STREAK

Below is a recent (Jan 05) E-Mail from Rick Rivets of The New York Dolls, and The Brats. I am deeply flattered as the Dolls were great heroes of mine.

"Hi Rick, a friend just sent me your website as we have been doing Bang Bang Bullet since the 70's when we got an import single from a local record shop. I was in a band The NY Dolls and then formed the Brats. It was in the Brats that Bang Bang became a staple of our set and we still do the song today. The song fit our style so well that most people thought it was an original. It's great to see your site and to see pics of the band that influenced us with one single. Everytime we play this song live the crowd just goes crazy and it has to be one of the strong points of our set. I just wished that I had written it but that's the way things go.Just wanted to let you know that this song has been played for over 25 years in the clubs of NY and other cities in the states. I hope that all is well with you and say hi to the guys. Have a great New Year and Keep rockin. Rivets"

Well, have a look at this !

http://www.silentstudios.org.uk/STREAK.htm

Paul and Jake just before the Arrows formation.
Ricky Steele was the forgotten man in the band Streak, and
I'd overlooked on these pages that they were actually a four
piece. Rick was a talented guitarist and very good looking young
man.

Van

Thanks Van, how much go I owe you? No seriously though, the man has definitely got good taste.

A very battered copy of the STREAK Biog., written by the one and only PETER MEADEN.

1973...I was sitting in the local Chinese restaurant in Burgess Hill having a 50pence meal, and drowning my sorrows. The hire car I had ordered had not turned up, as it had not be returned to the office by the previous hirer. No other car left. It was three o' clock, and I should have been at an audition at Decca's West Hampstead Studios. Another S_ _ _ _y day in Paradise, I thought. A lady named Sue who was a friend dashed in. "Your car is ready, Rick". "It's too bloody late now." I bemoaned. "Give the band a ring. Maybe you can still get there!" I rang. Jake came on the line. "Take your time," He drawled in what I imagined to be a Chicago accent." We have seen two hundred guitar players in three days, and we could do with a break." "Two hours" I said tentatively, "Yeah fine, see you then" , and I went to get the car.

The "car" was a beaten up two tone light blue Anglia, that actually went faster in reverse than it did in any of the forward gears. I toyed with the idea of driving up to town backwards, but thought I would probably get a crick in my neck, and so thought better of it. It broke down four times on the way, getting me covered in black , foul smelling oil. I nearly gave up, and if it was not for the fact that Sue had come with me, and given me loads of encouragement, I would have thrown in the towel and headed for home after the first ten miles. The fifty five mile trip seemed like fifty five thousand miles. (To be continued)

The four tracks below are from an acetate labelled Monitor Mixes, that we did for an album that was never released. I thought they were lost for all time, and have not heard them since 1973. A copy of this was very kindly sent to me by Pete Bonner at Psychotron Records.

They were recorded at DECCA West Hampstead, and ISLAND STUDIOS, Basing Street, London in 1973. I think, but don't quote me, they were produced by David Hitchcock (He produced Bang Bang Bullet) and us. Sadly, the album was never finished. Jake and I both played lead on these, and for info purposes, he used a Gibson Gold Top (I can't remember the year) and I used my '63 Strat. These tracks need cleaning up a bit, but I think they sound okay. If anyone has info as to the rest of the tracks on that album, I would appreciate it.