"Definitive Impressions Part 2" by THE IMPRESSIONS – US Single and Album Tracks from 1963 to 1968 on ABC-Paramount Records (July 2003 UK Ace/Kent-Soul CD Anthology – Duncan Cowell Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Let Me Tell The World…"

Instead of going down the tried-and-tested hits route – Volume 2 in Ace's superb CD retrospectives for Chicago's "The Impressions" plums for B-sides, quality album cuts and lesser-heard rarities and even as a lengthy listen - it works. Details are…

UK released July 2003 – "Definitive Impressions Part 2" by THE IMPRESSIONS on Ace/Kent-Soul CDKEND 213 (Barcode 029667221320) is a CD compilation of Remasters that breaks down as follows (75:49 minutes):

All tracks in Stereo except 16 and 19 in Mono:

1. (Man Oh Man) I Want To Go Back (1965 US 7" on ABC 10750, B-side of "You've Been Cheatin'")

2. I'm Getting Ready (from the 1968 US LP "We're A Winner" on ABC Records ABCS-635 (Stereo))

3. You Ought To Be In Heaven (1967 US 7" on ABC 10964, B-side of "I Can't Stay Away From You")

4. We're In Love (from the 1965 US LP "People Get Ready" on ABC-Paramount Records ABCS-505 (Stereo))

5. No One Else (1966 US 7" single on ABC-Paramount 10789, B-side of "Too Slow")

6. This Must End (1966 US 7" single on ABC 10831, B-side of "Can't Satisfy")

7. Little Brown Boy (from the 1968 US LP "We're A Winner" on ABC Records ABCS-635 (Stereo))

8. Love's A Comin' (1966 US 7" single on ABC 10869, A)

9. Gotta Get Away (from the 1966 US LP "Ridin' High" on ABC-Paramount ABCS-545 (Stereo))

10. I Love You (Yeah) (1964 US 7" single on ABC-Paramount 10554, B-side of "Keep On Pushing")

11. A Woman Who Loves Me (from the 1964 US LP "The Never Ending Impressions" on ABC-Paramount ABCS-468 (Stereo))

12. Aware Of Love  (from the 1967 US LP "The Fabulous Impressions" on ABC Records ABCS-606 (Stereo))

13. Never Could You Be (1965 US 7" single on ABC 10710, B-side of "I Need You")

14. Le Me Tell The World (from the 1968 US LP "We're A Winner" on ABC Records ABCS-635 (Stereo))

15. I Need To Belong To Someone (from the 1966 US LP "Ridin' High" on ABC-Paramount ABCS-545 (Stereo))

16. You’ll Want Me Back (1963 US 7" single on ABC-Paramount 10487, B-side of "It's All Right", Mono)

17. Just Another Dance (from the 1965 US LP "People Get Ready" on ABC-Paramount Records ABCS-505 (Stereo))

18. That's What Love Will Do  (from the 1964 US LP "The Never Ending Impressions" on ABC-Paramount ABCS-468 (Stereo))

19. You've Got Me Runnin' (1967 US 7" single on ABC 10932, B-side of "It's Hard To Believe", Mono)

20. She Don't Love Me (from the 1967 US LP "The Fabulous Impressions" on ABC Records ABCS-606 (Stereo))

21. Devil In Your Soul (unissued recording first appeared on the 1999 CD compilation "ABC Rarities" on Ace Kent-Soul CDKEND 170)

22. I've Found That I've Lost Love (from the 1965 US LP "People Get Ready" on ABC-Paramount Records ABCS-505 (Stereo))

23. Long, Long, Winter (1964 US 7" single on ABC-Paramount 10602, B-side of "Amen")

24. Sister Love (from the 1964 US LP "The Never Ending Impressions" on ABC-Paramount ABCS-468 (Stereo))

25. Puppy Love (unissued recording first appeared on the 1999 CD compilation "ABC Rarities" on Ace Kent-Soul CDKEND 170)

26. Don't Cry My Love (1968 US 7" single on ABC 11135, A)

27. Falling In Love With You  (1965 US 7" single on ABC 10761, B-side of "Since I Lost The One I Love")

28. It's All Over (1967 US 7" single on ABC 11022, B-side of "We're A Winner")

Compiled ands Annotated by ADRIAN CROASDELL – the liner notes are full of those great ABC-Paramount sleeves and album covers while DUNCAN COWELL has mastered the largely Stereo tapes to perfection (only "You'll Want Me Back" and "You've Got Me Runnin'" are in Mono).

