Guy Lochhead, 06/11/11
American garage rock proto-punk group from Cleveland, Ohio who played raw rock ‘n’ roll with the most abrasive guitar sound and honest lyrics between 19754 and 1975. Although largely unrecognised in the ’70s, RFTT have been cited as pre-empting punk by various bands and music critics since. Their songs have been covered by bigger bands, most notable Guns ‘n’ Roses doing ‘Ain’t It Fun’. Members went on to play in Pere Ubu and the Dead Boys. They have reunited on and off in the early 2000s. ‘Ain’t It Fun’ is probably my favourite garage rock song. It’s absolutely incredible. The rawest, rawest rock ‘n’ roll sound. The rest of their songs are good but not as remarkable, and I feel like the reunion is missing a large part of why they were so great – the musical context of the late mid ’70s that they transgressed. Seriously though, listen to ‘Ain’t It Fun’.