(4 / 5)
Yet another legendary British punk band re-release; a good old plunder of the archives to package up a collection of previously issued albums, plus some very nice bonus stuff. I’ve just taken delivery of box sets from The Vibrators, Angelic Upstarts and now this one from 999.
Lovely job it is too. Fantastic 59 tracks on offer here, across four discs. Gathering all of this band’s releases between 177 and 1980 in one set. Each disc comes in a card wallet featuring a replica of the original LP artwork, and the 20 page booklet contains detailed liner notes, press clippings, memorabilia and record sleeves from the era.
The first CD, features the debut “999” album, which hit No.53 in the UK National Chart and includes the singles “Me And My Desire” and “Emergency’”. The second disc gives us the “Separates” album from 1978, which featured the anthemic “Homicide” (a UK No.40 hit single) and the band’s ode to their following, “Feelin’ Alright With The Crew”.
“The Biggest Prize In Sport” pops up on the third disc and that the “Trouble” single. The final disc is a 22 track round-up of non-LP ‘A’ and ‘B’-sides and rare, compilation-only, cuts.
That includes the punk classic “Nasty! Nasty!”, the 7” versions of singles such as “I’m Alive” and “No Pity”, plus the live mini LP “The Biggest Tour In Sport”, from their mega coast to coast trek across America.
Still going strong to this day, some 40 odd years after forming and still featuring three quarters of their original line up! Well worth anther listen on CD, if you have these albums in vinyl already; and the rare bonus fodder is reason in itself to go grab one of these.
Careful with that bad back if you have thoughts of a good old pogo around your front room at your age, though!
By Sally Fox
(1 / 5) ‘Dull Zone’
(2 / 5) ‘OK Zone’
(3 / 5) ‘Decent Zone’ (4 / 5) ‘Super Zone’
(5 / 5) ‘Awesome Zone’
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