In some ways Volume 2 is an even better listen than 1989's Volume 1 of "Definitive Impressions" (reissued in 2002 with different artwork) in that it allows choice LP track inclusions instead of just all singles and bolsters the lot up with rare B-sides and those two unreleased nuggets ("Devil In Your Soul" and "Puppy Love"). 

It opens with the brassy "It's All Right" wannabe B-side "(Man Oh Man) I Want To Go Back" and continues in that off-the-cuff not-the-hits vein. The Northern-Soul dancer "You Ought To Be In Heaven" stands out - as does "Gotta Get Away" and the lovely "now that she's gone" mid-tempo melody of "Long, Long Winter" (B-side to "Amen") – more effortless cool from Curtis Mayfield (again wrote almost everything here). "Falling In Love With You" is typical – those quivering strings – the three boys harmonising on the chorus – a slow classy melody caresses "...you held my hand so tight…" lyrics – so sweet.

If you want to go deeper – Ace put out the Sixties ABC-Paramount LPs on twofer CDs that are readily available in 2015 – all with great liner notes and top audio quality.

Classy, sweet and still able to make us swoon – The Impressions were indeed fabulous…

"Boogie To The Top: The Very Best Of" by IDRIS MUHAMMAD - including tracks from the album "Power Of Soul" (1974), "House Of The Rising Sun" (1976), "Turn This Mutha Out" (1977) and "Boogie To The Top" (1978) - featuring Grover Washington, Jr, Eric Gale, Joe Beck, Hiram Bullock, David Sanborn, Mike and Randy Brecker, Fred Wesley of The JB's, Bob James, Patti Austen, Will Lee and more (May 2015 Robinsongs CD Compilation – Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Turn This Mutha Out..."

Now here's a sweetie for lovers of primo Jazz Funk – 10 tracks by New Orleans Fusion Drummer IDRIS MUHAMMAD from four of his Kudu Records LPs back in the grooving heyday of the Seventies. You also get the added bonus of three rare edited 7" single mixes tagged on at the end for good measure. And it all sounds fabulous too. Let's get to the details...

UK released 11 May 2015 – "Boogie To The Top: The Very Best Of" by IDRIS MUHAMMAD on Cherry Red/Robinsongs CDMRED 659 (Barcode 5013929165939) breaks down as follows (72:23 minutes):

1. Loran’s Dance

2. Power Of Soul

Tracks 1 to 2 both from the LP "Power Of Soul" released 1974 in the USA on Kudu Records KU 17. Grover Washington, Jr on Saxophone, Randy Brecker on Trumpet, Bob James on Keyboards, Joe Beck on Guitar, Gary King on Bass with Idris Muhammad on Drums.

3. Baia (Boogie Bump)

4. House Of The Rising Sun

5. Theme For New York City

Tracks 3 to 5 from the LP "House Of The Rising Sun" released 1976 in the USA on Kudu Records KU 27.

Track 3 features David Sanborn on Alto Sax, Mike Brecker on Tenor Sax, Don Grolnick on Piano, Eric Gale on Bass, Idris Muhammad on Drums with Debbie McDuffie, Hilda Harris & Patti Austen on Backing Vocals.

Track 4 features Frank Lloyd on Lead Vocals, David Sanborn on Alto Sax, Leon Pendarvis on Piano, and Eric Gale on Guitar and Will Lee On Bass with IM on Drums.

Track 5 features David Sanborn on Alto Sax, Fred Wesley on Trombone, Roland Hanna on Keyboards and Eric Gale on Guitar with Wilbur Bascomb on Bass and IM on Drums.

6. Crab Apple

7. Could Heaven Ever Be Like This

8. Turn This Mutha Out

Tracks 6 to 8 are from the LP "Turn This Mutha Out" released 1977 in the USA on Kudu Records KU 34.

Track 6 features Frank Lloyd on Vocals, Mike & Randy Brecker on Tenor Sax and Trumpet, Hiram Bullock on Guitar, Cliff Carter on Synth (as well as others).

Track 7 features Ronnie Cuber on Baritone Sax, David Tofani on Soprano Sax, Charlie Brown and Hiram Bullock on Guitars, Cliff Carter on Synth, Mike Brecker on Trumpet with IM on Drum.

Track 8 features Frank Lloyd on Vocals, Hiram Bullock on Guitar, Cliff Carter on Synth, Wilbur Bascomb on Bass, Sue Evans on Percussion and IM on Drums.

