Cock Sparrer’s 1983 debut album Shock Troops is one of my favourite albums, I say debut album, technically it’s not but before we get to that lets re-wind a few years. Cock Sparrer formed in 1972, school friends playing Small Faces songs, then eventually writing their own numbers.
Legend has it that in 1976 Cock Sparrer were approached by Malcolm Mclaren who was keen on managing them alongside the Sex Pistols. He watched them rehearse then took them to a pub but didn’t get a round of drinks in, the band were then less keen on being managed by him. In 1977 they signed to Decca Records and released a couple of singles Running Riot and We Love You. In 1978 Decca dropped the band, despite them having an albums worth of material recorded, which was rather bizarrely only released in Spain. The band then fizzled out, their working class football terrace roots weren’t in keeping with the London punk elite. Guitarist Garry Lammin left the band to become an actor, and in 1980 the band split up. In 1982 thanx to the band appearing on a couple of the Oi compilations Cock Sparrer reformed, and released Shock Troops a collection of street punk rock’n’roll songs. Their debut album didn’t get a UK release until 1987, when Razor Records issued it under the title True Grit. The band are still going strong, if not stronger, and are receiving the credit and acclaim that alluded them over 30 years ago. Anyway enough waffle here’s the music, recorded live at The Fulham Greyhound, London in the Autumn of 1983, some top quality…..forget the labels, it’s all Rock’n’Roll unless it’s disco. Wait up a bit more waffle….
This recording was originally posted on either the Running Riot or Nation On Fire blogspot, I can’t remember, but respect to them for the original download, which started life as just one long MP3, I’ve separated the different tracks and tried to clean up the sound, which is raw, as it was recorded from the audience, but it’s not too rough and it’s certainly ready to listen to. Enjoy!
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