We're starting with a B-side by those handsome blokes from Brighton. Managed by Chas Chandler, no less, for all the good he did them. I'm guessing the band wanted this as the A-side but the label wanted 'Living On Dreams'. Typical. 'You know my brother he's in prison, my sister's in the club, my momma's taking pills and my daddy's at the pub'.
2. THE DESPERATE BICYCLES - 'The Medium Was Tedium' - Refill 7" - UK - 1977
This, their second single, was one of the most important moments in punk, defining the D.I.Y. ethic as succinctly as possible: 'It was easy, it was cheap, GO AND DO IT!' They did, I did, thousands did, and still do.
3. THE MACHINES - 'True Life' - Wax 7" - UK - 1978
Recorded in half an hour at 8 quid an hour. The Machines sure took notice. Hailing from Southend. 4 solid tracks, re-issued a couple of times on vinyl and CD. Another track later.
4. THE CARPETTES - 'Small Wonder' - Small Wonder 7" - UK - 1978
Originally from just up the road in Houghton-le-Spring, this is their 2nd single in honour of the label that signed them. Neither a move to London nor some solid follow up records for Beggars Banquet got them the recognition they deserved.
5. THE USERS - 'Sick Of You' - Raw 7" - UK - 1977
Raw records sprang out of Cambridge by releasing this classic single by their best local punk band, recorded at Spaceward. Only one other single followed, though a retrospective CD did come out on Bin Liner/Detour in 2008.
6. SOME CHICKEN - 'New Religion' - Raw 7" - UK - 1977
The 7th Raw single, with vocals by Ivor Badcock. The drummer, it seems, was only just learning to drum but it only adds to the messy charm of this platter. Repressed on Damaged Goods.
7. CYANIDE - 'Your Old Man' - Pinnacle 7" - UK - 1979
By far the best thing they ever did. And the last. Some solid drumming by Steve Roberts just before he left to join the UK Subs. 'Your old man's got money in The Midland, I bet he's got a pretty penny put aside, and he's got gas-fired central heating, it keeps him warm when it's cold outside'. It didn't take much to spark jealousy in the '70s.
8. THE ZEROS - 'Hungry' - Small Wonder 7" - UK - 1977
Back to Small Wonder now for the second release on the label. This track appeared on the 'Streets' LP too, if I remember. They did another split single and a Peel session but, sadly, that's it.
9. THE KILLJOYS - 'Johnny Won't Get To Heaven' - RAW 7" - UK - 1977
The third Raw 7", re-issued again on Damaged Goods and again recorded at Spaceward, was a highpoint of 1977. The fact that the singer was a brummie musical chamaeleon and later responsible for Dexy's Midnight Runners is neither here nor there. This blows away anything Johnny ever did. Live snippet here.
10. THE IGNERENTS - 'Wrong Place Wrong Time - Rundown 7" - UK - 1979
The B-side of 'Radio Interference, but with a better catchier chorus. From Kent. Find out all about them here.
11. KLEENEX - 'Heidi's Head' - Sunrise 7" - Switzerland - 1978
'Heidi's head is so dread, Heidi is oh so sad!' I hardly ever knew what Kleenex were on about but there's something primal about them that draws you in. See them in action here. Rough Trade did a 2-song version of this 4-song E.P.
12. DE CYLINDERS - 'Freddy Mercury' - CNR 7" - Holland 1981
Whereas we all knew what De Cylinders were on about. 'There goes Freddy Mercury, shopping in the grocery'. Throwaway powerpop, yeah, but what a tune!
13. LONDON ZOO - 'Receiving End' - Zoom 7" - UK - 1979
On the same label as The Valves, so it had to be good. This lot evolved from Blunt Instrument when they got a new (better) guitarist. Again, like Tiger Tails, the song has a simple riff which just hits you somewhere on an emotional level. Inexplicable, but great.
14. THE MACHINES - 'You Better Hear' - Wax 7" - UK - 1978
As promised, another track from the 'True Life' E.P.
15. SOME CHICKEN - 'Blood On The Wall' - Raw 7" - UK - 1977
Followed by the great flip of 'New Religion' - the first of 4 consecutive B-sides.
16. THE ZEROS - 'Radio Fun' - Small Wonder 7" - UK - 1977
Pacier than 'Hungry'.
17. CYANIDE - 'Fireball' - Pinnacle 7" - UK - 1979
Did I mention before that this band originated from York?
18. THE KILLJOYS - 'Naive' - RAW 7" - UK - 1977
Read all about the origins of the band here.
19. KLEENEX - 'You' - Rough Trade 7" - UK - 1979
The second single, this time exclusively on Rough Trade, before they were forced to change their name to Liliput.
20. THE USERS - 'Kicks In Style' - Warped 7" - UK - 1978
Their second and last single - re-issued in 2010 on 1977 records.
21. THE CARPETTES - 'Radio Wunderbar' - Small Wonder 7" - UK - 1977
From their first 4-track E.P. Sounds slightly more polished than the second 7". Weird.
22. THE CUT-OUTS - 'We Don't Wanna Hurt Ourselves' - EMI - UK - 1979
From a three-tracker, produced by John Leckie who famously guided a lot of indie bands to great success. Not the Cut-Outs however, as this was their sole release.
23. THE DARK - 'My Friends' - Fresh 7" - UK -1979
The Dark were a frustrating band to me. I loved this single, but then the singer left and bassist Phil Langham (R.I.P.) took over on vocal duty. Of their other 4 singles, 2 were great and 2 were pedestrian, as were their LP and 12", treading ground somewhere between goth-rock and punk, but not being consistent enough for greatness.
24. SOME CHICKEN - 'Arabian Daze' - Raw 7" & 12" - UK - 1978
Nothing like their first 7". Sounds to me like they'd been listening to their labelmates the Soft Boys with it's neo-psychedelic feel. Interesting.
25. THE DEPRESSIONS - 'Street Kid' - Barn 7" - UK - 1978
And we'll end where we started with another classic Depressions B-side which blows away the label's choice 'Messing With Your Heart'.
***BONUS TRACKS***
26. THE USERS - 'In
Love With Today'
27. SOME CHICKEN -
'Number Seven'
28. THE CARPETTES -
'2NE1'
29. THE DARK - 'The
Ballad Of John Wayne'
30. THE DESPERATE
BICYCLES - 'Don't Back The Front'
Get it here
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