999 (band)

999
Origin England
Genres Punk rock
Pop punk[1][2][3][4]
Years active 1977–1982
1983–1987
1993–present
Labels United Artists Records
Radar Records
Polydor Records
Albion Records
Associated acts Kilburn and the High-Roads,
The Lurkers, The Clash
Website Official website
Members
Nick Cash
Guy Days
Pablo LaBritain
Arturo Bassick
Past members
Jon Watson
Danny Palmer
Ed Case

999 are an English rock band who formed in London in 1977. They are often cited as one of the first punk rock bands. Between 1978 and 1981, they had five Top 75 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and one Top 40 single. After extensive touring across the Atlantic Ocean, the band's third and fourth studio albums charted in the United States. Despite breaking up a couple of times, they continue to record and play live to the present day.

Contents

Career

Named after Britain’s emergency telephone number, 999 was founded in London by singer/guitarist Nick Cash and Guy Days. Cash and Days met each other when the former was a member of the pub rock band Kilburn and the High-Roads, and the latter was a session guitarist who played on some of the band’s demo tapes.[5] In late 1976, they placed an advertisement in Melody Maker for band members and ended up turning down Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders), Jon Moss (Culture Club) and Tony James (Generation X).[6] They recruited Jon Watson on bass and Pablo LaBritain on drum, LaBritain having briefly played with The Clash.[7] The band that eventually became known as 999 performed their first concert at the Northampton Cricket Club in January 1977.[8] After experimenting with several different band names, the band became 999 in May 1977.[9]

999 soon established themselves as a powerful live act on London's punk scene and became regulars at the Hope and Anchor, Islington.[5] On the strength of their well received, self-financed debut single, 999 were signed to United Artists Records around the same time as the Buzzcocks.[10] "I'm Alive" became a firm favourite in the punk clubs.[11] The band's second single, "Nasty Nasty", was cited nearly 20 years after its release as a seminal punk single.[12]

Their self-titled debut album, produced by Andy Arthurs, was released in March 1978. One retrospective review claimed it "demonstrated their limitations as well as their strengths. The 45 cuts like "Me And My Desire" and "Emergency" demonstrated the latter, but the album lacked that special ingredient, uniqueness or originality to make it stand out from the crowd."[13] The album reached #53 in the UK Albums Chart. The following year, the song "Emergency" from the album appeared — alongside songs by bands like The Jam and The Stranglers — on the punk compilation 20 of Another Kind. That album reached #45 in the UK chart. Years later, "Emergency" was included in Mojo magazine's list of the best punk rock singles of all time.[14]

The band's second album, Separates was produced by Martin Rushent. One reviewer lists it as one of the best punk albums of all time.[15] In the United States, a slightly altered version of Separates, re-titled High Energy Plan, became the band's first American release.[16] In October 1978, a month after the album’s release, 999 recorded their only session for John Peel at BBC Radio 1.[17] 999 also played at Front Row Festival, a three-week event at the Hope and Anchor in late November and early December 1977. This resulted in the band’s inclusion, alongside the likes of Wilko Johnson, The Only Ones, the Saints, The Stranglers, X-Ray Spex, and XTC, on a hit double LP of recordings from the festival.

999 toured widely in the United States and the band was rewarded when their albums The Biggest Prize In Sport and Concrete charted on the Billboard 200. In the US, "Homicide" & "Hollywood" garnered frequent rotation on Rock of the 80s format radio stations like KROQ in Los Angeles. According to Dave Thompson, "For many Americans, they were the first to actually bother with the backwoods, playing places which other Brit bands hadn't heard of, and returning to them again and again. And while no one knows how many American bands were first inspired to take up arms by 999, those that did still wear their loyalties loudly."[18]

Despite a number of minor hit singles, the band's critical appeal in Britain had begun to wane. Their stock was lifted temporarily with the arrival of the self-released Face To Face 999's popularity continued to decline steadily, leading to the group disbanding twice in the 1980s, reforming soon afterwards. They have since released several albums and continue to tour. Bassick also plays for The Lurkers.[19]

Line-ups

Reviews

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums and compilations

Singles

Appearances on various artists compilations

See also

References

  1. ^ www.punk77.co.uk/groups/999.htm
  2. ^ http://www.last.fm/music/999
  3. ^ http://deaconlight.com/music/records/1979/999_biggestprizeinsport.html
  4. ^ Strong, M.C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, Edinburgh, p. 105
  5. ^ a b Thompson, Dave (2000). Alternative Rock. San Francisco: Miller Freeman Books. p. 519. ;
  6. ^ 999: A History (Part One) on www.punk77.co.uk: A history of UK Punk Rock from 1976-79;
  7. ^ Peachey, Mal (2008). The Clash. Great Britain: Atlantic Books. p. 62. ;
  8. ^ 999 on Punkmodpop;
  9. ^ Larkin, Colin (2002). 70s Music. London: Virgin Books. p. 307.. ISBN 1-85227-947-8. ;
  10. ^ Joynson, Vernon (2001). Up Yours! A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & Early Post Punk. Wolverhampton: Borderline Publications. p. 246. ISBN 1-899855-13-0. ;
  11. ^ Buckley & Ellingham (eds) (1996). Rock: The Rough Guide. London: Rough Guides. p. 609. ISBN 1-85828-201-2. ;
  12. ^ Gardner, Steve (1996). "Hiljaiset Levyt: 100 Best Punk singles". http://www.hiljaiset.sci.fi/punknet/top100si.htm. "ripping guitar" ;
  13. ^ Joynson, Vernon (2001). Up Yours! A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & Early Post Punk. Wolverhampton: Borderline Publications. p. 246. 
  14. ^ Mojo (October 2001) - 100 Punk Scorchers , Issue 95, London;
  15. ^ Gardner, Steve (1996). "Hiljaiset Levyt: 100 Best Punk LP's". http://www.hiljaiset.sci.fi/punknet/top100lp.htm. "" ‘Homicide’ from this LP, which was about their most popular song, was pretty close to disco, but there's plenty of other catchy ones here, like ‘Tulse Hill Night’, ‘Out Of Reach’ or ‘Let's Face It’."" 
  16. ^ http://www.discogs.com/release/705100
  17. ^ 999’s John Peel Session on BBC Radio 1;
  18. ^ Thompson, Dave (2000). Alternative Rock. San Francisco: Miller Freeman Books. p. 520. ISBN 0-87930-607-6. 
  19. ^ The Lurkers' Band History on their official website
  20. ^ Joynson, V. (2001) Up Yours! A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & Early Post Punk, Borderline Productions, Wolverhampton, p. 247;
  21. ^ Strong, M.C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, Edinburgh, p. 106;
  22. ^ Strong, M.C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, Edinburgh, p. 105
  23. ^ Buckley, J. & Ellingham (ed.) (1996) Rock: The Rough Guide, Rough Guides, London, p. 609
  24. ^ Joynson, V. (2001) Up Yours! A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & Early Post Punk, Borderline Productions, Wolverhampton, p. 246
  25. ^ Dave Thompson’s review of 999's debut album on Allmusic
  26. ^ Steve Gardner (1996) “Hiljaiset Levyt: 100 Best Punk LPs”
  27. ^ Larkin, C. (2002) 70s Music, Virgin Books, London, p. 307
  28. ^ Thompson, D. (2000) Alternative Rock, Miller Freeman Books, San Francisco, p. 520
  29. ^ '999: A History' from www.punk77.co.uk: A history of UK Punk Rock from 1976-79
  30. ^ a b c Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 

External links