Revisiting this record after more than 50 years finds that I have moved on way past this classic sound. Immigrant Song is still vibrant, and Celebration Day remains interesting but the rest of this largely folk rock record is, frankly, dull.

Still an amazing live show - basically a live greatest hits album from beginning to end. At this point the band were a touring monster and super tight. Album has a breakneck pace and the original version is the perfect length leaving you satisfied excited and perhaps wanting 1 or 2 more songs.

When this came out in 1977I bought it because it was on Stiff Records and that label had already developed a reputation for music that was different. Releases by former Rockpile member Nick Lowe, the Damned!, Elvis Costello, Motorhead, Pink Fairies, made this an easy buy. Then you put the needle down on the first track and go WTF? “I come awake …” And then Side 1 Track 2 Sweet Gene Vincent as the two openers to a very diverse musically inspired album all sung by a man who gives hope to all of us who cannot sing or carry a tune. And yet it all works. Chaz Jankel’s piano work is inspired and the tunes with lyrics that are funny, off-color at times, but all designed to highlight his love for the characters that inhabit his world. Is the album perfect? No, unfortunately. The 3 stand alone singles that followed - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, Inbetweenies and Reasons To Be Cheerful Pt. 3 - would have made this complete. It’s all catchy and a mix of pub rock, punk rock and dance hall. And there really was nothing that sounded like this at that time. And there still isn’t.