Black Snake Diamond Röle

Black Snake Dîamond Röle was the debut solo album by former Soft Boys frontman Robyn Hitchcock.

Backed on various tracks by his former Soft Boy mates Kimberley Rew, Matthew Seligman and Morris Windsor, Hitchcock confessed satisfaction at being able to record an album with only his own artistic goals to cater for, whereas previously he had been compelled to write for 'the band'. Vince Ely of the Psychedelic Furs, Knox and Pat Collier of the Vibrators, Gary Barnacle and Thomas Dolby also make guest backing appearances. The sessions were recorded from June 1980 to January 1981 () at the Barge, Alaska Studios in Waterloo, London, and Music Works with Pat Collier producing ("with a little help from Matthew Seligman").

The ensuing set falls somewhere between the harder edged style of The Soft Boys and Hitchcock's more reflective and melodic work with The Egyptians a few years later. Released in May 1981, the album included ten original Hitchcock compositions. Key tracks include concert favourites "Acid Bird" and the rocker "Brenda's Iron Sledge", plus some of Hitchcock's patent comedy in "Do Policemen Sing?" and "The Man Who Invented Himself". "I Watch The Cars" was recorded on the day John Lennon was killed.

The album's working title "Zinc Pear" is retained in the cover art, although the title eventually settled on refers instead to the early Soft Boys recording "Black Snake Diamond Rock". (Another...
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