Buster Poindexter And His Banshees of Blue – “Hot Hot Hot” 12” – RCA

I couldn't think of a better way to end 2013 than with Buster Poindexter.
Oh you like the New York Dolls? Have you ever heard the stuff that David Johansen did afterwards? You mean when he played in the Saturday Night Live Band? No… You mean the string of somewhat mediocre solo records? No… You mean when the Dolls reformed recently to put out a shitty non-Thunders album? No… I mean the most fabulous post-dolls performance ensemble: Buster Poindexter!
Is “Hot Hot Hot” one of the greatest 80’s pop club songs that makes you want to kill yourself? Almost certainly. This 12” however features not just one version of the Caribbean cruise-destined single, but FOUR! First on here, you have the extended club mix that will have you dancing for a very long five and a half minutes. After you’ve finished grinding your hips to the dance mix, is of course the radio edit that was also released as a 7” (which is probably a better buy because it has the song “Cannibal” along with one version of “Hot Hot Hot”).
The second side of this DJ single is of course, the “Caliente Dub Mix”. If you wanted more slap-back-reverb soaked Johansen screaming and an almost PiL level rhythm section along with sampled headache-inducing Hot Hot Hot chants, then you have to hear the Caliente Dub Mix. It’s kind of unbelievable that they thought this version needed to exist along with the last cut, the “Spanish Club Mix”, but we are all lucky to have them both at our palms for basically pennies.  It's kind of amazing Mr. Johansen managed to pull of this character so successfully.  More power to him, and given that he's currently playing shows every few months in New York, maybe I'll get a chance to see him do this jammer.