'ROLL!!!

Just a great song. It makes me happy and that's ALL that matters.

This song is so fuckin awesome

Best example of the glorious american Power Pop times end of the 70s + early 80s. LikePaul Collins Beat, Twight Twilley and the very early (on Shelter) Tom Petty - and a lot more!

Great great greeeeaaaat record! Bought it in 1977,I'm still playing a lot on my records player, I love it!🎸🎵

@giulioluzzardi7632

6 ай бұрын

You lucky barstool, all my 45s ended up at "Wreckless records" , I had every punk new wave single from 1976 to 1979. I still have "New Rose" Damned though and it still plays after 456,000 plays!

@patrickbuzzo1970

6 ай бұрын

@@giulioluzzardi7632 ciao Giulio , purtroppo non ho più i miei dischi , in 10 minuti ho dato via 40 anni se non più della mia vita ; il motivo è stato dettato per esigenze di spazio , da quando mi sono trasferito dalla mia compagna, ho dovuto dar via un sacco di cose che avevo quando vivevo da solo , la casa è piccola , non abbiamo un garage , sicché mi sono rimasti ( almeno quelli) pochi Cd ed i 45 giri che tengo per ricordo , dal momento che non ho nemmeno più il giradischi. Quando presi il disco dei Real Kids ed il primo dei Damned avevo 16 anni ( 1977) e facevano parte della serie New Wave special price , costavano 3500 lire . Ricordi di gioventù. Ciao

This band is soooooo underrated.

I have this Vinyl at home, saw them at the Paradise, opened for them at the Rat. great times, man.

Boston Rocks yes 😁

Saw this great band at an old record shop in San Diego, Cali,... many years later the record shop closed and became a tire shop, go figure. Cheers to The Real Kids!!

@Mechani-Kong

Жыл бұрын

Sounds like San Diego tbh

Before Felice started the Real Kids, he was one of the original members of The Modern Lovers with Jonathan Richman.

@dobbsiancant7736

9 жыл бұрын

Nico Tena indeed,felice is the 'hippy johnny' in richman's song i'm straight_.'he's always stoned,he's never straight..'.

@Nico_Tena

9 жыл бұрын

dobbsiancant That song is hilarious!

@Nico_Tena

7 жыл бұрын

***** Wikipedia? Actually, no. Little booklets contained in the CD's of both bands and magazine articles concerning both. I don't waste my time with Wikipedia.

@wansotaiji

6 жыл бұрын

awesome great to have found out about this!!

@danthomas3112

2 жыл бұрын

they were neighbors

First time i hear this band. I listen cover version that did the punk rock band Klover in their 1995 album “feel lucky punk”.

This is a gem I missed back in my college radio dj days. What a shame. This is fucking awesome...

I found this album for $1.00 in 1981 at Record Swap in Urbana, Illinois. Been a fan ever since.

Beautiful Rock and Roll. Love this song.

Holy shit! ••• Mind blown! ••• My friend’s band has been playing this song for years and I had no idea it was a cover!

fab song made my happy

I bought this single, in 1977, in Italy. It was advertised/promoted in Rock magazines as Punk Rock, together with The Flaming Groovies, Blondie, Talking Heads, Police, The Jam, The Runaways, Ian Dury, etc... (and the obvious ones: Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Damned, The Stranglers, Richard Hell, Patti Smith, Dead Boys, The Clash, Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers, etc.. etc..) Great upload, thanks for the post

Had the pleasure playing in hull.

Years ago my friend and it took me to see the band and I fell in love with it even though I never heard those songs in my life I fell in love with this song and there's another sad ballad that I fell in love with even though I never heard your bands music before! I'm looking up the sad ballad now. I wish I knew what year it was it was somewhere in Manhattan. Probably some old grungy place with a black bathroom or something there so many of those in downtown Manhattan!

I was looking for punk rock in 1977 and found this LP and Live At The Rat at an import store in Surfers Paradise, QLD, Australia. Still not sure how that happened, but still have the LP on Red Star, and more importantly, still play it loud and often!

@deezcheney9730

2 жыл бұрын

I'm

@deezcheney9730

2 жыл бұрын

O

@deezcheney9730

2 жыл бұрын

Oke

@deezcheney9730

2 жыл бұрын

Ok

@deezcheney9730

2 жыл бұрын

Ole

my brother's band opened up for these guys and the fucking coolest guys I met!!!!!

I remember this Band.I got this 45.

one of the great records of 1977,john.all kindsa girls and better be good are classics.my absolute fave though was common at noon.sorry to hear about billy and also marty passed on 2 years ago,so happy that he put this out.i'm pretty sure that some real kids cds are still available through norton,records and billy and miriam are good people so buy them everyone! keep rocking felice!

thank you very much, i had this album and loved it's songs.....great

You could say Boston. I used to take the train up from NY to see them there and I tried never to miss them in NYC. Used to make eyes at the drummer. Wonderful people, really, and I also remember Marty Thau being very kind to them.

