AMG Review of Genius of Billy Childish: With Thee Milkshakes & Thee Headcoats

Tim Sendra
All Music Guide

The Genius of Billy Childish: With Thee Milkshakes & Thee Headcoats is the audio version of the DVD Cherry Red issued in 2004 called =Thee Headcoats and Thee Milkshakes: The Bands of Billy Childish. It collects two live performances, one 12-song set by Thee Milkshakes in 1984 and one 19-song set by Thee Headcoats in 1993. As befits any Childish release, the sound is rough and ready with distorted vocals, clattering drums, and clanging guitars, especially the Headcoats tracks. The songs covered by both bands are a nice mix of covers and originals, and as a bonus Thee Headcoatees show up for a handful of songs. Childish devotees will lap this up like fresh milk; raw and exciting, it is one of the few live documents of two of the man's mighty bands.