Talking ‘Bout…Milkshakes!

The Milkshakes’ debut album, released in 1981, was one of the only times in Billy Childish’s career where he truly shared the spotlight with someone else. Check the album cover — they’re billed as Mickey & The Milkshakes, Mickey being Mickey Hampshire, who sings lead on about half the songs. The music on this 14-track, 29-minute disc is some of the most polished Childish would ever record, too. There are songs here with saxophone. There are songs with fade-outs! And the songs have a catchiness and a professional sheen in general that’s far beyond most of his work. The guitars and drums are clean and crisp, and Childish’s vocals are only slightly more unhinged than Hampshire’s. This album could easily have been recorded in the early 1960s by a label with the intention of getting the Milkshakes into the charts.