Punk Power: Anarchy in the UK

• Artist: Various Artists
• Rating:
• Release Date: July 31, 2006
• Type: Collection (various artists)
• Genre: Rock

Review

Castle's Punk Power: Anarchy in the UK collection boasts 32 tracks from the genre's late-'70s/early-'80s heydays. There's some excellent stuff here, particularly the inclusion of cuts from underrated acts like the Toy Dolls ("Nellie the Elephant"), the Adverts ("Bored Teenagers"), and Jilted John, but it's obvious that Castle couldn't obtain the rights to a lot of key tracks, so classic songs like "Orgasm Addict" and "Neat Neat Neat" are represented by spirited live tracks that, while good, would be more effective in their original incarnations -- most of the other tracks are either demos (e.g., "Anarchy in the U.K.") or alternate takes. Also, what are East Coast underground rock icons Jonathan Richman and Johnny Thunders doing on an anthology called Anarchy in the UK? The great rock & roll swindle, indeed. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide

Tracks

CD 1

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Anarchy in the UK [Demo Version]		The Sex Pistols	(3:59)
Rowche Rumble		The Fall	(4:01)
Roadrunner		The Modern Lovers	(4:44)
If the Kids Are United		Sham 69	(3:45)
Jilted John		Jilted John	(2:56)
(Get A) Grip (On Yourself) [Live]		The Stranglers	(3:47)
Nellie the Elephant		Toy Dolls	(3:00)
Realities of War		Discharge	(1:11)
Oh Bondage Up Yours!	Poly Styrene	X-Ray Spex	(2:48)
Orgasm Addict [Live]	Howard Devoto, Pete Shelley	Buzzcocks	(2:18)
Emergency [Live]		999	(2:41)
Neat Neat Neat [Live]		The Damned	(3:48)
Boston Babies		Slaughter & the Dogs	(3:34)
Gary Gilmore's Eyes [Live]		The Adverts	(2:43)
Elephant Man		The Stupids	(1:52)
Race Against Time			(2:47)

CD 2

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Pretty Vacant		The Sex Pistols	(3:30)
Borstal Breakout		Sham 69	(2:08)
Egyptian Reggae		Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers	(2:38)
Totally Wired		The Fall	(3:26)
Dozen Girls		The Damned	(4:34)
Visions of War		Discharge	(1:40)
Banana Splits [Live]		Buzzcocks	(1:44)
Boredom [Live]		Buzzcocks	(2:56)
I Am a Cliché	Poly Styrene	X-Ray Spex	(1:54)
Cop Cars [Live]	Matt Dangerfield, Casino Steel	The Boys	(1:55)
I Live in a Car [Live]		U.K. Subs	(1:17)
12XU [Live]	Robert Gotobed	Wire	(1:56)
Knife Edge	Colin "Col" Abrahall		(2:16)
You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory (Lyrics)		Johnny Thunders	(3:40)
Bored Teenagers [Live]		The Adverts	(2:08)
Runaway [Live]		Slaughter & the Dogs	(2:35)