The Outsiders - Calling on Youth (1977)

The Outsiders - Calling on Youth

Raw Edge

1977

You've gotta make up your mind,

'cos if you hesitate.

You'll be sucked up inside,

with no way to escape.

Amidst the chaos of 1977's punk explosion, with wacky colourful spikey haircuts and abrasive three-minute three-chord numbers, there was a young schoolboy who saw the landscape as an opportunity. His idols, Iggy Pop and Velvet Underground, served as his inspiration, and he picked himself up, got his friends together, and started The Outsiders. This was Adrian Borland, most notable for his 1980's post-punk outfit The Sound.

Borland and co pushed their teen angst and romantic disillusion to the next level with their first album Calling on Youth. This album is truly lost in the ocean of music, its original LP was pressed only 1000 times by Borland's father's own record company, created solely for the purpose of producing The Outsiders. Which such limited offerings, the LP nowadays fetches hundreds online, but luckily it was recently re-released on CD.

It's bizarre that this album is so widely forgotten - sure, it isn't great, the punky tracks aren't too memorable, but it's distinctive for being the first self-released LP by a punk band. Whilst The Buzzcocks receive much praise for their first 7", The Outsiders remain shadowed by everything that came before and after. Most of the lyrics were written by drummer Adrian Janes, and mostly talk about alienation and anti-comformity. The track 'Weird,' is an interesting track, opening with the lyrics, "they say the way we dress is weird." It's clear these guys are aggressive about their stance, but the music industry at the time laughed and scoffed. These schoolboys, none of them looking like that typical 'cool' punk, moaning about girls and alienation from society - it didn't go down well at all. 

I can understand that, really, because it is a pretty moany album. I mean, I do love it, but I sometimes question whether I love it more because I am a big fan of Borland or because it's actually good. The album sometimes feels empty and unfinished. It sounds more like a bunch of demo tracks. In light of what came next with The Sound, this is even more feasible - it really does just feel like a practise session - Borland figuring out where he is and what he wants to do. 

It's an interesting album as a punk album because half of it isn't all too much like what you'd expect from punk, especially back in 1977. My favourite track on the album, a track that completely stands out from the others and is just as good as some of The Sound's stuff, "Walking Through a Storm," is a quiet and introspective song. Unintrusive guitars and soft vocals really make it quite a beautiful track. I have a feeling Borland preferred doing this track than the others. We also have 'Start Over,' which has a lower energy, almost sounding like a dark folk song, and the aforementioned 'Weird.' 

The more punk-orientated tracks are less interesting, and it's pretty easy for me to tune out of them. They can be fun, for sure, but not for long. I love the guitar work, though. Borland clearly already had a good handle of his guitar and that would only expand in his career. He really smashes the chords in 'Hit and Run,' perhaps the most energetic song on the album, as long as you ignore those fucking lyrics. 'On the Edge' is always randomly in my head. It's a common saying in England, because yes, English people are constantly on the edge. Whenever anyone says it, my mind continues the lyrics. "I'm on the edge," someone would say. "I'm on the edge / I'm on the edge / I'm on the edge / on the edge!" my brain would answer. It's really quite irritating, because it always happens. Thanks, Adrian.

Ultimately, this album is more for fans of Adrian Borland than anything else, but it certainly has inklings of what was to come, and for his first crack at producing something, it has a good consistency and a confidence that always shone from him. Also, that guitar-work. Any fans of Borland's guitar work can listen to this and smile. 

I also have to note that I got myself a copy of this on eBay for only £30! My Adrian Borland vinyl collection is almost complete, and I cannot wait to give it a spin. I wonder if Borland himself ever handled the copy I'll have?