9. Stick It In Your Face

10. Boogie To The Top

Tracks 9 and 10 are from the album "Boogie To The Top" released 1978 in the USA on Kudu Records KU 38.

Track 9 features Jeremy Steig on Solo Flute with Hugh McCracken on Solo Harmonica.

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Could Heaven Ever Be Like This (Part 1) – 1977 USA 7" single edit on Kudu KU-939 [3:25 minutes]

12. Turn This Mutha Out (Part 1) – 1977 USA 7" single edit on Kudu KU-940 [3:40 minutes]

13. Boogie To The Top (Part 1) – 1978 USA 7" single edit on Kudu KU-943 [3:30 minutes]

The 12-page booklet has superb liner notes from noted-writer CHARLES WARING discussing Leo Morris (his real name) and his career to his sad passing in July 2014 aged 74. There some label repros of those yellow and black Kudu Records labels – but the big news is the NICK ROBBINS remasters that bring out all the classy musicianship that peppered every track (originally produced by CTI’s Creed Taylor and Dave Matthews. Other good names like Wayne Dickson at Big Break Records were involved in the reissue. The CD is a picture disc with other Robinsongs CD releases advertised on the inlay beneath the see-through tray.

Proceedings open with the slinky and breathy Jazz Funk of "Loran's Dance" and immediately you’re in Crusaders territory – a cool sensual groove played by superlative musicians who know how to bring it to a sexy boil. The audio is wicked.  His cover version of Hendrix’s Band Of Gypsys tune “Power Of Soul” is typical of so many tracks on here. A funky little number where Grover Washington, Jr. solos over a tight-as-a-drum rhythm section with the whole seven minutes feeling like a dancefloor driver (Joe Beck’s guitar solo is ace). It’s just brilliant and sounds great too.

As the Funk passes by the array of huge names behind the Muhammad backbeat make their talented presence known on every track – Grover Washington, Jr. on Saxophone, David Sanborn on Alto Sax, Randy Brecker on Trumpet, Fred Wesley on Trombone, Bob James on Keyboards, Hugh McCracken and Hiram Bullock on Guitars, Eric Gale on Bass and so on. It’s quite clear Idris went for commercialism by the “House Of The Rising Sun” album in 1976 bringing on board lead vocalist Frank Lloyd with Patti Austin filling in those Backing Vocals. His cover of the Animals hit is very George Benson but with perhaps a little too much of a nod towards the Disco Beat that dominated the scene at the time.

Things get real gritty with the “Turn This Mutha Out” album and in a great way. “Crab Apple” slides along with Steely Dan guitar licks and a backbeat that just won’t quit while the flang-effect opening of “Could Heaven Ever Be Like This” feels very Donald Byrd “Spaces And Places” with the Mizell Brothers at the writing helm. And on it goes to the three single edits which DJs will love chopping down those more commercial cuts into manageable dancefloor sizes...

A great set of tunes, quality presentation and top-notch audio. Well done to all at Cherry Red and Robinsongs (who continue a hot streak of CD reissues in this vein)...

"Don't Be Bad! 60s Punk Recorded In Texas" by VARIOUS ARTISTS - featuring The Passions, Driving Wheels, Gaylan Ladd, The Pirates, Eccentrics, The People, The Dodads and more (April 2015 Ace/Big Beat Records CD Compilation – Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Lost In A Crowd..."

"...Raunchy Gulf Coast garage from the vaults of Huey Purvis Meaux’s Crazy Cajun empire – 26 tracks sourced from the original master tapes featuring 10 Previously Unreleased..." - it says on the rear inlay for "Don't Be Bad!" and who am I to disagree.

Covering young acts recorded by Pasadena's notoriously eccentric Entrepreneur and local-band Producer Huey Meaux between 1964 and 1967 (at either Pasadena Sounds or Gold Star Studios) – what you get here is angry young American Men growling 26 times about girls they love but who lie and cheat on them all the time (apparently its always their fault too). The music is very Sir Douglas Quintet – "She's About A Mover" territory. What I wasn't expecting though is the quality – track-after-track of stormingly great Sixties Garage that lovers of guitar thrashers and bashers will have to own. It's not all unmitigated genius for sure – but the good stiff far outweighs the ordinary. Here are the Topless Guitar details...

