ALBUM: Cherry Red: 999 The Albums 1977-1980 / The Angelic Upstarts The Albums 1979-1982, May 2018 Cherry Red and Captain OI box set releases of 2 classic punk band`s albums.

Cherry Red

999 The Albums 1977-1980 The Angelic Upstarts The Albums 1979-1982

May 2018

Cherry Red and Captain OI box set releases of 2 classic punk band`s albums.

999 The Albums 1977-1980

There have been a few 999 compilation releases over the years but here we find the band`s first 3 album releases and rarities all in a 4 CD box for the first time.

Formed in London in 1976 and named after UK `s emergency telephone number 999 were one of the early punk outfits signed to a major label. The bands first release Im Alive on the LaBritain came out in 1976 but was later reissued by United Artists the label behind 999`s first 3 albums.

The debut album 999 was released in March 78 I can only assume this set is titled 77-80 for the early single and b side, however the debut proved to be a class album, 3 singles were taken from it Me and My Desire, Im Alive and the brilliant Emergency, tho other tracks Chicane Destination and b side of Nast Nasty No Pity make the cut, and make this a cracking first release. The album charted at 53 and was soon followed up by the second album Separates.

Separates saw a slight change in production and a slightly less punk attitude however the songs follow on nicely from 999, and the best known single Homicide opens the album, followed by one of my favourites Tulse Hill Night another single Feelin Alright With The Crew is also included with Subterfuge and the cracking High Energy Plan, the title also of a US import which I had around the same time. With Separates on original release you got a postcard within the album you could send off to UA, this got you a free 12inch with 2 tracks Waiting and Action, also both included on here.

Disc 3 contains third album The Biggest Prize In Sport with Ed Case taking over the drumming seat from original member Pablo Labritian.. the band were touring the US extensively during this time and although not the finest album, it does include Trouble and probably the standout track form this period Boys In The Gang.

Disc 4 is a 22 track compilation of rarities, Single versions, b sides, and some unreleased live material.

999 were and still remain one of the key bands from the punk movement, one I saw many times, and this release gives you all the essential listening material, and fine it is too.

9/10

Angelic Upstarts The Albums 1979-1982

Formed around the same time as 999 the Upstarts came from South Shields and are often regarded as the founders of the OI movement.. the debut single Murder of Liddle Towers came out on Dead Records in 1978, and was far from OI, but the version of Cliffs Young Ones on the Album Teenage Warning probably got them on that road.

The box set gives you 79 tracks from 4 official albums and a live CD, starting with the Teenage Warning album that charted at 29 on its original release and features the singles Teenage Warning and Im an Upstart .. as well as the original version of Liddle Towers and the flip Police Oppression.

The bands second album We Gotta Get Out of This Place charted at 54 with singles Never Ad Nothin and Out Of Control.. a good follow up to the first album but lacked a little of the fun element and simple formula the band brought on the debut.

Most people always go for debut albums and not the third with exceptions like The Clash for instance, but here the Upstarts 1981 album 2000,000 voices is probably their best , it’s a more integrated album for the period, with different elements, some reggae but still keeping the spirit of punk during the early 80`s period and saw them back in the top 40 albums for the first time since 1979.

Rounded off here you get a live CD and the 4^th studio album Still From The Haert, an album which left some fans a bit let down as the band looked to change direction, and I must also agree tho there are a few good tracks on here. The Angelic Upstarts albums were re released some years back, but here you get them all in one box, if you’re an Upstart ..what you gaoona do… buy it of course.

7.5/10

DISC ONE:
999

ME AND MY DESIRE
2. CHICANE DESTINATION
3. CRAZY
4. YOUR NUMBER IS MY NUMBER
5. HIT ME
6. I’M ALIVE
7. TITANIC (MY OVER) REACTION
8. PICK IT UP
9. EMERGENCY
10.NO PITY
11.DIRECT ACTION BRIEFING
12.NOBODY KNOWS

DISC TWO:
SEPARATES

HOMICIDE
2. TULSE HILL NIGHT
3. RAEL REAN
4. LET’S FACE IT
5. CRIME PART 1 / PART 2
6. FEELIN’ ALRIGHT WITH THE CREW
7. OUT OF REACH
8. SUBTERFUGE
9. WOLF
10.BRIGHTEST VIEW
11.HIGH ENERGY PLAN

