Manifest Destiny

by The Dictators

Overview

So what do you say about a great band's worst album? After the Dictators often-inspired debut album, The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!, went over the heads of the record-buying public and landed with a thud (punk not having given its blend of oddball humor and big guitars a context just yet), they were dropped by their record label and, after signing with Elektra, played things a bit "safer" with their follow-up, 1977's Manifest Destiny. Songwriter and idea man Andy Shernoff moved from bass to keyboards, with Mark "The Animal" Mendoza picking up the four string and Handsome Dick Manitoba advancing from "secret weapon" to periodic lead vocalist (though Shernoff was still doing most of the singing). And Shernoff toned down his goofball world view and taste for high-energy riffage on several tunes, most on notably half-baked would-be arena rockers "Stepping Out" and "Exposed," and ill-advised heartbroken pop tunes "Sleepin' With the T.V. On" (nowhere near as good as its title) and the ludicrous "Hey Boys." The album's four good songs handily point out just how far wrong the other five went; "Disease" features a hilarious spoken introduction from Manitoba that justifies the album's existence all by its lonesome, and the disc ends with a superb hat trick -- "Science Gone Too Far" and "Young, Fast, Scientific" are stone classic Dictators performances, and the closing cover of the Stooges' "Search and Destroy" is inspired. While the 2004 CD reissue of Manifest Destiny doesn't add any bonus material to the album, at least now you can easily program out the filler and get to the four slabs of top-shelf Dictators lurking among the dross, proving there may be a good reason for digital technology after all. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	09/03/2021
Label:	Wounded Bird
UPC:	0664140110922

Tracks

1. Exposed
2. Heartaches
3. Sleepin' With the T. V. On
4. Disease
5. Hey Boys
6. Steppin' Out
7. Science Gone Too Far!
8. Young, Fast, Scientific
9. Search & Destroy

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Dictators   Primary Artist
Scott "Top Ten" Kempner   Guitar,Guitar (Rhythm)
Ross the Boss   Guitar (12 String),Guitar,Slide Guitar
Mark Mendoza   Guitar (Bass),Bass
Handsome Dick Manitoba   Vocals
Andy Shernoff   Vocals (Background),Keyboards,Vocals,Bass,Guitar
Petronius Woocs   Keyboards
Ritchie Teeter   Drums,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Ross "The Boss" Friedman   Guitar,Vocals

Technical Credits

Sandy Pearlman   Audio Production,Producer
Murray Krugman   Audio Production,Producer
James Williamson   Composer
John Jansen   Engineer
Thom Panunzio   Assistant
Corky Stasiak   Assistant
Scott "Top Ten" Kempner   Composer
Andy Shernoff   Composer
Iggy Pop   Composer
Jay Krugman   Assistant
Anne Garner   Design,Art Direction
Eric Meola   Photography