Disturbed, swelling, outsiders in the supermarket looking for love or cheap cider (whichever is easiest) – you have to big it up for compilations like this.
Compiler JOHN REED in my opinion has more genuine musical knowledge in his undoubtedly impressive Manchurian Pinky than most of us so-called experts do in entire suburban limbs. The insider knowledge required to compile something like this is formidable. And man you will need it for "Optimism/Reject: UK D-I-Y Punk And Post-Punk 1977-1981" – another superb Cherry Red 4CD DigiBook Set for your not-so-minimalist lo-fi shelves.
UK released July 2019 - I like to think I know a song or two having worked as a rarities buyer in Reckless Records in London for 20 years. But I will confess right now to not having actually heard at least half of the 101 tracks presented here - spiky little brutes that just don't show up that often - from one-off privately pressed EPs to lesser-traveled B-sides, Flexidisc turns, Cassette only inclusions and contributions to Brighton Band Samplers and Rock-Against-Racism LPs. There are also the musical debuts of Richard Jobson of The Skids, Vic Goddard of Subway Sect, Pete Burns of Dead or Alive, Mick Hucknall of Simply Red and Billy Mackenzie of The Associates in their Punk Bands of the day. Here you will learn that Devo covered a Tagmemics flipside (ex Art Attacks) in their live shows and find a DigiBook compilation that highlights cool Indie labels like Red Rhino, Attrix and Small Wonder.
There is a serious amount of anger, suspended sentences and unwillingness to be anywhere near British Airways angst to wade through here – so once more my rejected disciples unto the proletariat breach...
UK released 26 July 2019 - "Optimism/Reject: UK D-I-Y Punk And Post-Punk 1977-1981" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Cherry Red CRCDBOX74 (Barcode 5013929107403) is a 4CD 105-Track DigiBook Anthology that plays out as follows (most tracks are UK 45-single A-sides unless otherwise stated):
CD1 (79:32 minutes):
1. Michael's Monetary System – EATER (May 1977, The Label TLR 003)
2. You'll Lose – THE DRONES (July 1977 EP "Temptations Of A White Collar Work", O.H.M.S. GOODMIX 1)
3. Love Lies Limp – ALTERNATIVE TV (October 1977, SG Flexi Disc SG 75 RPS)
4. Freeway – THE OUTSIDERS (November 1977 EP "One To Infinity", Raw Edge RER 002)
5. Suspended Sentence – JOHN COOPER CLARKE (November 1977 EP "Innocents", Rabid TOSH 103)
6. O Levels – 'O' LEVEL (November 1977, Psycho PSYCHO 1)
7. Black Velvet – SWELL MAPS (December 1977, Rather GEAR ONE)
8. Optimism/Reject – PATRIK FITZGERALD (January 1978 EP "Safety-Pin Stuck In My Heart", Small Wonder SMALL 4)
9. Hard Times – ATTRIX (February 1978, Attrix RB 01)
10. Nobody's Scared – SUBWAY SECT (March 1978, Bralk BRS 01)
11. Washed Up – THE FRESHIES (March 1978 EP "Chris Sievy", Razz EP 1)
12. Charles – SKIDS (April 1978, No Bad NB 1)
13. Police Oppression – ANGELIC UPSTARTS (May 1978, Angelic Upstarts IS/AU 1024)
14. Neutron Bomb – THE ART ATTACKS (May 1978, Albatross TIT 1)
15. Mixed Up World – VICTIM (May 1978, Good Vibrations GOT 2)
16. Aerosol Burns – ESSENTIAL LOGIC (May 1978, Rough Trade SELL ONE)
17. It – THE TIGHTS (June 1978, Cherry Red CHERRY 1, Second B-side of "Bad Hearts")
18. The Demon – PUNISHMENT OF LUXURY (July 1978, Small Wonder SMALL 8, B-side of "Puppet Life")
19. Bingo-Master – THE FALL (August 1978. Step Forward SF 7)
20. Situations Vacant – THE CRAVATS (September 1978, Small Wonder CH 004, B-side of "Gordon")
21. Is And Ought The Western World – SCRITTI POLITTI (October 1978 EP "Skank Bloc Bologna" on St. Pancras SCRIT 1)
22. Wolf – pragVEC (October 1978 EP "Bits" on Spec SP 001)
23. Cool – THE JERKS (November 1978, Lightning GIL 549)
24. He's Frank – THE MONOCHROME SET (November 1978, Rough Trade RT 005)
25. International – THOMAS LEER (November 1978, Company Oblique OBCO 001)
