The Fast - The Best of the Fast: 1976-1984

I first encountered the Fast back in 1979 in LA when this NY group came out for a series of dates in the area. They had already gone through some changes from a keyboard-laden, op-art pop band, to a more streamlined 4 piece r'n'r band, still with ultra-catchy songs.

(Until this comp came out there were some of their songs that I hadn't heard for almost 25 years and I still recognized them immediately! THAT's how memorable they are!)

They were still very stylish - in fact, the lead singer, Paul Zone, was a clothing designer/tailor at Trash & Vaudeville and had made my then-girlfriend's zebra jacket that she wore to see them! They had flair and put on a great show, including a silly, though also unforgettable, stunt of Miki Zone's of playing his guitar with pencils!

I love the songs from this period the best - maybe because that's when I saw the band, but also because they are simply great r'n'r tunes.

"Love Me Like a Locomotive" is a "steamy", pulsating ode to hot sex. "TShirt & Tight Jeans", "Sizzler" (I still can't drive by one of the restaurants without singing this song!),"Kids Just Wanna Dance", and their cover of "Boots Are Made For Walkin'" are all fun-laden blasts of teenage energy! "B Movies" talks about what every hip rock'n'roller was into at the time - great, bad pop culture! "Coney Island Chaos" was one of their "story" songs - in the tradition of the Who - which, for some bizarre reason is not including on this comp. But the amazing "Cars Crash" is - a wild ride through sex and car accidents (LONG before the movie of the same theme)! A terrific song and an interesting story of killing your girlfriend and then dating and doing the same to her best friend!

The Zone brothers went through many more changes before becoming an electronic dance music duo, Man 2 Man - which I personally do not care for - but the early songs are songs that I've always loved and still listen to constantly! This comp is highly recommended!

Also, look for their singles as the Fast as well as the Miki Zone Zoo!

Great Fast site here!
(Above photo is credited as the Miki Zone Zoo, but i think it is the same lineup i saw as the Fast - i don't remember the drummer one way or another, but the other 3 were the Fast!)