If Johnny Thunders were alive today, he’d probably be trying to bum money off Water Lure. And why not? You could make the argument that Lure owes him. After all, the former New York Dolls guitarist gave old Waldo his big break by hiring him to play in The Heartbreakers. Granted, it wasn’t exactly the equivalent of Ron Wood joining The Rolling Stones; despite (or perhaps due to) Thunders’ controversial pedigree, the self-destructive rebel was always more underground legend than traditional rock superstar. What money he did earn seemed to go straight into his arm or up his nose — an unfortunate habit Lure also picked up during his time in the band. But unlike Thunders (along with drummer Jerry Nolan and bassist Billy Rath), Walter not only made it out alive; he became a freaking stockbroker and cashed in big-time. Amazingly, even though he ended up spending more years on Wall Street than at CBGB, Lure never completely gave up the ghost. Over the decades, he’s continued to tour and record sporadically, almost singlehandedly keeping the Heartbreakers‘ unquenchable flame flickering. Wacka Lacka Loom Bop a Loom Bam Boo, his latest blast from his musical past, contains all the pieces of the classic punk puzzle: The sliding power-chord riffs, two-finger Chuck Berry licks and scraping pick slides. The gruffly barked vocals and wailed choruses about crazy kids and lazy days. The slapdash crash-bash beats and pumping mosh-pit energy. There’s even a blast of sax-fuelled R&B reminiscent of the Dolls and a cover of Thunders’ Sex Pistols slam London Boys (which Walter co-wrote). But Lure isn’t just some old coot busting open a time capsule here; though he nails both the guttersnipe substance and the leather-jacket style of the gory glory days, he also delivers everything with enough devil-may-care exuberance to keep it fresh. And enough attitude to remind today’s punks that he and Thunders forgot more than they’ll ever know. Consider that debt repaid in full.
