999 : I'm Alive
In the Summer of '77, The London punk band named after England's emergency telephone number released their self-financed debut single "I'm Alive b/w Quite Disappointing". "I'm Alive" remains one of '77's most memorable singles and led to the band's signing with United Artists Records right after The Buzzcocks. Nick Cash sings a bit too much like Pete Shelley. For one reason or another , 999 would remain a second tier punk band. Perhaps because they didn't bring any thing new to the genre...and suspiciously played too well. Imagine how things might have turned out, if 999 agreed to let Chrissie Hynde join the band.
They did make some really good tracks - Emergency was always a favourite of mine - but some of their poppier numbers just didn't work so well. I liken them sometimes to The Skids. At their best, a really good band with some excellent songs; at their worst, slightly embarrassing...
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