Mark Perry’s Step Forward label was
responsible for unleashing some of the finest original punk acts on the world,
and here the first 10 7” singles released by the Sniffin’ Glue fanzine founder
are lovingly reproduced in chronological order to finally replace the ever
scratchier vinyl. From The Cortinas, Chelsea, Models, Lemon Kittens and Sham 69
through to two excellent early singles by The Fall (Psycho Mafia and It’s The New
Thing), all are offered once more here, complete with B-sides. As such, it
captures the excitement and DIY ethos of the era.
It’s a nice release in itself – especially when you consider that Perry has also produced a brand new, one-off issue of Sniffin’ Glue for inclusion with the CD. Where this may prove irresistible, however, is the fact that this is also being released as a 7” box set. An indulgence, perhaps, but an entirely authentic one, with exact reproductions of the original vinyl releases a fitting marker to put down: if you’re going to celebrate spurious anniversaries, you may as well do it properly. Though the music may not always have aged all that well, the flame of independence still burns hot and bright.
Mark Perry (aka Mark P) was the editor and main voice behind the seminal U.K. punk fanzine Sniffin' Glue, and in 1977 he decided to start a record label to give some of the bands he was raving about a chance to be heard on vinyl. Step Forward Records didn't last very long (the label was history by 1982) but they burned bright for a few years. Step Forward started out offering up straight-ahead proletarian punk, with the first three releases devoted to the Cortinas, Chelsea, and the Models, and if none of these bands added much new and challenging to the punk lexicon, they all made rough, exciting singles, and the Cortinas' "Fascist Dictator" and Chelsea's "Right to Work" still kick hard today. Perry unleashed Sham 69 on the world with Step Forward's fourth release, but "I Don't Wanna" is more engaging (and less overbearing) than the later work that would make them stars for a while. The label took a left turn with their seventh release, the first 7" from the Fall, and sandwiched between the Cortinas and Chelsea it's not hard to imagine how off-kilter Mark E. Smith and company must have sounded in 1978. The collection wraps up with the significantly weirder experimental meanderings of Lemon Kittens, which hasn't stood the test of time as well as the rest of the tracks, though the group did serve as an early vehicle for Danielle Dax and Karl Blake. Elsewhere on the disc, you can hear a pre-Adam & the Ants Marco Pirroni playing guitar with the Models, and Nick Sheppard of the Cortinas later played guitar in the post-Mick Jones Clash. I Wanna Punk Rock is an eclectic and entertaining collection of early British punk that also offers a glimpse of the post-punk that would thrive a few years later, suggesting Mark Perry had a surer sense than most of where this music could go.
It’s a nice release in itself – especially when you consider that Perry has also produced a brand new, one-off issue of Sniffin’ Glue for inclusion with the CD. Where this may prove irresistible, however, is the fact that this is also being released as a 7” box set. An indulgence, perhaps, but an entirely authentic one, with exact reproductions of the original vinyl releases a fitting marker to put down: if you’re going to celebrate spurious anniversaries, you may as well do it properly. Though the music may not always have aged all that well, the flame of independence still burns hot and bright.
Mark Perry (aka Mark P) was the editor and main voice behind the seminal U.K. punk fanzine Sniffin' Glue, and in 1977 he decided to start a record label to give some of the bands he was raving about a chance to be heard on vinyl. Step Forward Records didn't last very long (the label was history by 1982) but they burned bright for a few years. Step Forward started out offering up straight-ahead proletarian punk, with the first three releases devoted to the Cortinas, Chelsea, and the Models, and if none of these bands added much new and challenging to the punk lexicon, they all made rough, exciting singles, and the Cortinas' "Fascist Dictator" and Chelsea's "Right to Work" still kick hard today. Perry unleashed Sham 69 on the world with Step Forward's fourth release, but "I Don't Wanna" is more engaging (and less overbearing) than the later work that would make them stars for a while. The label took a left turn with their seventh release, the first 7" from the Fall, and sandwiched between the Cortinas and Chelsea it's not hard to imagine how off-kilter Mark E. Smith and company must have sounded in 1978. The collection wraps up with the significantly weirder experimental meanderings of Lemon Kittens, which hasn't stood the test of time as well as the rest of the tracks, though the group did serve as an early vehicle for Danielle Dax and Karl Blake. Elsewhere on the disc, you can hear a pre-Adam & the Ants Marco Pirroni playing guitar with the Models, and Nick Sheppard of the Cortinas later played guitar in the post-Mick Jones Clash. I Wanna Punk Rock is an eclectic and entertaining collection of early British punk that also offers a glimpse of the post-punk that would thrive a few years later, suggesting Mark Perry had a surer sense than most of where this music could go.