Real high-energy rock\u2019n\u2019roll in its most potent form is best captured live and in the moment. Maximum thrills, minimum frills.<\/p>\n
In 1977, London\u2019s Warsaw Pakt took that premise one step further, recording their album live, straight through, direct to the cutting lathe\u2014no tape master, no overdubs, no mixing. The record was pressed, packed and shipped overnight and was in the record stores the following day. No procrastination. Instant gratification.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe idea was to bypass tape and gain a very accurate recording that would be louder and clearer than any other method then available,\u201d remembers guitarist Andy Colquhoun.<\/p>\n
If the recording method was motivated by an element of gimmickry, no matter, the blazing urgency of the band\u2019s performance, combined with a set of edgy, memorable songs makes Needle Time <\/em>one of the most exciting releases of the \u201870s punk era. It\u2019s also one of the most neglected.<\/p>\n The Pakt favored a high-revving formula with hard-boiled street-smart lyrics delivered quick and cool against super-charged Chuck Berry guitar licks, a modus operandi much like the MC5 circa Back in the USA<\/em>, but with a vibe that was more attuned to the pubs and squats of their native Ladbroke Grove. Though given a punk rock paint job, the sound is redolent with the fumes of high-octane British R&B, a dead giveaway of their roots, as The Rockets.<\/p>\n Along with some choice cover versions, like the Who\u2019s \u201cIt\u2019s Not True\u201d, they looked to the old Rockets songbook and retooled material written by Andy with the Rockets\u2019 old manager Frank Day, including some great songs like \u201cFruit Machine,\u201d \u201cDogfight,\u201d \u201cSpeeding\u201d and \u201cSick n\u2019 Tired.\u201d Although R&B based, these tracks all had plenty of attitude and aggression, so worked well in their new \u2018punkier\u2019 context.<\/p>\n \u201cSafe and Warm\u201d was recorded as the single in October 1977, and in the studio the band created a uniquely moody, almost psychedelic sound, Coull laying down a soulful vocal over Colquhuon\u2019s screaming guitar lines and Manly\u2019s supporting rhythm licks, while some strikingly eerie harmony back-ups add a magical finishing touch.<\/p>\n A month later, Warsaw Pakt assembled at Trident Studios to record their \u201cInstant Album.\u201d Less than 24 hours later, with the band\u2019s fingers still bleeding, Needle Time <\/em>was released. It sold an impressive 5,000 units almost immediately, but after that the label, inexplicably, refused to press more copies.<\/p>\n After that, the wheels quickly started to come off the operation. \u201cAfter our tour to promote the LP, our agent kept on canceling gigs,\u201d remembers Colquhoun, \u201cOur last gig was supporting Ian Dury at Dingwalls for a homeless benefit. After that it just fizzled out.\u201d Warsaw Pakt disbanded in March 1978.<\/p>\n More than forty years later, though, Needle Time <\/em>stands as one of the most authentic documents of the lean, visceral sound of London punk rock in its banner year.<\/p>\n Mike Stax Real high-energy rock\u2019n\u2019roll in its most potent form is best captured live and in the moment. Maximum thrills, minimum frills. In 1977, London\u2019s Warsaw Pakt took that premise one step further, recording their album live, straight through, direct to the cutting lathe.<\/p>\n The blazing urgency of the band\u2019s performance, combined with a set of edgy, memorable songs makes \u201cNeedle Time\u201d one of the most exciting releases of the \u201870s punk era. It\u2019s also one of the most neglected.<\/p>\n More than forty years later, \u201cNeedle Time\u201d stands as one of the most authentic documents of the lean, visceral sound of London punk rock in its banner year.<\/p>\n LP + 7″ single pack reissued here on vinyl for the first time.<\/p>\n Includes insert with extensive liner notes by Mike Stax (Ugly Things Magazine) and individually hand customized record cover.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":45767,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[249,65],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-45768","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-pub-rock-en","7":"product_cat-punk-en","8":"pa_formato-lp-en","9":"pa_formato-lp-single-en","11":"first","12":"outofstock","13":"sale","14":"taxable","15":"shipping-taxable","16":"purchasable","17":"product-type-variable","18":"has-default-attributes"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/munster-records.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/45768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/munster-records.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/munster-records.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/munster-records.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45767"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/munster-records.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/munster-records.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=45768"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/munster-records.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=45768"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/munster-records.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=45768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nUgly Things Magazine<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"