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| 999 > Albums & Lyrics |
One of the longest-lived groups of the punk era, 999 formed in London in May 1977. Led by vocalist/ guitarist Nick Cash, a onetime student at the Canterbury College of Art under the tutelage of Ian Dury and a former member of the pub rock units Kilburn and the High Roads, the band also included guitarist Guy Days, bassist Jon Watson, and drummer Pablo LaBrittain. After dispensing with a series of names -- including 48 Hours, the Fanatics, and the Dials , they quickly established themselves on the burgeoning live circuit, securing a committed following and a management deal in the process.
Entering the studio in July 1977 they recorded their first single, "I'm Alive/Quite Disappointing", an auslicious debut which captured the very essence of the era. Released the following month, all 10,000 copies of the single (on Labritain Records) sold out within weeks. Intense record company interest followed and 999 signed to United Artists Records. Their first single for their new label was "Nasty Nasty", a scathing attack on mindless violence. A truly distinctive style continued to eveolve, with the release in January 1978 of "Emergency". An exceptional song by any standards, it was joined by material of the same quality when their eponymous debut album "999" was released, produced by Andy Arthurs. The album's opening track and subsequent single "Me and My Desire" displayed a more measured approach and delivery than that which had been used previously and added a new intensity to their music.
The eagerly awaited second album was preceded by the release as a single of one of it's featured tracks, "Feelin' Alright with the Crew", a sparse almost spartan rhythmical arrangement complemented by a unique vocal inflection. Released in September 1978, "Separates" , 999 enlisted producer Martin Rushent, resulting in a more polished, mainstream veneer for material like the near-hit "Homicide" and "High Energy Plan"
It was followed two months later by "Homicide", a song of anthem-like proportions which was in keeping with the powerful sound prevalent on the LP. Veterans of several UK and European tours, 999 embarked on their first tour of the USA and Canada in March 1979. LaBrittain suffered injuries in a vehicular accident, drummer Ed Case was brought in to pick up the slack for this major U.S. tour. It was to be the first of many visits and coast to coast tours.
The short lived Radar Records released as a single the buoyant "Found Out Too Late" in October 1979. It featured Ed Case deputising on drums for the injured Pablo Labritain. In January 1980 Polydor Records released the album "The Biggest Prize in Sport." The melodramatic single "Trouble" was released simultaneously. "Boys in the Gang", which echoed the tradition of esprit de corps established by "Feelin' Alright with the Crew", was scheduled for release as a single but failed to materialise.
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