UK released 27 April 2015 (May 2015 in the USA) – "Don't Be Bad! 60s Punk Recorded In Texas" by VARIOUS ARTISTS is a 26-track CD compilation on Ace/Big Beat Records CDWIKD 327 (Barcode 029667432726) and rocks out as follows (63:32 minutes):

1. Top-Less Girl – BARRY & LIFE (1967 USA 7" single on Pic 1 142, A)

2. Don’t Be Bad – THE DRIVING WHEELS (2015, Previously Unreleased)

3. The Fall Of The Queen – DESTINY’S CHILDREN (1966 USA 7" single on Ventural V-730, A)

4. Girl Said No – WHAT'S LEFT (1966 USA 7" single on Capri 520, A)

5. Cuttin' Out – THE PIRATES (1965 USA 7" single on Back Stage 5001, A)

6. Her Loving Way – GAYLANN LADD (1965 USA 7" single on MGM 13435, A)

7. I Don't Need Help – THE SANDS (2015, Previously Unreleased)

8. Again – THE PEOPLE (1965 USA 7" single on Ventural V-724, A)

9. Lively One – THE PASSIONS (1965 USA 7" single on Pic 1 117, A)

10. Better Come Get Her – THE TRIUMPHS (1966 USA 7” single on Pacemaker PM-238, A)

11. It's You – THE ACTIONEERS (1965 USA 7" single (1965 USA 7” single on Shane 57, A)

12. Lost In A Crowd – THE DODADS (2015, Previously Unreleased)

13. To No Place Of Its Own – THE PHINX (2015, Previously Unreleased)

14. Farmer John – THE ARGYLES (1966 USA 7" single on Pic 1 136, A)

15. Baby, I Need You – THE ECCENTRICS (1966 USA 7” single on Shane 60, A)

16. She Comes Running – THE DRIVING WHEELS (2015, Previously Unreleased)

17. Gotta Tell Her – THE BLUE DIAMONDS (2015, Previously Unreleased)

18. Dirty Dirty Game – GAYLAN LADD & THE EAST SIDE TRANSFER (2015, Previously Unreleased)

19. Open Your Eyes – THE SANDS (1966 USA 7” single on Capri 522, A)

20. Don't Tell Me – THE CHANCELLORS (1965 USA 7” single Caddo 102, A)

21. Honey Hush – THE LOAFERS (1964 USA 7" single on Tear Drop 3028, A)

22. Mona/Who Do You Love – THE PIRATES (2015, Previously Unreleased)

23. Don't Go In My Room Girl – BOB & GAYLAN [Bob Sharp and Gaylan Ladd] (2015, Previously Unreleased) 

24. Everything's Right – THE PHINX (2015, Previously Unreleased)

25. Hour Glass – BURNER AMBURN (2015, Previously Unreleased)

26. Bring me – THE DODADS (2015, Previously Unreleased)

[Notes: All Tracks are MONO - Tracks 2, 7, 12, 13, 17, 18, 22, 24, 25 and 26 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED]

The 16-page booklet has typically indepth and fact-filled info from noted fan and music writer ALEC PALAO (of El Cerrito, California) that includes recollections and memorabilia from those who were there. There are label repros of rare US 45s on Ventural, Back Stage, Tear Drop, Pic 1, Capri and Caddo – as well as publicity photos for The Triumphs (rear cover) and The Chancellors, Scotch Tape boxes, a press release for Bob & Gaylon and even a handwritten letter from The Driving Wheels to Huey Meaux. Wonderfully illuminating as always with Ace. NICK ROBBINS does his best with grungy Sixties recordings and frankly most pack a wallop you wouldn’t expect. The audio does dip in and out as each recording varies from very good to great – but overall stuff like the superb "Cuttin' Out" from The Pirates sounds amazing.

"Top-Less Girl" starts out with some dude telling us "...no ugly stick for you...it's prevention of cruelty to wood week..." as he waxes lyrical about a girl with not a lot of clothing on her upper parts to a backdrop of suitably grungy guitars and Doors-like keyboards. What a winner! But that's as nothing to the compilation's first discovery of worth – the title track by The Driving Wheels recorded in October 1966 and stuck in a vault all these decades. It's a fantastic driving shaking fuzzed-up guitar thrasher with guitarist Tommy Bolton giving his tremolo-arm some torture – a proper Punk/Garage gem. Speaking of angst-guitar playing – "The Fall Of The Queen" features a properly great solo from Tom Maxton of Destiny's Children (he'd formerly been with Pasadena's Lord Wellington Five) while you wonder why the ludicrously catchy "Cuttin' Out" by The Pirates wasn't huge (very Them in its own way).

