European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 2, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                By Roger Catlin Hartford courant a Friend came up with the idea before the 70s ended make a tape of those terrible one shot songs that Are so bad you a never buy the fam but not bad enough that you d switch the radio when they came on. Compiling what eventually became two tapes we Learned certain singles More easily made the category than others. Respectable artists were never included f6r even their worst efforts but some bands had every hit included All five from the Buckingham for example a can you name them. V All of Cher s Solo hits fit the Bill. Her especially glorious half Breed fits another important category As Well. Chalk it up As an another indignity suffered by the native american but nearly every pop song written about indians qualified. Scandinavia had a special touch for bringing out such songs we would have included every song Abba recorded had there been room. A private somewhat guilty pleasure at first the tapes took on a life of their own at parties. There you could double Load twin cassette decks and begin your assault switching Back and Forth when the outcry neared violence. A definite change of Pace from the predictable motown n talking Heads party tape the 70s hits invariably brought dramatically split reactions Between those thunderstruck with glee and the outraged who demanded a change in tunes. The Camps changed with every song and you a never know where there would be enough consensus to provide the truly weird moments of a party a frighteningly fervent sing along to signs by the five Man electrical band Quot and the sign said longhaired Freaky people need not apply a or an insipid Conga line to the electronic Maxwell House Coffee blips of Popcorn by hot butter. Now Rhino records has gotten into the same deranged Groove with a massive Multi disc set that will Delight and Appal you. The. California outfit has unleashed 10 budget priced volumes of super hits of the 70s have a Nice Day. At least another 10 seem a Good bet arranged chronologically and getting a head Start by starting in 1969vol. 10 Only reaches to 1973, before the first disco Light blinked. Once More the selections fit the criteria of delicious crud the one hit wonders vanity fare the cuff links stories Vicki Lawrence alive amp kicking the scandinavians Mouth amp Macneal the tee Settle misguided native american tribute Indian reservation one tin Soldier. But add to this the particular vagaries of the Early 70s. While everybody was listening to still new still progressive pm Rock radio am was awash with a treacly optimism the sugar coated glee of the Candy Man everything is Beautiful Beautiful sunday and Hitchin a ride. A hopeless wimps the surprising whines of sensitive has beens like Edward Bear last song Lobo i d love you to want Moor anything by alone again naturally Gilbert of Sullivan Are the Only thing More pitiful than the would be hippie Wisdom of say Brewer amp Shipley one Toke Over the line and the Only song to mention Crete neb Tarkio Road. A crude synths the then new technology sounds hopelessly outdated on. Popcorn the Edgar Winter group s Frankenstein and the surprising Solo on gallery a version of Mac Davis i believe in music. A aggressive mindlessness the Pipkins Gimme Dat Ding daddy dewdrops Chick Boom don7 a a Jess love it and Mouth amp Macneal s How do you do defy substance. A Jesus freaks Here a the hit Parade of 70s guitar masses a oceans put your hand in the hip god spell a Day by Day Murray Heads original superstar and Norman Greenbaum s spirit in the sky. A country concerns i beg your Pardon i never promised you a Rose Garden by Lynn Anderson or several Kris Kristofferson country classics a help me make it through the night and for the Good times not to mention Jerry Reed s various stomps when you re hot you re hot. Of course none of the Good music of the �?T70s a matured motown pre Punk Rock David Bowie and t. Rex Southern Rock and Singer songwriters a a fits these categories at All. There a a Good reason a lot of this crud sounds so similar the Lead Singer of the Pipkins Gimme Dat Bing was also Lead Singer for Edison Lighthouse love grows where my Rosemary. Goes and White Plains my baby loves lovin. The voice behind the cuff links Tracy was also the studio voice behind the archives a sugar sugar. Stilt the super hits Moniker has actually fooled people. The would be prestigious publication cd review says of the collection Quot anyone who said the �?T70s never produced any worthwhile music just might be eating those words Quot and the new York times critic intoned have a Nice Day is Quot a reminder of just How awful pop music was Quot in the �?T70s. But others Are catching on to the lowbrow fun. An and in the current spy Magazine advertised the Best worst of the 70s in a collection called the fabulous 70s featuring Many of the same favorite = tracks Billy done to be a hero seasons in the Sun Brandy you a re a Fine Girldon 7 pull your love advertised As Quot a nutty gift idea. Great for parties Quot it nonetheless shows How much easier it is to License these old songs than it is say the beatles Catalon. Meanwhile Here Are those five hits of the Buckingham if you still were guessing Susan hey baby they re playing our son mercy mercy mercy Don t you care and kind of a drag. Unforgettable blasts from the past now out on cd Scandinavia s Abba above and hopeless wimp Gilbert a alone again naturally a of Sullivan rights Only a half Breed Cher far right keeps coming Back. Have a Nice Day. Page 16 the stars and stripes monday july 2, 1990