1974 Suzi Quatro: Devil Gate Drive

The dramatic 'a-one, a-two, a-one, two three' countdown and spoken 'Welcome to the dive' intro on this second number one on the trot for Chinn & Chapman suggests thrills and spills to come, but 'Devil Gate Drive' reneges on its promise by delivering a standard rock & roll rumble. Once again, Quatro's voice is the star turn and she leads from the front with the enthusiastic abandon of a kid on Christmas morning. But without the brash clash and clatter that fuelled 'Can The Can', it's not enough to raise the song above the formulaic and any swagger she injects is castrated by the bump bump anaemia of the backing. 'Devil Gate Drive' is bubblegum power pop with a faux edge of danger (devil gate drive doesn't sound like anywhere the nice girls would hang out, does it?), but the good humoured glee in Quatro's voice lets you know that this particular party is more pop and crisps than drugs and alcohol.