This is the debut from leather clad rocker Suzi Quatro, containing the hit dingles ’48 Crash’ and ‘Can The Can’.
Written by: Eric
ARTIST: Suzi Quatro
ALBUM: Can The Can
LABEL: EMI/RAK
SERIAL: SRAK-505
YEAR: 1973
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Suzi Quatro – lead vocals, bass * Len Tuckey – guitars, backing vocals * Alastair Mc Kenzie – piano, mellotron, backing vocals * Dave Neal – drums, backing vocals
TRACK LISTING: 01 48 Crash * 02 Glycerine Queen * 03 Shine My Machine * 04 Official Suburban Superman * 05 I Wanna Be Your Man * 06 Primitive Love * 07 All Shook Up * 08 Sticks And Stones * 09 Skin Tight Skin * 10 Get Back Mamma * 11 Rockin’ Moonbeam * 12 Shakin’ All Over * 13 Can The Can
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
Detroit’s Suzi Quatro burst onto the early 70’s glam rock scene with a string of hit singles and an attitude not seen from a female artist up to this point. She was tough, dripping in leather and she rocked, influencing a generation of female musicians, including ‘I Love Rock n’ Roll’ Joan Jett among others.
With numerous tours under her belt supporting Slade, Alice Cooper and Uriah Heep, Suzi Quatro was a bona fide superstar in England and Europe, yet an unknown in the United States until taking a supporting role on the TV show ‘Happy Days’ as Leather Tuscadero.
It was followed by a love it-or hate it hit single in 1979 ‘Stumblin’ In’, a duet with Smokie vocalist Chris Norman – another ‘popular in Europe’ artist who was never heard from again on US airwaves.
The Songs
For a debut, ‘Can The Can’ isn’t half bad with the two hit singles ’48 Crash’ and the title track written by none other than the dynamic duo of Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn who at the time were pounding out Mascara and Glitter coated rock for Sweet and Mud.
Both songs are unmistakable Chapman/Chinn sugar pop with hooks galore and empty calorie lyrics, but who cares? These guys knew how to write a pop song! Elsewhere on the album, Suzi covers The Beatles ‘I Wanna Be Your Man’ and Elvis Presley‘s ‘All Shook Up’ and both are fun, but the original material co-written with husband and guitar player Len Tuckey pales in comparison.
The rest of the record sounding more as filler for an artist that always came across better with her singles, a fate similar to Sweet in their early days.
In Summary
The album was released in Australia known as ‘Can The Can’. In all other territories the album was simply titled ‘Suzi Quatro’ and released mainly through the RAK label. Quatro has recorded several albums in the years since, all of varying quality but are worth checking out. Suzi is still touring Europe on the oldies circuit and has recently released a live DVD called predictably ‘Leather Forever’ as well as putting out a new single available for download on her web site. Nice to hear and see she’s still kicking out the jams!
