Big Smash!

Wreckless Eric's third album was released as a double LP (SEEZ 21) and as cassette (ZSEES 21) on February 29, 1980. While the first LP comprised new material, the extra LP was the U.S.-only, compilation album The Whole Wide World.
Big Smash! was re-issued as a 2-CD set in 2007 with 3 bonus tracks (CDSEEZ 21).[4]

Big Smash!
Studio album by Wreckless Eric
Released	1980
Genre	Rock
Label	Stiff Records
Producer	Bazza
Wreckless Eric chronology
The Wonderful World of Wreckless Eric (1978) Big Smash! (1980) The Donovan of Trash (1991)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[2]
Smash Hits	8/10[3]

Critical reception

Billboard praised "good energetic and basic rock'n'roll" of the album and compared it with oeuvre of the Dave Edmunds. Reviewers noticed that "Eric has his own sound, personality and point of view".[5]

Track Listing Double LP - 1980

Side 1

1. "A Popsong"
2. "Tonight (Is My Night)"
3. "Too Busy"
4. "Broken Doll"
5. "Can I Be Your Hero?"
6. "Back in My Hometown"

Side 2

1. "It'll Soon Be the Weekend"
2. "Strange Towns"
3. "Excuse Me"
4. "Break My Mind"
5. "Good Conversation"
6. "Out of the Blue"
7. "A Popsong (reprise)"

Side 3

1. "(I'd Go the) Whole Wide World"
2. "Take The Cash (K.A.S.H.)"
3. "Let's Go to the Pictures" (Alternate version)
4. "Walking on the Surface of the Moon" (Alternate version)
5. "Hit & Miss Judy"
6. "I Wish It Would Rain"

Side 4

1. "Reconnez Cherie"
2. "Veronica"
3. "Brain Thieves"
4. "Semaphore Signals"
5. "I Need a Situation"
6. "The Final Taxi"
7. "There Isn't Anything Else"

Track Listing 2CD Set - 2007

CD 1 "A Popsong" "Tonight (Is My Night)" "Too Busy" "Broken Doll" "Can I Be Your Hero?" "Back in My Hometown" "It'll Soon Be the Weekend" "Strange Towns" "Excuse Me" "Break My Mind" "Good Conversation" "Out of the Blue"

CD 2 "(I'd Go the) Whole Wide World" "Take the Cash (K.A.S.H.)" "Let's Go to the Pictures" "Walking on the Surface of the Moon" "Hit & Miss Judy" "I Wish It Would Rain" "Reconnez Cherie" "Veronica" "Brain Thieves" "Semaphore Signals" "I Need a Situation" "The Final Taxi" "There Isn't Anything Else" "A Little Bit More" "Take the Cash (K.A.S.H.) - Live" "I Need a Situation - Live"

Personnel

For LP/Disc 1

• Wreckless Eric - vocals, rhythm guitar
• Pete Gosling - lead guitar, electric and acoustic rhythm guitars
• Walter Hacon - electric and acoustic rhythm guitars
• Malcolm Morley - organ, piano, acoustic guitar
• John Brown - electric bass guitar
• Dave Otway (Professor Carnage) - drums, percussion.

References

1. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Wreckless Eric—Big Smash! review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
2. Larkin, Colin, ed. (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). London: Omnibus Press. p. 1997. ISBN 978-0-85-712595-8.
3. Cranna, Ian. "Wreckless Eric: Big Smash". Smash Hits (April 3–16, 1980): 31.
4. Official Stiff discography at stiff-records.com
5. "Review: Wreckless Eric — Big Smash!" (PDF). Billboard. 85 (18). 3 May 1980. p. 50. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 31 May 2020 – via American Radio History.

External links

• Official Wreckless Eric website