Wreckless Eric (album)


Wreckless Eric is the debut album by the English musician Wreckless Eric, released on 31 March 1978. It reached number 46 on the UK Albums Chart.

Release

A 10" version of the LP was issued on both brown and purple vinyl in the United Kingdom. These versions omitted the tracks "Whole Wide World" and "Telephoning Home". The full-length version of the LP was also issued on green vinyl in Germany.
It was reissued on CD for a limited time in 1994 by Disky Communications and included three bonus tracks: the "Whole Wide World" single B-side "Semaphore Signals" and two versions of Devo's "Be Stiff", a song that many artists on the Stiff Records label had covered as a promotional vehicle.
According to Eric's website, most versions of Wreckless Eric feature speeded-up versions of the tracks, in which the songs are a semitone higher than recorded. Some of these versions have also appeared on various compilations throughout the years.
In a 1995 interview with Peter Doggett, former Stiff Records labelmate Elvis Costello mentions that, due to their unusual vocal styles, Stiff had originally envisioned a split LP between himself and Eric, with each artist taking one side of the record.

Track listing

All songs written by Wreckless Eric, except where noted.
  1. "Reconnez Cherie" – 3:15
  2. "Rags and Tatters" – 1:28
  3. "Waxworks" – 2:46
  4. "Telephoning Home" – 3:59
  5. "Grown Ups" – 2:54
  6. "Whole Wide World" – 2:52
  7. "Rough Kids" – 2:02
  8. "Personal Hygiene" – 2:42
  9. "Brain Thieves" – 3:48
  10. "There Isn't Anything Else" – 2:35
1994 reissue bonus tracks
  2. "Semaphore Signals" – 2:57
  3. "Be Stiff" – 3:35
  4. "Be Stiff" – 3:35

Personnel

Additional musicians
Production