26. Fruitless - DEVIL'S DYKES (from December 1978 UK LP "Vaultage 78; Two Sides Of Brighton" on Attrix Records RB/03 LP)
27. 01-01-212 – VICE CREEMS (December 1978, Tiger Grrr 1, B-side of "Won't You Be My Girl")
28. Times Encounter – NIGEL SIMPKINS (December 1978 3-Track EP "X. ENC." on Waldo's SWING SERIES 002)
CD2 (79:43 minutes):
1. H-Eyes – THE RUTS (January 1979, People Unite SJP 795, B-side of "In A Rut")
2. Lord Lucan Is Missing – THE DODGEMS (from December 1978 UK LP "Vaultage 78; Two Sides Of Brighton" on Attrix Records RB/03 LP, also June 1980 UK 45 on Criminal SWAG 12)
3. The Competition – PASSAGE (December 1978 EP "New Love Songs" on Object Music OM 02)
4. Girl Gets Nervous – NICKY & THE DOTS (from December 1978 UK LP "Vaultage 78; Two Sides Of Brighton" on Attrix Records RB/03 LP)
5. I Don't Want To Work For British Airways – SCISSOR FITS (January 1979 EP "Taut? Tense? Angular? And Other British Rail Sandwiches" on Dubious Dub 1)
6. Cold City – SPIZZOIL (February 1979, Rough Trade RTSO 2)
7. (I Saw) Batman (In The Laundrette) – THE SHAPES (June 1980 EP "Wot's For Lunch Mum?" on Sofa SEAT 1)
8. Stereo Love – PROLES (March 1979, Rock Against Racism T.RAR 1)
9. Commuter Man – THE MOLESTERS (April 1979, Small Wonder SMALL 14, B-side of "Disco Man")
10. Heathen – THE PACK (April 1979, SS PAK 1)
11. In Love – THE RAINCOATS (April 1979, Rough Trade RT 013, B-side of "Fairytale In The Supermarket")
12. Sing Song – THE TEA SET (May 1979 EP "Cups 'N Saucers" on Waldo's BEAT SERIES 003)
13. Mother Moon – ARTERY (June 1979, Limited Edition TAKE 1)
14. The Ultimate System – MURDER THE DISTURBED (June 1979 EP "Genetic Disruption" on Small Wonder SMALL 17)
15. Playing Golf (With My Flesh Crawling) – THE FAMILY FODDER (June 1979, Parole/Fresh PURL 4/FRESH 1)
16. Every Day I Die – FRANTIC ELEVATORS (June 1979, TJM Records TJM 5, B-side of "Voice in The Dark")
17. Nagasaki's Children – THEY MUST BE RUSSIANS (June 1979, White label Lyntone RYS 001 LYN 6714)
18. Metal Sheet – SECOND LAYER (July 1979 EP "Flesh As Property" on Tortch-R TOR 001)
19. Cold Rebellion – METROPHASE (July 1979 EP "Phrase One EP" on Neolondon MS 01)
20. I Don't Believe – DISTURBED (July 1979, Parole PURL 3)
21. Subculture Fashion Slaves – THE DOOR AND THE WINDOW (July 1979 EP "Subculture" on N.B. Records N.B. 1)
22. God's Got Religion – THE STEPPES (July 1979, South Circular SGS 108, B-side of "The Beat Drill")
23. Christine Keeler – GL*XO BABIES (August 1979, Heartbeat PULSE 5)
24. Boys Keep Swinging – THE ASSOCIATES (August 1979, Double Hip DHR 1, a David Bowie cover, band featured Billy Mackenzie and Allan Rankine)
25. Beautiful Pictures – FATAL MICROBES (August 1979, Small Wonder SMALL 20, B-side of "Violence Grows")
26. Top Of The Pops – DISCO ZOMBIES (September 1979 Lead EP Track on "The Invisible EP", Wizzo WIZZ 1)
27. Exhibition – PNUEMANIA (October 1979, Plastic Records PLAS001)
CD3 (75:47 minutes):
1. Domestic Departure – AU PAIRS (September 1979, 021 Records OT02, B-side of "You")
2. Reconstruction – ENGLISH SUBTITLES (October 1979, Small Wonder SMALL 22, B-side of "Time Tunnel")
3. Them Or Me – MEDIUM MEDIUM (November 1979, Apt Music SAP01)
4. Choreography – MODERN EON (November 1979 EP "Pieces" on Eon Records EON 001)
5. Chance Meeting – JOSEF K (November 1979, Absolute Records ABS1)
6. On The Air – THE LINES (November 1979, Red Records RS001)
7. Masochistic Opposite – MO-DETTES (December 1979, Mode Records MODE1, B-side of "White Mice")
8. Minstrel Radio Yoghurt – DEEP FREEZE MICE (from the November 1979 UK LP "My Geraniums Are Bulletproof" on Mole Embalming Records MOLE 1)
9. You Get Everywhere – THE CHEFS (from the "Vaultage 79: Another Two Sides Of Brighton" on Attrix Records RB/08 LP)
10. Bloody – THE GOLINKSKI BROTHERS (from the "Vaultage 79: Another Two Sides Of Brighton" on Attrix Records RB/08 LP)
11. Key Operator – THE LILLETTES (from the "Vaultage 79: Another Two Sides Of Brighton" on Attrix Records RB/08 LP)
