Dancing In The Wrong Shoes

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Total Time 60 Minutes 20 Seconds

All tracks published by Jungle Music except track 13: Wite Music, 14: Copyright Control, 15 & 16: Albion Music

Comments

"Dancing In The Wrong Shoes actually came out in 1999 on Receiver Records (RRCD 266).It is made up of the Face To Face LP plus "Heart To Heart" (different to the version on Slam) plus 3 live versions of songs from 13th Floor Madness which are previously unavailable. The band have been selling this CD at gigs over the past few months." 

Thanks to Gareth Jones for the above notes.

The following is taken from the inside sleeve notes,

"Like so many of the Punk bands that appeared apparently overnight in 1976, as the Pistols et al grabbed the headlines, 999's roots were to be found in London's Art School set and Pub Rock circuit. Lead singer/guitarist Nicky Cash had been taught by Ian Dury at Canterbury College of Art, and in the early 70's joined him in the highly respected Rock band Kilburn and the High Roads. The eagle-eyed among you may be able to spot several photos of Cash (though he went under his real name of Keith Lucas at the time) on the inner sleeve of Ian Dury and the Blockheads' classic album "New Boots and Panties!!" undergoing a series of Bad Hair Days.

He was quick to see the potential of Punk, however, and with a suitably shorn barnet, Cash joined forces with a former school friend Guy Days (guitarist/vocals), Pablo Labritain (Drums) and Jon Watson (Bass).

After dabbling with names like The Dials, 48 Hours and The Fanatics, the band made their debut as 999 in January 1977 at Northampton Cricket Club, but really cut their teeth on the still thriving Pub Rock circuit where Cash still had many friends.

While it was trendy, and in many ways laudable, for many of the bands of the period to play their first gigs within days of first picking up a guitar, the fact that 999 were all accomplished musicians ensured that their live shows were always blistering affairs. They quickly built up a large and loyal following, known as the "The Crew" and the next stage had to be a record.

"I'm Alive"/"Quite Disappointing" appeared on their own Labritain label, and sold well, and before long the feeding-frenzy prevalent among the major labels for any hot Punk band moved in the direction of 999. After much consideration, the band plumped for United Artists, home of Tthe Stranglers. Their first single for the label was the excellent "Nasty Nasty"/"No Pity", which was required listening at any Punk party in 1977, but inexplicably, despite heavy promotion it failed to chart.

Undaunted, in January 1978, 999 released the single "Emergency"/"My Street Stinks" before preparing their eponymously named debut album for an April release. Frustratingly, again, the single met with little success, but the album reached no. 53 in the national charts.

The band took to the road to promote a new single, taken from their album, "Me and My Desire"/"Crazy" taking in most of Britain and Europe and laying the foundation for a reputation as an awesome live band that survives to this day. As a tribute to their live following, 999's next single was the evergreen "Feelin' Alright With The Crew"/"Titanic (My Over) Reaction"/"You Can't Buy Me" but again it etc. etc...

A second album, "Separates", spawned the single "Homicide"/"Soldier" which was the band's biggest chart success, reaching No. 40 in November, and also gained the band a coveted John Peel session on Radio 1.

Encouraged, United Artists gave the album a big push, and 999 toured Scandinavia before setting off for America and Canada at the beginning of 1979. Unfortunately, as with Britain and Europe, though the band acquired a large live following there, record sales were minimal, and after a reissue of the "I'm Alive/"Quite Disappointing" single 999 left United Artists that summer. Quite Disappointing indeed.

The band were quickly signed up by Radarscope, and scored a minor chart hit with the single "Found Out Too Late", which reached No. 69 in October. This alliance was short lived, and the band's third album "The Biggest Prize In Sport", was released by Polydor in 1980. Despite much critical acclaim, the album failed to chart and 999 were quickly on the move again. In 1981 the band signed to the Indie label Albion, and chalked up three more hit singles that year, with "Obsessed" reaching No. 71 in May, "Lil Red Riding Hood" at No. 59 in July, and "Indian Reservation" at No. 51 in November. The album "Concrete", released in May, didn't make the national chart, but reached a very respectable No. 4 in the Indie chart, and it was on the same chart that 999 scored their last hit when the single "Wild Sun" reached No. 8 in July 1982. 999 never quite achieved the huge chart success that many believed they deserved (though five hit singles and a hit album can hardly be sniffed at), but live on stage is where the band were really at their strongest, as the live tracks on this CD ably demonstrate.

They have proved to be one of the most durable band from the school of '76, constantly touring and putting in regular appearances at Punk festivals, and always putting on a great show. There's just no stopping them, it would seem."

Shane Baldwin

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