The Dictators/Manitoba's Wild Kingdom

I've recently stumbled upon the brilliant 70's band The Dictators, they are quickly becoming one of my fave bands.

Although they are more talked about in their importance to the mid 70's New York punk scene (Often called the missing link between The New York Dolls and The Ramones) their imporatance to heavy metal cannot underestimated. After all Ross The Boss was the guitarist in the band before he formed Manowar and Marco Mendoza was also the bass player before he went on and joined Twisted Sister.

Their a band that don't take themselves to seriously through their embracing of junk culture (something the Ramones would take influence from), their music is probably one of the first examples of heavy metal-punk crossover and also includes elements of surf music, 60's girl groups and 60's garage rock.

Definetly an undiscovered gem of 70's hard rock/heavy metal.

They're a recent discovery for me as well. I've 1st heard them on sattellite radio and I like their sound. I don't own any of their releases, but I dig 'em.

I dig THE 'TATORS.....

I also loved the MANITOBA'S WILD KINGDOM cd...which is not that far removed....

I've always respected the Dictators as sort of a pre-punk band; but I've never really taken them seriously (I don't think they took themselves seriously either!). "The Minnesota Strip" was an anthem for those of us who grew up in Minnesota though, great song.
Manitoba's Wild Kingdom is a great party disc; very fun and high energy. It's too short and not very deep, but I still love to spin it every now and again. It gets me "Fired Up".

Dictators are awesome especially "The Minnesota Strip" and being from MN makes it even better!

Wargod48

Talk about a thread from the dead.

Man this video is classic, Classic cover, White man Fro's, Ross The Boss's Les Paul, CBGB's, Mendoza's fast fingers and the self proclaimed 'Handsomest Man In Rock'.

Not much out rocks this

I love MWK!!

"Stop that whining!!!
Cuz you had a bad day.
If you lost some weight,
You might get laid!"

Now that's the epitome of lyrical genius!

Have you listened to the Dictators Toho?

Cause that was like the unofficial Dictators comeback (4th) album after their unholy trio of records in the mid to late 70's.

I have a Dictators album on vinyl but I can't remember which one.

All I know is, from what I've heard by The Dictators and MWK, it's almost hard for me to believe most of those guys were Manowar. I HATE Manowar!

tohostudios wrote:

I have a Dictators album on vinyl but I can't remember which one.

All I know is, from what I've heard by The Dictators and MWK, it's almost hard for me to believe most of those guys were Manowar. I HATE Manowar!

You mean Ross The Boss, he was the only member that was from the Dictators and formed Manowar.

The Dictators had that heavy metal/punk crossover think before punk was a rock n' roll phenomena.

I say dig the Dictators record out and give it a spin.

Bumpity bump...

A buddy of mine @ another forum sent me ...AND YOU? by Manitoba's Wild Kingdom cuz he got it in a trade and didn't dig it. His loss, my gain. I'm only dimly aware of the Dictators (mostly due to the fact that Ross the Boss of Manowar and Mark "The Animal" Mendoza were both Dictators at one time or another) but I do remember M.W.K.'s killer track "The Party Starts Now," which used to get some pretty serious air play on our local hard-rock radio station (WSOU). My buddy had AND YOU? on cassette back when it was current and he used to play the hell out of it when we hung out, I dug it but for one reason or another I never got round to getting my own copy till now. Better late than never, eh?

Love that album! Mantioba's Wildkingdom, has a host of classics 'The Perfect High' 'The Party Starts Now' and the classic rock star career advise song in history 'Haircut and Attitude'

I especially like "The Party Starts Now" and "New York, New York" -- maybe it's me, but "NY, NY" has a definite Kinks vibe to it. The chorus kinda reminds me of their classic "Paranoia, self destroyerrrrrrrr...."

Fat Freddy wrote:

I especially like "The Party Starts Now" and "New York, New York" -- maybe it's me, but "NY, NY" has a definite Kinks vibe to it. The chorus kinda reminds me of their classic "Paranoia, self destroyerrrrrrrr...."

I am reading a book on the Kinks and It never occured to me about the Kinks vibe on that tune, but you are right it is similar to that early 80's Kinks period.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Bumpity bump...

A buddy of mine @ another forum sent me ...AND YOU? by Manitoba's Wild Kingdom cuz he got it in a trade and didn't dig it. His loss, my gain. I'm only dimly aware of the Dictators (mostly due to the fact that Ross the Boss of Manowar and Mark "The Animal" Mendoza were both Dictators at one time or another) but I do remember M.W.K.'s killer track "The Party Starts Now," which used to get some pretty serious air play on our local hard-rock radio station (WSOU). My buddy had AND YOU? on cassette back when it was current and he used to play the hell out of it when we hung out, I dug it but for one reason or another I never got round to getting my own copy till now. Better late than never, eh?

FF you need to got those 70's Dictators albums, you'd love them. They'd fit nicely between your Ramones and Kiss albums.