12. Art Nouveau – THE BODIES (January 1980, Waldo's Records HS007)
13. Shangri-La – NIGHTMARES IN WAX (February 1980 EP "Birth Of A Nation" on Inevitable Records INEV002 – band featured Pete Burns of Dead Or Alive)
14. Oscar Automobile – WEIRD STRINGS (February 1980, Velvet Moon Records VM1)
15. Self Employed – AGAIN AGAIN (March 1980, Do It Records DUN-IT-7)
16. Fashionable Junkies – THE MEMBRANES (March 1980 Flexidisc, Drip Records VD005)
17. Autophagous – MANIC JABS (March 1980, Waldo's Records MS009)
18. Modichy In Aneration – BLANCMANGE (April 1980 EP "Irene And Mavis" on Blaah Music MFT 1/2)
19. No Message – MYSTERE V’S (April 1980, Flicknife Records FL1)
20. The Feeling's Mutual – EYELESS IN GAZA (May 1980, Ambivalent Scale Recordings ASR002, B-side of "Kodak Ghosts Run Amok")
21. Lean On Me – DISTRIBUTORS (May 1980, Red Rhino Records RED5)
22. Chimneys – TAGMEMICS (May 1980, Index 45003)
23. Short Time – RHYTHM CLICKS (June 1980, Red Rhino Records RED6)
24. Get – BLURT (August 1980, Test Pressings TPB1, B-side of "My Mother Was A Friend Of An Enemy Of The People")
CD4 (76:29 minutes):
1. Final Day – YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS (October 1980, Rough Trade RT043)
2. You What You Deserve – CHARGE (October 1980, YCAFO Records, Privately Pressed, Rare)
3. The Damage Done – THE SISTERS OF MERCY (November 1980, Merciful Release MR7)
4. Politics! – GIRLS AT OUR BEST (November 1980, Record Records RR2)
5. Justice Not Vengeance – A POPULAR HISTORY OF SIGNS (November 1980, Melodia Records M1)
6. Could Be Her, Could Be You – THOMPSON TWINS (November 1980, Dirty Disks RANK 1)
7. Everything's Roses – FIRE ENGINES (December 1980, Codex Communications CDX01, B-side of "Get Up And Use Me")
8. Motorway – EMMA SHARPE (from the December 1980 UK LP "Vaultage 80: A Vinyl Chapter" on Attrix Records RB11)
9. The Russians Are Coming – THE RED SQUARES (from the December 1980 UK LP "Vaultage 80: A Vinyl Chapter" on Attrix Records RB11)
10. Motion – THE ROOM (September 1980, Box Records BOX 001)
11. Should Be More Ideal – THE 49 AMERICANS (from the 1980 UK Mini LP "Too Young To Be Ideal" on Choo Choo Train Records CHUG2)
12. I Remember – CULT FIGURES (June 1981 EP "In Love EP" on Rather Records GEAR EIGHT, features Members of Swell Maps)
13. Insect Love – THE HIGSONS (October 1981, Romans In Britain Records HIG2, B-side of "I Don’t Want To Live With Monkeys")
14. Chips For Tea – THE LAUGHING APPLE (March 1981 EP "Ha Ha Hee Hee!" on Autonomy Records AUT001)
15. Defeated – THE LEGENDARY PINK DOTS (from the 1980 Cassette of "Klein Krieg" on Mirrordot MD04)
16. Holiday Girl – MARINE GIRLS (from the 1981 Cassette "Beach Party" on In Phaze Records 002 ½)
17. The Return – NORMIL HAWAIIANS (from the 1981 12-inch single "Gala Failed" on Red Rhino Records RED8)
18. Zigzagging – THE REFLECTIONS (from the 1981 LP "Slugs And Toads" on Cherry Red Records BRED22)
19. When I See You – SAD LOVERS AND GIANTS (May 1981 EP "Che" on Lost Movement LM003)
20. Domino Theory – TO THE FINLAND STATION (January 1982, Melodia Records M3)
21. Launderette – VIVIEN GOLDMAN (August 1981, Window WIN1)
22. Ethics – 23 SKIDOO (March 1981, Pineapple Products PULP23)
23. Shades Of Black - SCREEN 3 (from the 1981 LP "Norwich: A Fine City" on Romans In Britain Records NERO 1)
24. Plan 9 From Outer Space – THE HAPPY FEW (from the 1981 LP "Norwich: A Fine City" on Romans In Britain Records NERO 1)
25. Break The Ice At Parties – THE TESCO BOMBERS (January 1982, Y Records Y14)
26. I Wanna Be Around (Paul) - ...AND THE NATIVE HIPSTERS (October 1980, Heater Volume Records HVR003, B-side of "There Goes Concorde Again")
