All the latest punk releases from UK’s premier heritage label
Cherry Red Records is rapidly closing in on 50 years in business after it’s launch in 1978 by Iain McNay. Renowned for its diversity, Cherry Red still boasts one of the most prolific outputs of any independent imprint, with over 300 physical releases each year; from frontline albums to catalogue gems, including many innovative compilation box sets, with over 50 separate label imprints including Anagram, Captain Oi and Esoteric Recordings.
This month sees a bumper crop of CD releases by several legendary UK punk artists, all lovingly compiled with copious liner notes and booklets, often featuring previously unreleased tracks curated by band members themselves.
First out of the traps is the Angelic Upstarts with a revamped release of their classic debut Teenage Warning, first released in 1979 and produced by Sham 69’s Jimmy Pursey. This new version includes two extra tracks from the original with the inclusion of the single versions of The Murder Of Liddle Towers and Police Oppression. This is a classic album that every self respecting punk should own. Out on the Captain Oi imprint, its available here
Next up is the evergreen Charlie Harper and his UK Subs. Next week, the punk rock legend is celebrating his 80th birthday at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on 25th May. Although retired officially from touring, UK Subs will still be making festival appearances and play this years Rebellion Punk Festival in august. Again on the Captain Oi imprint, this 5 album boxset contains their albums from 1979-82, covering the bands most commercially successful phase, when their first 6 singles all made the UK Top 40 chart, something they have since been unable to do since 1981. It’s worth noting that there have been over 70 members of the band in the last 45 years, which is more than The Fall!
Another Kind Of Blues [1979], Brand New Age [1980], Crash Course [1980], Diminished Responsibility [1981] and Endangered Species [1982].
Each album has bonus tracks added and again there is a fully detailed booklet chronologically documenting this period of their career.
Disc 1 is debut album ‘Another Kind Of Blues’ which reached No.21 in the National Charts. Amongst the nine bonus tracks are the hit singles ‘Stranglehold’ (No.26) and ‘Tomorrows Girls’ (No.28).
Disc 2 is the No.18 charting album ‘Brand New Age’ which now comes with ten bonus tracks including the hit singles ‘She’s Not There’ (No.36), ‘Warhead’ (No.30) and ‘Teenage’ (No.32).
Disc 3 is the In Concert ‘Crash Course’ album which reached No. 8 in the winter of 1980.
Disc 4 is the No.18 charting ‘Diminished Responsibility’ album. Among its ten bonus tracks are the hit singles ‘Party In Paris’ (No. 32) and ‘Keep On Running (Till You Burn)’ (No.41) plus the first two solo 45’s by vocalist Charlie Harper.
Disc 5 is 1982s ‘Endangered Species’ album which reached No. 11 in the Independent Chart and featured the song ‘Down On The Farm’ which was later covered by Guns n’ Roses on their million selling ‘Spaghetti Incident’ album.
Out now you can get your copy here. Please note this is a CD only release.
Another band that have nearly had as many members as the Subs are The Toy Dolls and Captain Oi have just released a 2 CD set titled The Toy Dolls – The Singles. Guitarist and vocalist Olga, the only constant member of the band throughout their 45 year career, has recently been confirmed as the guitarist for the new line-up of The Cockney Rejects. A fun time band, who specialise in truly wacky and infectious pop punk tunes, they have never really gotten the plaudits they deserve, but live these songs have everyone smiling and looning around.
It’s 37 track 2CD round up of every single issued by the madcap Punk Rock legends, and features the UK National Chart No.3 smash hit ‘Nellie The Elephant’.
It also includes the Independent Chart hits ‘Cheerio & Toodle Pip’ (No.10), ‘Alfie From The Bronx’ (No.13), ‘We’re Mad’ (No.4), ‘She Goes To Finos’ (No.4), ‘James Bond (Lives Down Our Street)’ (No.7) and ‘Geordie’s Gone To Jail’ (No.14)
The booklet contains pictures of all the releases, many of them now expensive and rare Punk collectors’ items, alongside detailed liner notes. Its available here from Cherry Red.
