Search - Jayne County :: Rock'N'Roll Resurrection

She's A Rock 'n' Roll Queen, You Know What I Mean?...

Mike B. | 03/22/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...But She Is A Rock 'n' Roll Star! (Thanks, Mott)



The first (and only?) transsexual rock star, Jayne County started out as Wayne County. Leaving his home in Atlanta, Georgia for the bright lights of New York City in the late '60's - Wayne became an actor in a Warhol play and a scenester and DJ at the renowned rock club Max's Kansas City.



While primarily a performance artist at first, eventually he'd release 2 New York Dolls-ish albums beginning in 1978. A third record was more "new wave". On these 3 he was billed as Wayne County. After time spent in London and Berlin, he re-emerged as Jayne County - and has recorded and performed with this name ever since. It's a fascinating story, and well-told in her 1995 autobiography "Man Enough To Be A Woman". It's obvious she was the inspiration for "Hedwig and the Angry Inch".



"Rock 'n' Roll Resurrection" (1980) was her 4th album, and the first as Jayne. It's a kick-[...] rock record - by far the best she's ever made. Though she's often lumped in with the punk crowd, her music isn't really punk. Sure, she does a lot of fast punky numbers, but generally she's a highly theatrical glam rock star. She's also a rock scholar from years of DJ'ing, and knows what works for a song. County displays a real understanding of rock dynamics, and expertly builds songs from slow to fast, with exciting climaxes. On this album she covers the Barbarians' 1965 hit "Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl", and Tommy James and the Shondells' "Hanky Panky", in addition to her own raunchy songs.



I think she hasn't been taken too seriously as a singer. On the surface, it sounds like a joke. A man (woman) in a wig and heels putting out great albums? People think you're kidding when you rave about her.



But I'm here to tell you she's the real deal. This is a "live" concert record, and contains many of her most notorious classics. Be forewarned - a lot of this is very graphic about sex, and foul-mouthed too. Blasphemous at times. Self-deprecating. Funny. And a lot of fun. But most of all, it's one of the greatest rock albums I've ever heard. I've played this to death over the years, and it holds its own with the Dolls and Stooges. If this sounds like too much praise for what is generally perceived as a novelty act, well - what can I tell you? The girl's got it!"