I too remember the LP on the turntable suddenly giving way in 1977 to the 'Singles' Box on the counter of our favorite record shops (especially second-hand ones) where (suddenly) droves of small labels and unknown names began to appear - all of these 'small wonders' tempting our lunch money. Anger and a certain sense of dislocation - optimism gone - permeated these releases almost all of which were short-sharp-shocks to the solar plexus and unrepentant for being so. I say all this because as you wade through the astonishingly detailed 64-page A5-szed booklet that's attached to the Digibook - you are assaulted with handmade picture sleeves, rust-edged buttons, boiled-in-a-bag posters in a Punkette stylee all topped off with letters of complaint, establishment outrage and more black and white photos of earnest young men and women than you can shake a Pogo Stick at.
"Optimism/Reject..." is a gorgeous thing to look at (even if it is a tad awkward to read) and compiler John Reed's insider knowledge and enthusiasm abounds. Given that the sources are literally all over the place, it's a Remastered Edition, but offers no mastering credits - so tighten your aural seat-belts is very much the order of the day. No patience - maximum power. To the chunes...
Slightly bemused, Michael goes to his mother's button-box in her bedroom in Eater's sedated yet sinister opener "Michael's Monetary System". But that's quickly usurped by the fantastic 'fight for the right to be different' Drones single "You'll Lose" - the kind of Punk-snarler that you imagine would have made John Peel grin from ear to ear. Mark Perry of Alternative TV doesn't want to hear about who's doing who in the failed bedroom posturing Punk-Reggae of "Love Lies Limp" - a very smart choice. The Outsiders put out the first self-released Punk LP in the UK - "Calling on Youth" in May 1977 - but O/R concentrates on one of the November 1977 tracks from their "One To Infinity" EP on Raw Edge Records - the superb Television gritty "Freeway".
Time for a giggle and a bit of late Seventies social commentary into the bargain with the much loved John Cooper Clarke starting his poetry rave with a drum-machine for "Suspended Sentence". There are funeral bells - the Sun newspaper sells a big bum on Page 3 - lunatics with a loaded gun - bring back hanging for everyone... What a stacked gem it is. Straight into genuinely snotty D-I-Y territory with "O Levels" - a rant at the hated school system - it's singer none too enamored with the job-for-life mentality peddled by every one of them. There's more than the Bass-Speed sound of The Jam meets the tear-the-building New York Dolls vibe about "Black Velvet" by Swell Maps - a double-vocal piece of brilliance that was the B-side of their "Read About Seymour" debut 45. A label I loved 'Small Wonder' starts to make itself known with Patrik Fitzgerald's "Optimism/Reject" which of course gives this 4CD haul its name.
Vic Goddard and Subway Sect and their "Nobody's Scared" delight with lyrics like "Everyone is a prostitute...singing a song in prison..." Sounding like it was recorded in Auntie Ada's broom closet, their is still power in The Freshies "Washed Up" itself cleverly followed by the neck-jerking Skids telling us about "Charles" and his job in a factory - Richard Jobson sounding socially on the money. Great discoveries for me are the Clash-angry rattle of "Mixed Up World" by Victim, the giggling angel-of-change in "The Demon" by Punishment Of Luxury and the Kris Needs' band Vice Creems doing phone-distance love on "01-01-212".
For sure wading through all 101 slices of mayhem and drool may not be everyone's idea of Tea and Crumpet at the Ritz - but that's the point. Punk and Post Punk compilations are out there touching on all the obvious charted stuff - but this beast - "Optimism/Reject..." goes to the beginnings and the underbellies and forgotten compilations that will never see the CD light of day. And for that it's a totally bangin' 5-star masterpiece. I can't imagine the hundreds of hours it must have taken to collate this, but kudos to all involved...
