The Alarm. The Clash copyists from the 1980’s that no-one was supposed to like, thanks to the music press and their snide comments. Fuck 'em because for a time they were a rather good band. Saw ’em a few times live around the time of their debut album Declaration, and they were great, as was/is the album. Big hair, Big hats and Big tunes. After their second album Strength they went a bit Big CoUNTry, (snide blogger comment) and disappeared from my radar until this single in 1990, which was a re-recording of their 1981 debut single; Unsafe Building b/w Up For Murder. (The original single was I believe produced by Scratch who later went on to find infamy as the singer in the mighty Mercenary Skank.) The re-release came nicely retrolutionized and repackaged in a cardboard envelope with copies of original artwork and photos. Didn’t realise how well played a single this was of mine until listening to the vinyl rip, rougher than the roughest badgers arse, but after hearing it again I just had to get a decent copy. I couldn’t find it on any blogs, had to resort to purchasing a digital version, well worth the pennies ’cos it’s a mighty fine single that burns with a passion lacking in so many bands today. As a bit of a bonus here’s their take on Neil Young’s Rocking In The Free World from their 1991 album Raw and here’s a song from the 2000 and something In The Poppyfields #4 Edward Henry Street called Mercenary Skank. By now only Mike Peters remained from the original band, the new line up included James Stevenson from Chelsea and Craig Adams from The Mission. The bands latest album Guerrilla Tactics is well worth a listen. Not so much a return to form but a return to something………
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