The Doctors of Madness was an odd excuse for a rock group. Essentially the warped musical vision of Kid (Richard) Strange, it was realized in posh, over-the-top pretentious style by a manager who spent scads of money in an unsuccessful attempt to make the glammed-out Britons the Next Big (Ultra-Outrageous) Thing. Although the blue hair, silly theatrical gear and transparent pose were awfully out-of-step with the younger and faster safety-pinned hordes who stole their thunder, the Doctors did possess a unique style, thanks in large part to one Urban Blitz's eerie and atmospheric violin work, an unlikely instrument in a band hoping to be perceived as Bowie's post-Ziggy disciples. (To go along with that goofy name, the drummer was called Peter DiLemma.)
Late Night Movies (released in the US only as a double-record set with Figments of Emancipation) is the wildest and freshest of the group's three albums, going all out to be — or at least seem — weird and exciting. It's hard to take seriously, but there is something worth hearing in terms of the creepy ambience, substantial songs and subtle musical shadings. Sons of Survival and Figments refine the approach but lack the gonzo originality of the first record.
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