Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Hard on the heels of "Ole", those smart people at Gadfly have decided to re-release his entire back catalogue on CD! Yipeee! Starting with the astounding 1978 "Foodchain" debut for Epic Records (Rolling Stone gave it 5/5!), it's amazing that Tonio K didn't become one of the hugest artists! Recorded five years after his (bizarre) recording debut working with Buddy Holly's old band The Crickets (under his real name Steve Krikorian). Tonio takes an energised New Wave rock formal and adds gutsy lyrical observations about the American Way! Furiously paced, he comes on like an angry young man,. which of course he was. Unsaved at the time, the genius here is Tonio's wit, biting satire and well chosen lyrical phrases that brought smiles of delight to this reviewer. 1 particularly love the clever, clever humour of "The Funky Western Civilisation" with its French interlude and "chicken" guitar solo and the straight forward joke of "How Come I Can't See You In My Mirror". A riotous debut which incidentally on "H-A-T-R-E-D" contains the kind of language that you're going to find offensive, so be warned!

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