“Hot Love” (MFP 5229) December 1971

Since I took early retirement a couple of years ago I spend a lot of time searching for cheap records in charity shops. I don’t mind taking a chance and spending a couple of quid on an album. It’s still quite a buzz finding vinyl junk.

I’ve decided to begin a new series on my blog where I’ll focus on a track from a budget label release, remaster a FLAC directly from the record, create a YouTube video and investigate / research the performer and album under the spotlight.

My new series will be called “Budget Label Curios.”

Who knows what I’ll uncover, the music may be delightful to your ears or it could make you want to bang your head against the nearest brick wall to make the pain go away.

The LP “Smash Hits ’71” cost £2 from a local charity shop, sadly, I can’t remember which one but I do remember grinning wildly when I first clapped my eyes on the cover.

Ah, the seventies . . . a magical time for budget label cover art and album photographs. What we have here is a scantily-clad lass, probably from a local Council Estate and paid a tenner to pose in her bikini bottoms. Her striped briefs are fastened tight by a giant safety pin.

If that wasn’t bizarre enough she’s also holding a rather chubby baby in her arms. The kid is wearing a nappy made out of the same material as the starry-eyed beauty’s bikini bottoms.

I just hope the roly-poly baby got a 99 with monkeys blood in payment for his afternoon’s graft at the photographers.

The go to track on the LP is a remake of “Hot Love” – originally a number one hit for T-Rex. Their single was released during February 1971 on Fly Records.

“Hot Love” is a long way from Marc Bolan’s modfreak sound he got with John’s Children in 1967 but we’re in the ’70s now maan and it’s essential to have pounding Glam Rock power.

The unknown studio musicians for the budget “Hot Hits” albums effortlessly recapture the T-Rex sound, complete with insidious bass guitar, tambourine, handclaps, punchy drums and dense orchestration . . . . smash hit 1971 style.