Every Mistake Imaginable- The Complete Frilly Pink Years 1987-1988 is a two-disc CD set compiling together the two albums put out by UK comedy/ parody heavy metal band Bad News. The band featured prominent UK comedians/ actors Ade Edmondson( The Young Ones, Johnthan Creek, Eastenders) and Rik Mayall( The Young Ones,  Drop Dead Fred, The New Stateman, Man Down). The release appears HNE Recordings- Cherry Red’s sub-label for rock & heavy metal reissues- though quite a lot of what’s found on these two discs is going more towards the parody/ spoken comedy side of things.

The set comes presented in a glossy six-panel digipak- this features a fifteen-page inlay booklet, taking in largely pictures of the four-piece larking about/ sending up the heavy metal genre. There’s a brief write-up about the band, adjusted original liner notes, and some lyrics/ scribbles.

Bad News first appeared on the fourth episode of the first series of alternative comedy/ send-up/ drama series The Comic Strip Presents… called Bad News Tour- which first aired on Channel Four on 24th January 1983-  over a year before This Is Spinal Tap- a similar rock/ heavy metal parody that Bad News is often compared to. Bad News Tour was an early example of the mockumentary form- which showed the hapless, bumbling, and frankly bad band doing a tiny tour around the UK.  I was always more of a fan of Bad News than Spinal Tap- I was aware of them first, and as a metal fan myself their send-up seemed to speak to me more.
 
Anyway, the ‘band’ consisted of Vim Fuego, né Alan Metcalfe (Ade Edmondson) – Lead vocals and lead electric guitar. Den Dennis (Nigel Planer) – Rhythm electric guitar and backing vocals. Colin Grigson (Rik Mayall) – Electric bass guitar and backing vocals. Spider Webb (Peter Richardson) – Drum kit and backing vocals. They had two TV appearances- the already mentioned Bad News Tour, and its follow-up More Bad News- which appeared on Channel Four in 1988- which was also another episode of The Comic Strip Presents.
 
The band's first self-titled album Bad News appeared on EMI in October 1987- and I guess it’s best to call this original release just an EP- as it only lasted twenty-three minutes, and featured six tracks.  This version features expanded tracks, as well as bonus tracks. The album kicks off with “Hey Hey Bad News” which after a few false starts kicks into fairly standard boogie rock. Next, there is “ Warriors Of Ghegis Khan” which after an amusing band argument about trying to record a song. The music kicks as a great send-up of 80’s macho metal. Next, we have “Bohemian Rhapsody” which on the original release was just a horrendous(but funny) take on the Queen classic- but here it’s extended to a nearly thirteen-minute track which is mostly the band amusing banter in the studio- as they try to make some metal sound effects, and argue if they are a pop band or a heavy metal band. Next, we have “Bad News” which after a ridiculous band intro where Spider(the band drummer)doesn’t turn up- we drop into a rather Sex Pistol/ 80’s metal crossbreed.  Next is “Masturbike” which after more amusing banter kicks into a motorhead parody with wonderful silly lyrics. The original album is finished off with “Drink ‘Till I Die” where we get more amusing banter, before dropping in chugging bar rock metal with overdone/ wonky solos. Really the songs themselves are not that great- it’s the banter/ larking about that sells the whole thing, and thankfully with their next release the ‘band’ focused on their strengths i.e. comedy. Anyway, this reissue takes in six bonus tracks- two versions of their Xmas tune “Cashing In On Christmas” which is a rather amusing send-up of these types of festive singles, and few odds ‘n’ ends.

Over on disc two, we have the band's second album 1988 Bootleg- it’s a ten-track affair, and as already mentioned it’s more of a spoken word/ comedy album, and a rather funny one at that. We go from “Bad Dreams” which finds the boys trying to write a song in the studio- with loads of amusing interruptions and attempts to do 'metal' vocals.  Next, there’s “A.G.M” where the band try to have a meeting, and it all falls apart. “Double Entendre” finds Den( not the brightest member of the band) doing an interview with a French radio- with as its title suggests lots of comic double meanings. “Locked In” finds two members fed up been locked in the studio overnight. The only long track here is “Masturbike” which finds the band trying to play a song & amusing argument for nearing nineteen minutes. I first brought this on tape when it came out in 1988- and I’ve always enjoyed it, and still do today- as it’s a wonderful send-up of heavy metal.
 
I guess it goes without saying- but I think you have to approach this release more from a comedy/ send-up angle than the music side- as what is here musically is very mixed and/ at times trying. Where this & Bad News shine the brightest is on the humour/ amusing banter side of things- which will appeal to those who are heavy metal fans, as well as those who have ever played in a band themselves.