To begin with I give you the marvellous first single of one of the most criminally underrated bands of all time. Who has sounded like them before or since?
2. DISCO ZOMBIES - 'Top Of The Pops' - Wizzo 7" - UK - 1979
From the 'Invisible' E.P. which was the first 7" they recorded but because of pressing problems they had already released the 'Drums Over London' 7" before this finally came out. This is by far their best of 3 singles, no doubt I'll add another track later.
3. THE STRAPS - 'Brixton' - Donut 7" - UK -1982
Didn't know whether to post their 2nd 7" or the 1st. Plumped for the 2nd 'cos it's punkier. 'Life in Brixton, feel the heat, too much trouble on the street, but I'm not gonna leave, if I go anywhere else, I've got nothing to achieve.'
4. BAD ACTORS - 'Are They Hostile' - Plastic Speech 7" - UK - 1980
Hmmm, I know very little about this lot except that they released 2 singles and this is probably the best one.
5. ALBERTOS Y LOST TRIOS PARANOIAS - 'Heads Down No Nonsense Mindless Boogie' - Logo 7" - UK - 1978
A piss-take band formed in 1972, and when punk hit, they had a whale of a time. The more obvious choice is something from their 'Snuff Rock' E.P. but I used to love dancing to this at the punk disco so this is what you're getting.
6. SCHOOL MEALS - 'Headmaster' - Edible 7" - UK 1978
Before you ask, no, this record was not edible! Apart from being a quirky little number this single was notable because the band changed their name to the DEFENDANTS shortly after this came out so later copies have a Defendants sticker covering their original name.
7. THE MODELS - 'Man Of The Year' - Step Forward 7" - UK - 1978
A single, a Peel session, then nada. Guitarist Marco Pirroni had previously been involved in the first line-up of Siouxsie and the Banshees and later, after a stint with Rema-Rema and Cowboys International he went on to join Adam and the Ants during their 'popular' period.
8. DANSETTE DAMAGE - 'N.M.E.' - Shoestring 7" - UK - 1978
Love the skinny tie pic sleeve which says it's a double B-side! It does however suggest that there's seven band members which is hard to fathom considering you can only hear vocals/guitar/bass and drums.
9. THE NOW - 'Development Corporations' - Ultimate 7" - UK - 1977
Formed in Peterborough, 1976, released 2 singles and then imploded. Reformed in 2003 and recorded their whole 1977 set which was released as an album on Damaged Goods in 2005.
10. BITCH - 'Wild Kids' - Hurricane 7" - UK - 1979
Sounds like early Neon Hearts with a female vocalist. The original line-up (formed in Manchester 1978) included Gus Gangrene of the Drones, but after losing two members to Skrewdriver they re-emerged in London with a new line-up and released this.
11. THE TIGHTS - 'Cracked' - Cherry Red 7" - UK - 1978
From the first of two solid singles, this one being a 3-tracker. Love the 30-second intro. ''This place is cracked and so am I, I can't remember how to die . . .'
12. PRAG VEC - 'Wolf' - Spec 7" - UK - 1978
From the first E.P. I remember at the time thinking 'where the hell did this come from' with it's psychotic vocal attack tempered by a hypnotic little guitar line. It blew me away and was quickly labelled 'post-punk'.
13. DISCO ZOMBIES - 'Disco Zombies' - Wizzo 7" - UK - 1979
Another track from the 'Invisible' E.P. "Have a dance and get picked up and then he asks you 'do you fuck' and do you really care?" The '70s were so romantic.
14. BUZZCOCKS - 'Breakdown' - New Hormones 7" - UK - 1977
From the Spiral Scratch E.P. - the first independent British punk 7". I could have included 'Boredom' but that's been on a TV ad recently, so here's 'Breakdown' instead which includes the wonderfully tragic: 'I feel my brain like porridge coming out of my ears, and I was anticipating reverie.' Life described in a single line. Well done Howard.
15. THE TOYS - 'Go To The Police' - Red Bus 7" - UK - 1980
A fantastic single, should have been a hit! 'You'll get to have a walkie-talkie, you'll get the job at Special Branch, you'll get to take the dog for walkies, you'll get to go to the ball and dance!' Where do I sign up?
16. THE SQUAD - 'Red Alert' - Squad 7" - UK - 1978
Did you know that Terry Hall of The Specials fame was the original singer for this band? Oh, you did . . . Anyway, they did 2 singles, this being the first, and they also had a track on the 'Sent From Coventry' LP.
17. SCHOOL MEALS - 'Such A Spiv' - Edible 7" - UK - 1978
The flipside of 'Headmaster', featured earlier. Love the speeded-up bit in the middle.
18. THE MEKONS - 'Where Were You?' - Fast Product 7" - UK - 1978
Songs about unrequited love always get me, and this is one of my favourites. The intro slowly gathers pace for over a minute, and then finally come the immortal words: 'When I was waiting in the bar, where were you? When I was buying you a drink, where were you? When I was crying at home in bed, where were you?' So come on then, where were ya?
19. KLARK KENT - 'Don't Care' - Kryptone 7" - 1978
Right, something frivolous instead, by the alter-ego of Police drummer Stewart Copeland, no less. 'If you don't like my haircuts you can suck my socks!'
20. ALBERTOS Y LOST TRIOS PARANOIAS - 'Fuck You' - Logo 2 x 7" - UK - 1978
From the double single version of the 'Heads Down . . .' 7". Faux-punk or not, this is as good the real thing.
21. ELTON MOTELLO - 'Jet Boy Jet Girl' - Lightning 7" - UK - 1978
This much-covered tale of underage homosexual love has raised eyebrows for decades, and even became a chart hit when Plastic Bertrand used the backing tracks (but changed the lyrics) for 'Ca Plane Pour Moi' just a few months later.
22. THE STRAPS - 'Just Can't Take Any More' - Donut 7" - UK - 1980
Weird experience when this one came out. They were touted as a great London punk band yet when I spun it for the first time and heard those rockabilly tones I was sure it must have been a different band altogether. Not so. But a great tune either way.
23. THE PACK - 'Thalidomide' - Cyclops 7" - UK - 1982
From the 'Long Live The Past' posthumous E.P. Kirk Brandon's band before Theatre Of Hate. This, of course, is better than anything he did in the '80s.
24. PUNISHMENT OF LUXURY - 'Face To Face (Ghosts)' - demo - UK - 1980
Here's a rare treat for you, an unreleased Punishment Of Luxury track from way back when. Don't say I never give you anything.
25. PRAG VEC - 'Cigarettes' - Spec 7" - UK - 1978
And to finish, another from the first Prag Vec E.P.
***BONUS TRACKS***
26. THE BUZZCOCKS -
'Boredom'
27. THE TOYS -
'Breakdown'
28. DISCO ZOMBIES -
'Time Will Tell'
29. PUNISHMENT OF
LUXURY - 'The Demon'
Get it here
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