BONUS FREE SINGLE
12. WAITING
13. ACTION

DISC THREE
THE BIGGEST PRIZE IN SPORT

BOYS IN THE GANG
2. INSIDE OUT
3. TROUBLE
4. SO LONG
5. FUN THING
6. THE BIGGEST PRIZE IN SPORT
7. HOLLYWOOD
8. STRANGER
9. STOP! STOP!
10.ENGLISH WIPEOUT
11. SHAKE
12. BOILER

DISC FOUR:
RARITIES

I’M ALIVE (SINGLE VERSION)
2. QUITE DISAPPOINTING
3. NASTY! NASTY!
4. NO PITY (SINGLE VERSION)
5. MY STREET STINKS
6. ME AND MY DESIRE (SINGLE VERSION)
7. YOU CAN’T BUY ME
8. HOMICIDE (SINGLE VERSION)
9. SOLDIER
10.FOUND OUT TOO LATE
11.LIE LIE LIE
12.MADE A FOOL OF YOU
13.BRENT CROSS (LIVE)
14.HOLLYWOOD (USA SINGLE MIX)
15.QUITE DISAPPOINTING (LIVE – FRONT ROW FESTIVAL)
16.CRAZY (LIVE – FRONT ROW FESTIVAL) THE BIGGEST TOUR IN SPORT MINI LP (LIVE)
17. HOMICIDE
18.FEELIN’ ALRIGHT WITH THE CREW

DISC ONE
TEENAGE WARNING

TEENAGE WARNING
2. STUDENT POWER
3. THE YOUNG ONES
4. NEVER AGAIN
5. WE ARE THE PEOPLE
6. LIDDLE TOWERS
7. I’M AN UPSTART
8. SMALL TOWN SMALL MIND
9. YOUTH LEADER
10. DO ANYTHING
11. LET’S SPEED
12. LEAVE ME ALONE BONUS TRACKS
13. THE MURDER OF LIDDLE TOWERS (SINGLE VERSION)
14. POLICE OPPRESSION (SINGLE VERSION)

DISC TWO:
WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE

NEVER ‘AD NOTHIN’
2. POLICE OPPRESSION
3. LONELY MAN OF SPANDAU
4. THEIR DESTINY IS COMING
5. SHOTGUN SOLUTION
6. KING COAL
7. OUT OF CONTROL
8. RONNIE IS A ROCKER
9. LISTEN TO THE STEPS
10. CAN’T KILL A LEGEND
11. CAPITAL CITY
12. WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE

BONUS TRACKS
13. NOWHERE LEFT TO HIDE
14. UNSUNG HEROES PART II

DISC THREE:
2,000,000 VOICES

TWO MILLION VOICES
2. GHOST TOWN
3. YOU’RE NICKED
4. ENGLAND
5. HEATH’S LAMENT
6. GUNS FOR THE AFGHAN REBELS
7. I UNDERSTAND
8. MENSI’S MARAUDERS
9. MR. POLITICIAN
10. KIDS ON THE STREETS
11. JIMMY
12. WE’RE GONNA TAKE THE WORLD
13. LAST NIGHT ANOTHER SOLDIER
14. I WISH

BONUS TRACKS
15. THE MAN WHO CAME IN FROM THE BEANO
16. STICKS DIARY
17. THE SUN NEVER SHINES
18. NEVER COME BACK
19. I UNDERSTAND (7” SINGLE VERSION)

DISC FOUR:
LIVE

TEENAGE WARNING
2. NEVER `AD NOTHIN’
3. FOUR WORDS
4. LAST NIGHT ANOTHER SOLDIER
5. GUNS FOR THE AFGHAN REBELS
6. MR. POLITICIAN
7. SHOTGUN SOLUTION
8. PRIDE WITHOUT PREJUDICE
9. ENGLAND
10. POLICE OPPRESSION
11. KIDS ON THE STREET
12. I UNDERSTAND
13. YOU’RE NICKED
14. TWO MILLION VOICES
15. I’M AN UPSTART

BONUS TRACKS
16. WE’RE GONNA TAKE THE WORLD
17. LEAVE ME ALONE
18. THE YOUNG ONES
19. WHITE RIOT

DISC FIVE:
STILL FROM THE HEART

NEVER SAY DIE
2. FLAMES OF BRIXTON
3. ACTION MAN
4. WASTED (LOVED BY NO ONE)
5. HERE COMES TROUBLE
6. THEME FOR LOST SOULS
7. I STAND ACCUSED
8. BLACK KNIGHTS OF THE 80’S
9. CRY WOLF
10. SOLDIER

BONUS TRACKS
11. DIFFERENT STROKES
12. DIFFERENT DUB
13. WE DEFY YO