We Have Come for Your Children

The Dead Boys had already lost a production battle with Sire Records in releasing a tamer version of their debut Young, Loud and Snotty than they’d hoped for, and on their sophomore album, a second producer buffed and polished their primitive style even more. While some claim We Have Come For Your Children to be of secondary importance in the punk pantheon (Young, Loud and Snotty — or the version containing the original, noisier mixes, Younger, Louder and Snottier — is a must-own), this collection lays claim to at least one more classic track by the band, and a few that come close to matching the fervor of the debut. “Ain’t It Fun” is a dire ode to living the wild life, and was covered in the ‘90s by Guns N’ Roses, while “3rd Generation Nation,” “I Don’t Wanna Be No Catholic Boy,” and “Dead and Alive” are full of the spit and vigor that so powerfully drove the band’s debut. The late Stiv Bators was a fan of ‘60s rock, and their cover of the Stones’ “Tell Me” is as true and heartfelt as was the band’s cover of ‘60s nugget “(Hey) Little Girl” on Y, L and S. There is little here to dismiss, and much to complete your punk collection.