We get some Dylan "Blonde On Blonde" harmonica wailing on the warbling "Lost In A Crowd" while we go Association almost Mamas and Papas for the pleasingly melodic "To No Place Of Its Own" (both excellent unreleased tracks). "Farmer John" continues in Troggs fashion where The Argyles are in love with a daughter with Champaign Eyes. British youngster Bob Sharp (then 21) teamed up with Waco's Gaylan Ladd (when 18 both were with Waco's local band The Dawgs) for "Don't Go In My Room Girl" – a good stab at mid Sixties pop commerciality. Not all of the unreleased stuff is super-brill and you can hear why they were left in the can. But it fascinating after all these years to discover that there is stuff still left to discover...

A superlative release from Ace's label imprint Big Beat Records and recommended with a big T for Texas...

"Action Time Vision: A Story of Independent UK Punk 1976-1979" BY VARIOUS ARTISTS - Featuring Alternative TV, The Damned, Maniac, 999, The Radiators From Space, Eater, The Rezillos, Johnny Moped, The Outcasts, Subs, The Fall, Sham 69, Peter and The Test Tube Babies, Tubeway Army, Swell Maps, The Only Ones, The Members, Stiff Little Fingers, Joy Division, Leyton Buzzards, Chelsea, Poison Girls, Vice Squad and more (December 2016 Cherry Red Records 4CD Book Set – Simon Murphy Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry

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Volume 2 of 6 

1960s and 1970s MUSIC on CD
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PROVE IT ALL NIGHT 

Music Of 1977 to 1979 

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"...I'm Alive..."

Well kick me in the Rezillos with a Radiator From Space but I love a box set like this. A huge array of tracks across 4-CDs (not all familiar either – many first time on CD and two previously unreleased), a booklet crammed with knowledgeable liner notes and staggering amounts of period memorabilia, best-yet audio remasters from Simon Murphy - and the whole safety-pin packet put together by men who should know better but still care passionately - four decades after the snotty event.

Speaking of 40 years - Cherry Red Records themselves even have their own contribution to this four-disc project in Worchester's 'The Tights' - a West Midlands band that had their first two 45s released on CHERRY 1 and 2 in June and September of 1978. There's a lot erect nipples, Molotov cocktails and snivelling dollops on the pavement to get through here kids, so let's get exploited...

UK released Friday, 1 December 2016 (January 2017 in the USA) - "Action Time Vision: A Story Of Independent UK Punk 1976-1979" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Cherry Red Records CRCDBOX27 (Barcode 5013929102705) is a 4CD 'Book Set' with 111-Tracks and a 64-Page Attached Booklet that plays out as follows (all catalogue numbers and release dates are UK 7" singles A-sides unless otherwise stated):

Disc 1 (77:15 minutes):

