Live Stiffs (1978) + No Wave (1978)
Over the years, Compilation records have turned us on to innumerable songs and artists.
Some of which have, no bullshit and no hyperbole, changed our lives.
We are still in awe of the February of 1994 issue of the College Music Journal.
That New Music Compilation CD (which came with the magazine!) introduced us to Jeff Buckley, Alejandro Escovedo, Sarah McLachlan and Me'Shell NdegeOcello.
Staggering.
Here are a pair of ear opening Compilations from late 1970s Great Britain that are currently in the Vinyl Department at Umbrella
Live Stiffs (1978) (SOLD)
This compilation from Stiff Records isn't Punk and it isn't New Wave. It's amped-up British working class Rock-N-Roll -- Pub Rock. It's goal wasn't art and it wasn't anarchy. It aimed to keep the Pints flowing and the asses shaking. Live Stiffs notably features Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello just as they began to lift-off. Also included is Ian Drury & The Blockheads pummeling their classic, Sex Drugs Rock & Roll & Chaos. It's a raucous and rambunctious document of an often over looked sliver of British Rock history.
This curiously titled (come on, it's really New Wave) compilation from A&M Records was intended to introduce what they thought was the future of Pop music. They weren't wrong.
No Wave features Squeeze (still U.K. Squeeze at the time), Joe Jackson and a trio called The Police. In short time, these groups would be at the Top of the Charts -- all over radio and a new format called MTV. By 1984, The Police had their moment as the biggest band in the world. It's fun to imagine a teenager in 1978 taking a chance on this record and hearing Roxanne, Got The Time, Take Me I'm Yours coming out of the home stereo speakers for the first time. What would they have thought of The Dickies and The Stranglers?
Side note - Klark Kent, aka drummer Stewart Copeland's pre-Police band, is also included with the near novelty song, Don't Care.
Overall, No Wave is an important link from the late 70s to early 80s and it remains a great listen.