999 (band) explained

999
Landscape:yes
Origin:London, England, United Kingdom
Current Members:
  • Nick Cash
  • Guy Days
  • Stuart Meadows
  • Arturo Bassick
Past Members:
  • Pablo LaBritain
  • Jon Watson
  • Danny Palmer
  • Ed Case

999 are an English punk rock band, formed in London in December 1976.[1] From 1976 to 1985, their line-up consisted of Nick Cash (vocals, guitar), Guy Days (lead guitar), Jon Watson (bass guitar) and Pablo LaBritain (drums). LaBritain was temporarily replaced in 1980 by drummer Paul Edward (aka 'Ed Case') while he recovered from a motor accident. Bassist Jon Watson left the band in 1985 and was replaced by Danny Palmer, who was succeeded by Arturo Bassick in 1991.

Between 1978 and 2007, 999 released fourteen singles and twelve studio albums. Five of the singles released by 999 between 1978 and 1981 charted within the Top 75 in the UK Singles Chart, with one further single in 1978, "Homicide", charting within the Top 40. In addition, as a result of extensive touring in the United States in the early 1980s, the band's third and fourth studio albums, The Biggest Prize in Sport and Concrete, each charted on the U.S. Billboard 200.

Despite having formed in 1976, 999 have only experienced two permanent changes to their original line-up[2] and have continued to record and play live, leading AllMusic to describe them as "one of the longest-lived groups of the punk era".[1]

Career

Named after the UK's emergency telephone number, 999 were founded in London by two brothers: singer and guitarist Nick Cash, and Guy Days. Cash was a member of the pub rock band Kilburn and the High Roads, and Days a session guitarist who played on some of the band's demo tapes.[3] 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).[4] They recruited Jon Watson on bass and Pablo LaBritain on drums, LaBritain having briefly played with the Clash.[5] The band that eventually became known as 999 performed their first concert at the Northampton Cricket Club in January 1977.[6] After experimenting with several different band names, they became 999 in May 1977.[7]

999 soon established themselves as a powerful live act on the London punk scene, and became regulars at the Hope and Anchor, Islington.[3] Their self-financed debut single "I'm Alive" was well received, becoming a firm favourite in the punk clubs.[8] On the strength of it, 999 were signed to United Artists Records around the same time as the Buzzcocks.[9] The band's second single, "Nasty Nasty", was cited nearly 20 years after its release as a seminal punk single.[10]

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." The album reached No. 53 in the UK Albums Chart. The following year, the song "Emergency" from the album appeared — alongside songs by bands including the Jam and the Stranglers — on the punk compilation 20 of Another Kind. That album reached No. 45 in the UK chart. Years later, "Emergency" was included in Mojo magazine's list of the best punk rock singles of all time.[11]

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.[12] In the United States, a slightly altered version of Separates, re-titled High Energy Plan, became the band's first American release.[13] In October 1978, a month after the album's release, 999 recorded their only session for John Peel at BBC Radio 1.[14] 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 were rewarded when their albums The Biggest Prize In Sport and Concrete charted on the Billboard 200. In the US, "Homicide" and "Hollywood" garnered frequent rotation on 'Rock of the 80s'-format radio stations such as 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."[15]

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, including playing at the 11th Antifest in 2005. Bassick also plays for the Lurkers.[16]

Line-ups

Current members[17] [18]

Former members

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Live albums

Singles

Compilation and soundtrack appearances

Music videos

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 999 | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links . . 16 September 2020.
  2. Web site: Punk77.. http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090709033359/http://www.punk77.co.uk/groups/999-Nick%20Cash%20Interview-2007.htm. dead. 9 July 2009.
  3. Book: Thompson, Dave . Alternative Rock . Miller Freeman Books . San Francisco, CA . 2000 . 519.
  4. http://www.punk77.co.uk/groups/999-1.htm 999: A History (Part One) on www.punk77.co.uk: A history of UK Punk Rock from 1976–79
  5. Book: Peachey, Mal . The Clash . Atlantic Books . UK . 2008 . 62.
  6. http://punkmodpop.free.fr/999_pic.htm 999 on Punkmodpop
  7. Book: Larkin, Colin . 70s Music . 2002 . Virgin Books . London . 1-85227-947-8 . 307.
  8. Book: Buckley . Ellingham . Rock: The Rough Guide . registration . Rough Guides . London . 1996 . 609 . 1-85828-201-2.
  9. Book: Joynson, Vernon . Up Yours! A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & Early Post Punk . Borderline Publications . Wolverhampton, UK . 2001 . 246 . 1-899855-13-0.
  10. Web site: Hiljaiset Levyt: 100 Best Punk singles . Steve . Gardner . 1996 . ripping guitar . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140824101434/http://www.hiljaiset.sci.fi/punknet/top100si.htm . 24 August 2014.
  11. Mojo (October 2001) – "100 Punk Scorchers", issue 95, London
  12. Web site: Hiljaiset Levyt: 100 Best Punk LP's . Steve . Gardner . 1996 . " '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'." . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071122101051/http://www.hiljaiset.sci.fi/punknet/top100lp.htm . 22 November 2007.
  13. Web site: 999 – High Energy Plan (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 18 April 2012.
  14. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/a/999/ 999's John Peel Session on BBC Radio 1
  15. Book: Thompson, Dave . Alternative Rock . Miller Freeman Books . San Francisco, CA . 2000 . 520 . 0-87930-607-6.
  16. Web site: The Lurkers' Band History on their official website. https://web.archive.org/web/20140619180525/http://thelurkers.co.uk/history.htm. dead. 19 June 2014.
  17. Joynson, V. (2001) Up Yours! A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & Early Post Punk, Borderline Productions, Wolverhampton, p. 247;
  18. Strong, M.C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, Edinburgh, p. 106;
  19. Book: Roberts, David . British Hit Singles & Albums . Guinness World Records Limited . London . 19th . 2006 . 1-904994-10-5.

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