1. New Rose - THE DAMNED (October 1976, Stiff BUY 6)

2. Outside View - EATER (March 1977, The Label TLR 001)

3. Television Screen - THE RADIATORS FROM SPACE (April 1977, Chiswick S 10)

4. Fascist Dictator - THE CORTINAS (June 1977, Step Forward SF 1)

5. Lookalikes - THE DRONES (July 1977, O.H.M...S GOODMIX 1)

6. Shadow - THE LURKERS (July 1977, Beggars Banquet BEG 1)

7. I Can't Stand My Baby - THE REZILLOS (August 1977, Sensible FAB 1)

8. I'm Alive - 999 (August 1977, Labritain LAB 999)

9. No One - JOHNNY MOPED (August 1977, Chiswick S 15)

10. I Don't Wanna - SHAM 69 (September 1977, Step Forward SF 4)

11. Mucky Pup - PUNCTURE (September 1977, Small Wonder SMALL 1)

12. Terminal Stupid – THE SNIVELLING SHITS (September 1977, Ghetto Rockers PRE 2)

13. Worthless Trash - THE VACANTS (September 1977, Disque Festival FLD 680)

14. Hungry - THE ZEROS (October 1977, Small Wonder SMALL 2)

15. Chelsea 77 - MANIACS (November 1977, United Artists UP 36327)

16. One To Infinity - THE OUTSIDERS (November 1977, Raw Edge RE 002)

17. Johnny Won't Get To Heaven - THE KILLJOYS (November 1977, Raw RAW 3)

18. Saints And Sinners - JOHNNY & THE SELF ABUSERS (November 1977, Chiswick NS 22)

19. Withdrawal - THE UNWANTED (November 1977, Raw RAW 6)

20. Teenage Treats - THE WASPS (November 1977, Four Play FOUR 001)

21. Youthanasia - THE PIGS (November 1977, New Bristol NBR 01)

22. Radio Call Sign - LOCKJAW (November 1977, Raw RAW 8)

23. Venus Eccentric - NEON HEARTS (November 1977, Neon Hearts NEON 1)

24. Get Your Woofing Dog Off Me - JERKS (November 1977, Underground URA 1)

25. Modern Politics - THE PANIK (November 1977, Rainy City SHOT 1)

26. New Religion - SOME CHICKEN (November 1977, Raw RAW 11)

27. Radio Wunderbar - THE CARPETTES (December 1977, Small Wonder SMALL 3)

28. Love And A Molotov Cocktail - THE FLYS (December 1977, Zama ZA 10EP)

29. Gobbing On Life - ALBERTO Y LOST TRIOS PARANOIAS (September 1977, Stiff LAST 2)

30. Lovers Of Today - THE ONLY ONES (June 1977, Vengeance VEN 001)

31. Nothing To Declare (Live) - SUSPECTS (December 1977, from the Various Artists LP "Vortex Live Volume One" on NEMS NEL 6013)

Disc 2 (78:49 minutes):

1. Read About Seymour - THE SWELL MAPS (January 1978, Rather GEAR ONE)

2. Safety-Pin Stuck In Heart - PATRIK FITZGERALD January 1978, Small Wonder SMALL 4)

3. No Leaders (Demo) - THE BOYS (1977, Previously Unreleased)

4. Office Girl - THE STOAT (1977, City NIK 1)

5. I Don't Need You - ACME SEWAGE CO. (from the 1977 Various Artists LP compilation "Raw Deal!" on Raw Deal RWLP 1)

6. Speed Freak - V2 (January 1978, Bent SMALL BENT ONE)

7. Give It All To Me - BAZOOMIS (1977, Originally Unreleased)

8. Moving Target - RAPED (January 1978, Parole KNIT 1)

9. I Hate The Whole Human Race - BIG G (1977, Originally Unreleased)

10. Gimme Your Heart - SUBS (February 1978, Stiff OFF 1)

11. That's Too Bad - TUBEWAY ARMY (February 1978, Beggars Banquet BEG 5)

12. Blank Generation - XTRAVERTS (February 1978, Spike SRT/SP 001)

13. Door In My Face - FRUIT EATING BEARS (February 1978, DJM Records DJS 10857)

14. System - FRONT (February 1978, The Label TLR 005)

15. You Make Me Sick - SATAN'S RATS (March 1978, DJM Records DJS 10840)

16. Suspect Device - STIFF LITTLE FINGERS (March 1978, Rigid Digits SRD 1)

17. G.L.C. - MENACE (March 1978, Small Wonder SMALL 5)

18. Gutter Kids - THE DYAKS (March 1978, Bonaparte BONE 2)

19. Reasons - SKIDS (April 1978, No Bad NB 1)

20. Big Time - RUDI (April 1978, Good Vibrations GOT 1)

21. I Am A Dalek - THE ART ATTACKS (May 1978, Albatross TIT 1)

22. On Me - BEARS (May 1978, Waldo's Jazz Series 001)

23. Pseudo Punk - 'O' LEVEL (May 1978, Psycho PSYCHO 1)

24. Solitary Confinement - THE MEMBERS (May 1978, Stiff OFF 3)

25. King Of The Bop - NIPPLE ERECTORS (May 1978, Soho SH 1/2)

26. The Murder Of Liddle Towers - ANGELIC UPSTARTS (May 1978, Own Label IS/AU/1024)

27. Bunch Of Stiffs (Live) - MEAN CITY (December 1977, from the Various Artists LP "Vortex Live Volume One" on NEMS NEL 6013)

Disc 3 (79:06 minutes):

1. Action Time Vision - ALTERNATIVE TV (June 1978, Deptford Fun City DFC 07)

2. I Don't Want My Heart To Rule My Head - SOCIAL SECURITY (May 1978, Heartbeat PULSE 1)

3. Bad Hearts - THE TIGHTS (June 1978, Cherry Red CHERRY 1)

4. Cosmonaut - RIFF RAFF (June 1978, Chiswick SW 34)

5. New Wave Love - THE DOLE (June 1978, ULT 402)

6. Failures - JOY DIVISION (June 1978, Enigma PSS 139)

7. 19 And Mad - LEYTON BUZZARDS (June 1978, Small Wonder SMALL 7)

