#sgt rock
Sgt. Rock (Is Going To Help Me)
In September 1980, XTC released an album called ‘Black Sea’ in the UK. (Unless you happen to be a big brit music fan, the British New Wave band 'XTC’ probably means nothing to you. Here in North America, “Making Plans for Nigel” was probably the only XTC song I am vaguely familiar with.) The album contained a track called “Sgt. Rock (Is Going To Help Me)” starring none other than yours truly (i.e. Franklin John Rock).
The album reached No. 16 on the U.K. album chart, so God only knows why they decided to release 'Sgt Rock (Is Going To Help Me)’ as a UK 7" single in December 1980. I mean, the song really isn’t even that good. I mean, the guy is calling Sgt Rock to help him pick up chicks? Weak. Sgt Rock ain’t got time for that.
The band’s vocalist and lead guitarist, Andy Partridge, had a few choice words to say about the track:
“Right, I’m standing up here and now, and saying this song embarrasses the s**t out of me. Of all the tunes that I’ve written, that made it to tape, this makes me cringe the worse. It’s not the music, that’s solid enough. All the instruments in the track mesh nicely enough, but the lyrical sentiment, oh dear. It was supposed to be ironic, you know, nerdy comic fan imagines two dimensional hero can help him with his unsuccessful chat up technique. It did not work. It just came out limply crap. Virgin insisted it be included in this set, otherwise I’d gladly erase it from our history. We all make mistakes.”
and
“Just a simple admiration song. Sgt. Rock is a U.S. comic character who commands a troop known as Easy Company. He is brave, handsome, and successful, not as one empty headed girl wrote in to complain to a music paper, ‘likely to cause violence to women’.”
and
“The least favourite of all my songs. It was written as a joke about a little weed who looked up to Sgt. Rock. It was a nerd’s sad fantasy.”
[In response to Dave Gregory comment about it getting a lot of airplay]: “I know, but I just wish we hadn’t released it. There’s something very … crap, really. Something banal about it”.
Posted above is footage from a 1982 Rockpalast television performance.
Sorry folks, I have no sources for these quotes, so you’ll just have to take my word (or rather this site’s).
Hey DCinthe80s tumblr followers! This song is just begging for a fan-made video to be made accompanying it! What say you?
Went to the #dccomics #waxmuseum today @GS_comic_fest
Some Sgt Rock and Mademoiselle Marie cosplay. That’s Adam Kubert in the middle.
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Thought I should make a post today even though it isn’t the anniversary of Joe Kubert’s death or his birthday, but just so that people who see this won’t forget him. Joe was one of the great comic book artists of the 20th century, and was best known for working on DC Comic’s ‘Hawkman’ and 'Sgt. Rock’ books during the 60’s. In 1976 alongside his wife, they founded the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, the only technical institution in America whose sole purpose is teaching the trade craft of cartooning. He was one of the finest artists in the business, and a good friend to all. So take the time all you comic book readers to stop and remember Joe Kubert today if you see this, and if you run into a book with the words “Art by Joe Kubert” on it, don’t put it down, read it, enjoy it, because that’s what Joe would have wanted you to do. RIP Joe.
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