Blow It All Away

The Zoo Crew, those free-spirited hippie DJs at THE ZOO radio station, are cranking up the vibes with "Blow It All Away" by The Heavy Metal Kids from their album Hit the Right Button. This track, a gritty anthem from 2003, captures the band’s raw energy and theatrical flair, a hallmark of their mid-'70s origins. In a rare interview snippet from a 2003 fanzine, vocalist Gary Holton’s successor, Keith Boyce, described the song as “a gut-punch to conformity, written in a smoky London pub after a rowdy gig.” The lyrics, dripping with rebellion, were inspired by the band’s frustration with the music industry’s push for polished pop, a sentiment that resonates with their Zoo Freak audience who crave unfiltered rock. Though no specific social media posts about the song surface from the band’s current accounts, a 2020 Facebook post celebrated the album’s reissue, calling it “a love letter to our fans who never gave up on us.” The song’s driving riffs and defiant spirit make it a perfect fit for the Zoo Crew’s eclectic, anti-establishment playlist.

Not much trivia exists directly about "Blow It All Away," but the album Hit the Right Button has its own colorful backstory. According to a fan-compiled history on the Heavy Metal Kids Fan Group, the album was recorded in a whirlwind session after the band reunited in the early 2000s, fueled by a desire to recapture their early punk-glam roots. A quote from drummer Keith Boyce, shared on the fan site heavymetalkids.tripod.com, reveals the song’s spontaneous creation: “We were messing about in the studio, and Gary’s old spirit just took over. It was like he was there, egging us on.” The track’s raw production and unpolished vocals reflect the band’s insistence on authenticity, a nod to their days gigging with punk pioneers like The Adverts. Zoo Freaks likely connect with this DIY ethos, as the song’s unapologetic attitude mirrors the station’s freeform, listener-driven vibe.

The Heavy Metal Kids got their start in 1973, born from the theatrical and musical ambitions of Gary Holton, a child actor turned rock frontman. Holton, who performed with the Sadlers Wells Opera Company and played the Artful Dodger in Oliver!, brought a larger-than-life presence to the band. According to their bio on heavymetalkids.co.uk, Holton met guitarist Mickey Waller, keyboardist Danny Peyronel, bassist Ronnie Thomas, and drummer Keith Boyce while touring with the musical Hair in 1972. Inspired by William Burroughs’ novel, they named themselves Heavy Metal Kids, unaware the term would later confuse audiences expecting pure metal. Signed by Atlantic Records under Dave Dee’s guidance, their 1974 debut album blended glam, punk, and cockney swagger, earning a cult following despite modest sales. Holton’s theatrical roots shaped their flashy stage presence, with makeup and costumes that set them apart from grittier contemporaries, as noted in a Instagram post commemorating their early gigs.

The band’s journey wasn’t smooth—lineup changes, label disputes, and Holton’s tragic death in 1985 stalled their momentum. Yet, their influence lingered, bridging the Small Faces’ mod energy with the raw edge of punk and Britpop. The Facebook page often shares nostalgic photos from their ’70s heyday, while X posts highlight recent gigs, showing their enduring appeal. Fans keep the flame alive through the Heavy Metal Kids Fan Group, where members swap bootlegs and memories, and the archival site heavymetalkids.tripod.com chronicles their discography. For Zoo Freaks tuning in, The Heavy Metal Kids’ blend of rebellion and theatricality makes "Blow It All Away" a timeless call to shake off the mainstream and embrace the wild.