8. Little Miss Perfect - DEMON PREACHER (1978, Small Wonder SMALL 10)

9. Just Another Teenage Rebel - THE OUTCASTS (August 1978, Good Vibrations GOT 3)

10. Psycho Mafia - THE FALL (August 1978, Step Forward SF 7)

11. Urban Kids - CHELSEA (September 1978, Step Forward SF 8)

12. Don't Ring Me Up - PROTEX (September 1978, Good Vibrations GOT 6)

13. Gordon - THE CRAVATS (September 1978, Small Wonder CH 004)

14. England '77 - HORRORCOMIC (September 1978, Lightning GIL 512)

15. C.I.D. - U.K. SUBS (September 1978, City NIK 5)

16. 6,000 Crazy - SPIZZOIL (October 1978, Rough Trade RSTO 1)

17. I Don't Care [Full Version]  - THE DODGEMS (from the 1978 Various Artists compilation UK LP "Vaultage 78 - Two Sides Of Brighton" on Attrix Records RB/03)

18. Kicks In Style - THE USERS (December 1978, Warped WARPED 1)

19. Elvis Is Dead - PETER and TEST TUBE BABIES (from the 1978 Various Artists compilation UK LP "Vaultage 78 - Two Sides Of Brighton" on Attrix Records RB/03)

20. In A Rut - THE RUTS (May 1978, People Unite SJP 795)

21. Drums Over London - DISCO ZOMBIES (Mach 1979, South Circular SGS 106)

22. Never Been So Stuck - NICKY & THE DOTS (March 1979, Small Wonder SMALL 12)

23. Wot's For Lunch Mum? (Not B****s Again!) - THE SHAPES (March 1979, Sofa SEAT 1)

24. Breaking Point - NO WAY (April 1979, Our Own IS/NW/1035)

25. New Way - THE WALL (April 1979, Small Wonder SMALL 13)

26. Sick On You - HOLLYWOOD BRATS (Cherry Red CHERRY 6)

Disc 4 (78:29 minutes):

1. Zerox - ADAM and THE ANTS (July 1979, Do It DUN 7)

2. Death To Disco - NOTSENSIBLES (April 1979, Big Bent SMALL BENT 5)

3. Danger Love - THE VICE CREEMS (June 1979, Zigzag ZZ 22001)

4. D.N.A. - MURDER THE DISTURBED (July 1979, Small Wonder SMALL 17)

5. Flares 'N' Slippers - COCKNEY REJECTS (August 1979, Small Wonder SMALL 19)

6. Totally Useless - PSYKIK VOLTS (July 1979, Ellie Jay EJSP 9262)

7. The End Of Civilisation - THE MOLESTERS (July 1979, Small Wonder SMALL 28)

8. Hypocrite - THE NEWTOWN NEUROTICS (July 1979, No Wonder NOW 1)

9. These Boots Are Made For Walking - PURE HELL (August 1979, Golden Sphinx GSX 002)

10. Time Wall - FIRE EXIT (August 1979, Timebomb TBE 1)

11. King Of Kings - THE PACK (September 1979, Rough Trade RT 025)

12. Dumb Dumb - STEROID KIDS (September 1979, Grundinga SK 001

13. Time Tunnel - ENGLISH SUBTITLES (October 1979, Small Wonder SMALL 22)

14. Soft Ground - THE PROLES (October 1979, Small Wonder SMALL 23)

15. Easy Way Out - THE ADICTS (November 1979, Dining Out TUX 1)

16. My Friends - THE DARK (November 1979, Fresh FRESH 1)

17. I Must Be Mad - WOODY & THE SPLINTERS (from the November 1979 UK Various Artists compilation LP "Vaultage 79 - Another Two Sides Of Brighton" on Attrix Records RB/08)

18. Why Are Fire Engines Red - VICTIM (December 1979, TJM Records TJM 14)

19. Anthem - THE X-CERTS (from the 1979 UK LP compilation "Avon Calling - The Bristol Compilation" on Heartbeat HB 1)

20. Slag - F-X (1979, from the "Souths Gonna Rise Again" EP on Southern Rock SRO 451)

21. Future Rights - THE RIVALS (November 1979, Ace Records ACE 007)

22. I've Been Hurt (So Many Times Before) - SILENT NOISE (1979, Easy ER 02)

23. Nothing - VICE SQUAD (from the 1979 UK LP compilation "Avon Calling - The Bristol Compilation" on Heartbeat HB 1)

24. Things In General - THE PREFECTS (June 1980, Vindaloo UGH 2/Rough Trade RT 040)

25. 1970's Have Been Made In Hong Kong - THE LICKS (November 1979, Stortbeat BEAT 8)

