Forever known for his brief time with Motörhead and the Pink Fairies, Larry Wallis is a bit of an unknown entity in many ways. Part of the original Motörhead line-up with Lemmy and Lucas Fox, their sole output was On Parole, which wasn’t released until 1979 (you can find the details easily enough on the internet).
Larry Wallis
Police Car: The Anthology (Cleopatra Records)
Release Date: 2 August 2024
Words: Paul Hutchings
Larry Wallis also had stints with several other artists during the ’70s before taking up production with Stiff Records. He also had an early stint with UFO, although nothing was recorded except for a little-known live recording.
Police Car: The Anthology showcases Larry Wallis’s underrated talent, with a selection of songs that he performed across his solo career, as well as a rare version of Silver Bird with UFO in 1972 and a version of Pink Fairies’ Street Fighting Man.
It’s probably I’m The Police Car that is synonymous with Wallis from his time at Stiff Records, and the song, which kicks things off here, is a reminder of his style and feel at the time, with the edge of Motörhead still lingering across much of his work.
It’s a combination of punk, hard rock, and rock ‘n’ roll throughout the album, with Fox also contributing to several songs. This includes the raucous Story Of My Life, which rattles along at a fair pace, Wallis adding some neat flicks and slide work whilst Fox is the original Muppet’s Animal in his crashing delivery.
Although the songs carry a similar vibe and tempo, there are definitive changes in style as the album progresses. Often defiant, anti-establishment or even anti-societal in nature, such as the Punk-edged I Can’t See What It’s Got To Do With Me, there is a different, darker feel to the likes of Don’t Fuck With Dimitri, which echoes early Killing Joke. 
Wallis’s guitar work is solid throughout. The man could certainly play a bit, and although his vocals are a little low, the gravelly edge suits the music perfectly.
Where Have All The Freaks Gone includes some pipes and other instruments. There is also the uplifting drive of Downtown Jury, and it’s all a grandiose maelstrom with which to indulge. Throw in the dirty swagger of Meatman, another featuring Fox on drums, and it is a heady mix to enjoy.
Of particular interest for me are four of the bonus tracks. Pink Fairies delivers a faithful version of the Stones’ Street Fighting Man, with some flashing guitar work spicing it up. The short interlude with Tyrannosaurus Rex’s Steve Peregrin Took and Paul Rudolph on Scorpius takes us to a different planet altogether, a sort of psychedelic trip before the rare version of UFO performing Silver Bird from 1972 with some cracking lead work adds the cherry to the top of this cake.
I’ll be honest. Some of the tracks didn’t grip me. But there is ample here to appreciate the work of a guitarist who has a seminal place in rock’ n’ roll history.
As a posthumous collection, Police Car – The Anthology is a respectful and well curated collection.
Larry Wallis – Police Car: The Anthology is available to order on CD and Vinyl from here. Digital pre-orders are available from here.
TRACK LIST
1. Police Car
2. Leather Forever
3. Old Enuff To Know Better
4. Crying All Night
5. I Think It’s Coming Back Again
6. Seeing Double
7. Story Of My Life feat. Lucas Fox
8. I Can’t See What It’s Got To Do With Me
9. Don’t Fuck With Dimitri feat. Lucas Fox
10. Mrs. Hippy Burning feat. Lucas Fox
11. Where The Freaks Hang Out feat. Lucas Fox
12. R We Having Fun Yet?
CD ONLY TRACKS
13. I Love You So You’re Mine feat. Lucas Fox
14. Downtown Jury
15. Meatman feat. Lucas Fox
16. Street Fighting Man – Pink Fairies
17. Amanda – Shagrat
18. Scorpius – Steve Peregrin Took
19. Silver Bird (Live 1972) – UFO