Saw the real kids in San Diego back in 90s , awesome set!!!

2023 ....never tired of this song

The best chorus ever.

A ebullient blast of power pop!

Pretty sure we opened for you guys at Cantone’s once. Man I miss those days.

GREAT SONG!!

awesome

This, laddies and ladettes, is perfect Rock N Roll

I missed this. Nice!

Yeah, that hit the spot.

You just introduced me to them! THANK YOU! Just bought their cd off iTunes! Now i have some jammin' tunes! Thanks for the intro!

Guess who's playing Slide Gtr, Mandolin & harmonica on the New Real Kids CD??? YA, Thats right. ME. Pretty cool. It's a true honor when a fan like myself can get dirty with the Real Kids.

Love this!

@High Number you rock. Thanks for being my friend.

Immense.

@regularnimnule9715

8 жыл бұрын

+steve hewitt Ain't it just?

@gleamingspire

8 жыл бұрын

So reminds me of Eddie & Hot Rods Life on The Line album from 1977, Stevie.

@patrickbuzzo1970

5 жыл бұрын

👍🎸👍🎸👍🎵

@patrickbuzzo1970

5 жыл бұрын

@@gleamingspire that's True !🎸

Support from a basement in Michigan.

Glorious.

October 2021,still listening....

awesome track....shared to the Netshows Radio "Program 168" Playlist on youtube

Greatest "band name" story ever

First time hearing in 2019 ...damn

@northernpunx1978

4 жыл бұрын

look further and farther my love!

This first album is great. Marty Thau had big ears.

Oh my.. give me a guitar !!! I love it !! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT !

John Felice was the "Hippie Johnnie" of the Modern Lovers song, "I'm Straight." I adored this group and saw them a lot in NYC, Boston and in Marty Thau's pad! I am sorry Alpo died. The drummer, Howie Ferguson and I made the goo goo eyes but both were too shy to say a word! I love this band! I was so glad to be there! The '70s did rock! xo from Ohio, NYC and France!

this rocks!

Ah, this song is the best.

nice!

Hairdooz on point 👌🏻

que lendaaa rola

wicked!

bless

I have the original 45. Version is a little different. I won't say better because I love the LP. The 45 has the beautiful Common At Noon on the flip side which is not on the LP. Did Oedipus produce the 45? I forget. Anyway The Kids have teamed up with Rick Harte and are making a new disc. Should be good!!!

Thau, yes, I believe he did. I see on their second album "Marty & Betty Thau" are credited for some piano cocktail music. My pal Miriam worked for Marty at Red Star for about a year. I was briefly in his studio in the West Village where the Real Kids were staying -- it was cute, there were bunks. Boys in the big city! I remember one of them lived around Electric Street in Boston and I thought that was so cool. Marty Thau is really nice, I am still sorta in touch kinda. Good guy.

this is bad ass

Hey, another indication that if you were a teen in the late '70's, radio cheated you.

Some day a bunch of kids with sleeve tattoos, Hot Topic gear and a sleazy manager will make a million off of this, and the original songwriter will get the shaft. It's a great song and spirited performance just begging to get ripped off!

killer!

@andshewas296

10 жыл бұрын

You got that right BOBBY!!

@andshewas296

9 жыл бұрын

Ellen wants you to get in touch with her!! NOW.

I don't think I've ever heard a guitar RUMBLE quite like Billy Borgioli's Les Paul on this album

This sounds exactly like the the kinda music the kids in _Over The Edge_ (1979) would be listening to, just prior to some crazy, messed up 1970s debauchery 🤣

Wow sounds make me flied! I know diz song from ma fav band: KLOVER!!

Heard you guys on the CBGBs or Ratt compilations back in the day. Don't remember which now! But it Rocked me.

10,000 likes and more!

This song rocks hard and I think Andy Paley may have produced it?

top 10 bands with taxi boys released some real kids rock n roll

I miss Alpo.

Massa demais. 08/09/2018.

You found good.

Best comment ever!!!!

JOHNNIE FELICE /GUITAR@VOCALS ALPO /BASS@VOCALS BILLY BORGEOLI /GUITARS @HOWIE /KEVIN /DRUMS BEST SONG OF A GREAT BAND !!!!!!

Remember when music was made by kids for kids and not by corporations

Enoooooorrrmmmmme !

The best shows were The Real Kids and DMZ at TheRat and Cantones

@milissa5678

6 жыл бұрын

so true!

Paul Collins Beaaaaaaat

@CatapultYourMom No doubt, the Pistols lp has better audio, but it's apples and oranges my friend. North American punk acts always had to record on the cheap and got no support from the mainstream press or radio. Be content with the pure joy of the performance! Cheers

@electrokinesis Yeah, they were something live..we used to say we went to the fights and a Real Kids show broke out. The Rat in Kenmore was a crazy awesome place.