26. Violence Grows - 'FATAL' MICROBES (May 1979, Small Wonder/Xntrix SMALL TWENTY)

27. Under The Doctor - POISON GIRLS (1979, Small Wonder/Xntrix WEENY 4)

When you get the shrink-wrap off the first thing that hits you is the booklet which is frankly a work-of-art. Compiled by the mighty JOHN REED - a man I humbly admit knows more than I do - and featuring Band Biographies by ANDY DAVIS - page after page of detail comes at in a hurricane of info. After each song discussion and at the end of each disc is a two-page fan-fest of pictured memorabilia that must have taken decades to accumulate. Each CD roughly deals with a year and as you can see from Disc 1 although Punk Rock proper started in 1976 with The Damned and their stunning "New Rose" - it was 1977 (November to be exact) that felt like Ground Zero - the explosion of all things Indie, Gobbing and Angry. What you also get from this retrospective is the vast shadow cast by Indie labels - Northern Ireland's 'Good Vibrations', London's 'Step Forward', 'Chiswick', 'Stiff', 'Small Wonder' and 'Rough Trade' to name but a few (Cherry Red too) and only occasionally do we see a Major Label poke its nose into the social welfare queues (United Artists to be exact). Small Wonder alone get a whopping 17+ entries. SIMON MURPHY of Another Planet has handled the Remasters and they Rock from the get-go to the finish.

Sequencing is the key with these things and John cleverly keeps the blister going on CD1 with three initial hammerings from The Damned, Eater and Ireland’s Radiators From Space (how bloody good were they). The minimalist riffage continues in fantastic speedos from The Cortinas (Step Forward's debut 45) and the I-don't-wanna-be-like-you thrashing of Manchester's The Drones. Some of Dr. Feelgood's Wilko Johnson energy infuses the fab "I Can't Stand My Baby" from Edinburgh's Rezillos (sit dune) and the watch-out-Friday-night of 999's "I’m Alive" – while other highlights include The Stooges power of "One To Infinity" from The Outsiders and the snotty upstart attitude of the Jerks who woof-woof through their homemade moment of anarchy like they want to wee-wee on a wall.

Rarities include the behind-the-scenes Punk super-session for "Danger Love" by Aylesbury's Vice Creems that featured Topper Headon and Mick Jones of The Clash (Drums and Production) with Tony James of Generation X (on Bass) hiding behind suitably silly pseudonyms for contractual reasons. There are the delightfully named Murder The Disturbed and The Molesters (very nice boys really) while the racially right-on Cockney Rejects vented their London spleens on Hippies with a brawl never far off. Nancy Sinatra's kinky-anthem "These Boots Are Made For Walking" gets the Hendrix-meets-Punk treatment from Pure Hell - while rare compilation LPs like "Vortex Live", "Vaultage 78", "Vaultage 79" and "Avon Calling – The Bristol Collection" all get their exclusive tracks highlighted here. There is of course so much more...

Downsides (if any) – while die-hard collectors may yawn at the familiarity of some entries it's also very clear that John Reed and Cherry Red has smartly gone out of its way to present the lesser-trodden paths. And even if it does look the dogs-bollox when you open it at any page - the plastic-clip holders in the leaves of the 'Book Pack' drive you nuts as you try in vain to get the discs in and out of either safely (I'd suggest paper-bag each and keep them separately to avoid scuffing and damage). But aside from song-choices and omissions everyone will find fault with and that niggling but fixable packaging blip - "Action Time Vision" is fabulous stuff - a thing of beauty that pulses with life and balls and the excitement of wide-eyed Independent Record companies stamping '1' as a catalogue number onto a 7" single label for the first time.

Worthless - vacant - nothing to declare - terminally stupid - it sure as Hell don't seem like that now. "I'm Alive" snarled 999 in 1977 and isn't it the best compliment ever to say that's exactly how you feel after visiting this kick-ass release. The Kids may not always have been sported a regulation haircut or been the most pleasant of chaps when pogoing about on a dancefloor - but on the evidence presented here - the snivelling little gits were indeed alright and part of a New Religion. Fantastic...