The Best of Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience – The Secret Public Years 1981–1989 explained

The Best of Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience - The Secret Public Years 1981-1989
Type:	greatest
Artist:	Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience
Cover:	The Secret Public Years 1981–1989 cover.jpg
Released:	February 1994^[1]
Recorded:	1981–1989
Genre:	Rock new wave punk rock
Length:	79:03
Label:	Anagram
Producer:	Steve Diggle Flag of Convenience Gary Hamer Hugh Murphy Martin Hannett
Prev Title:	Heated and Rising (EP)
Prev Year:	1993
Next Title:	Here's One I Made Earlier – Best of Steve Diggle, Flag of Convenience, F.O.C. and Buzzcocks F.O.C.
Next Year:	1995

The Best of Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience – The Secret Public Years 1981–1989 is a CD compilation of Buzzcocks' Steve Diggle's first solo days and his subsequent band, Flag of Convenience, which compiles his post-Buzzcocks songs from 1981 to 1989, during the years Buzzcocks remained disbanded. It was released in 1994 in the UK on Anagram Records.

Critical reception

AllMusic wrote, "It's not that the first 13 tracks, from '81-'86, aren't of good quality -- they are. But it's the final eight songs that should have led-off here, in establishing Diggle as one of the most important and overlooked artists in all of Britain during the '80s."

Track listing

All tracks are written by Steve Diggle and credited to Flag of Convenience; except where indicated.

1. "Shut Out the Light" – 2:54 (Steve Diggle)
2. "50 Years of Comparative Wealth" – 3:45 (Steve Diggle)
3. "Here Comes the Fire Brigade" – 3:56 (Steve Diggle)
4. "Life on the Telephone" – 5:24
5. "Picking Up on Audio Sound" – 3:24
6. "Other Mans Sin" – 4:48
7. "Men from the City" – 4:54
8. "Who Is Innocent" – 3:54
9. "Drift Away" – 3:49
10. "Change" – 2:49
11. "Longest Life" – 3:26
12. "The Arrow Has Come" – 3:27
13. "Keep on Pushing" (live) – 4:10
14. "Pictures in My Mind" – 2:42
15. "Last Train to Safety" – 4:20
16. "Exiles" – 3:04
17. "Can't Stop the World" – 2:06
18. "Shot Down with a Gun" – 4:16
19. "Tragedy in Market Street" – 4:14
20. "Tomorrow's Sunset" – 4:06 (Buzzcocks F.O.C.)
21. "Life with the Lions" – 3:35 (Buzzcocks F.O.C.)

Origin

• Tracks 1–3 from 50 Years of Comparative Wealth EP, 1981.
• Tracks 4–6 from "Life on the Telephone" single, 1982
• Tracks 7–12 from The Big Secret, 1984
• Track 13 from "New House" single, 1986
• Track 14 from Northwest Skyline, 1987
• Track 15 from "Last Train to Safety" EP, 1987
• Tracks 16–19 from Exiles EP, 1988
• Tracks 20–21 from "Tomorrow's Sunset" single, 1989

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album liner notes, except where noted.

Musicians

• Steve Diggle – vocals, guitar, keyboards
• John Maher – drums (1-12)
• Steve Garvey – bass (1-3)
• Mark Burke – guitar (7-12)
• Steve Mac – guitar (13)^[2]
• Gaz Connor – guitar (16-19)
• Andy Couzens – guitar (20-21)
• David Farrow – bass (4-6)
• Gary Hamer – bass (7-21)
• John Caine – drums (13-15)
• Chris Godwin – drums (16-21)
• Dave "D.P." Prescott – keyboards (4–6)^[3]
• Dean Sumner – keyboards (13)^[2]

Technical

• Steve Diggle – producer (1–3,^[4] 7-19)
• Flag of Convenience – producer (4-6)
• Hugh Murphy – producer (4-6)
• Gary Hamer – producer (13-19)
• Martin Hannett – producer (20-21)

External links

• Cherry Red: Anagram - Steve Diggle Section of the compilation in the Cherry Red label page

Notes and References

1. Book: McGartland, Tony. Buzzcocks: The Complete History. Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience: Solo Discography. 327 . John Blake Publishing Ltd.. 25 May 2017. 978-1-78606-520-9 .
2. Web site: New House single - back cover . 6 October 1986 . . 5 May 2023.
3. Web site: Life On The Telephone single - back cover . 6 October 1982 . . 5 May 2023.
4. Web site: 50 Years of Comparative Wealth EP - back cover . 6 October 1981 . . 5 May 2023.