Faith No More 'We Care a Lot' (1985)

Volume 7 of The First Time Ever I Heard That Song: 15 songs that made an impact

I was a struggling boho kid writing cheap record reviews for ROCKPOOL, one of two (with CMJ) alternative trade mags in the pre-historic pre-Alternative days. My editor gave me a copy of 'We Care a Lot' which, at least in my recollection, was the first rap-rock record to make any kind of impact. These guys clearly found their groove channeling the early-80's Cali snottiness of Black Flag and the Circle Jerks, but part of their genius (such as it was) was to slow it down enough so that their ranting turned more into rapping. Throw in those Big Dumb rock and funk Riffs, and you've got a perfect formula for air guitar in every after-school suburban bedroom.

I don’t remember much about what I said in the review but I think the gist was 'I don’t really like this but I think my 16 year old brother would fuckin love it' - not that I actually had a 16 year old brother, but the point was there. Apparently KROQ felt the same way, and a genre was born.