TRACK LISTING
DISC ONE
1 Tommy Kowey’s Car
2 She Goes To Finos
3 Tommy Kowey’s Car (EP Version)
4 She’s A Worky Ticket
5 Everybody Jitterbug
6 MEDLEY – Teenager In Love / I’ve Got Asthma
7 Nellie The Elephant
8 Dig That Groove Baby
9 Cheerio And Toodle Pip
10 H.O!
11 Alfie From The Bronx
12 Hanky Panky
13 We’re Mad
14 Deidre’s A Slag
15 Rupert The Bear
16 Nellie The Elephant (1984)
17 Fisticuffs In Frederick Street
DISC TWO
1 She Goes To Finos
2 Spiders In The Dressing Room
3 Come Back Jacky
4 James Bond (Lives Down Our Street)
5 Olga…….I Cannot!
6 Griefsville
7 Geordie’s Gone To Jail
8 Idle Gossip
9 Geordie’s Gone To Jail (Japanese Version)
10 Yul Brynner Was A Skinhead
11 I’ve Got Asthma
12 Turtle Crazy
13 Nellie The Elephant (Live In Tokyo)
14 Turtle Crazy (Join In Mix)
15 Lazy Sunday Afternoon
16 Sod The Neighbours
17 Cloughy Is A Bootboy!
18 Livin’ La Vida Loca
19 Her With A Hoover
20 Alec’s Back
That brings us neatly to another “fun band” who don’t take themselves too seriously, Brighton’s gloriously infectious Peter And The Test Tube Babies, with a 40-track 2CD Digipak release featuring every physical A and B side issued over their 45-year career.
It includes the Independent Chart hits ‘Banned From The Pubs’ (No.10), ‘Run Like Hell’ (No.2), ‘Zombie Creeping Flesh’ (No.2), ‘Blown Out Again’ (No.40), ‘Rotting In The Fart Sack’ (No.3), ‘Wimpeez’ (No.8) and ‘Key To The City’ (No.19).
Also featured are the later 45s including ‘Supermodels’, ‘Smiling Through The Tears’ (featuring Die Toten Hosen vocalist Campino), ‘I’m Getting Pissed For Xmas’ (a ‘duet’ with G.B.H.!) and ‘Crap Californian Punk Band’ (featuring Lars Frederiksen from Rancid).
The booklet contains images of each release, many of them now rare and expensive for Punk collectors, plus a detailed narrative on each release. It’s available from Cherry Red Records here
TRACK LISTING
DISC ONE
1 Banned From The Pubs
2 Moped Lads
3 Peacehaven Wild Kids
4 Run Like Hell
5 Up Yer Bum
6 Zombie Creeping Flesh
7 No Invitation
8 Smash & Grab (Studio Version)
9 The Jinx
10 Trapper Ain’t Got A Bird
11 The Jinx (12” Remix)
12 Trapper Ain’t Got A Bird (Dub)
13 Blown Out Again (Rehashed mix)
14 Ten Deadly Sins
15 Rotting In The Fart Sack
16 Spirit Of Keith Moon
17 Boozanza
18 Alcohol
19 Wimpeez
20 Never Made It
DISC TWO
1 Key To The City
2 Spirit Of Keith Moon (Live)
3 The Jinx (Live)
4 Run Like Hell (Live)
5 Vicars Wank Too (Live)
6 Key To The City (12” version)
7 Louise Wouldn’t Like It
8 When I Fall In Love
9 Toy Boy
10 Supermodels
11 U-Bore-Me
12 Shake My World
13 Fuck The Millennium
14 Still Love The Pub
15 I’m Getting Pissed For Christmas
16 A Foot Full Of Bullets
17 Smiling Through The Tears
18 Youth Of Today
19 The Twitter Song
20 Crap Californian Punk Band
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