Basement 5 - 1965 - 1980

I can guess a reason why it was not included in Reynold's book. This LP is so far ahead of it's time in the respect that like today, the post-punk music industry were falling over themselves to sign up the "next big thing". I do not dispute that this has some great tracks on it, however it is all style above substance. The group look amazing on the cover but then again one of its key players was quite a famous underground music photographer. They were signed up before they had any songs or experience. Hashed togeather songs that took the punk/reggae/Clash ideal too far, too quick. Another band from Coventry tried the same trick a few years before supporting the Clash. They also cleared dancefloors. However they sped the sound up, added Ska & became The Specials. If you want some punky reggae party music, try the 2 tone label or even better check "pay to cum" by Bad Brains.

What a great piece of music this is! I don't know for what reason Simon 'Start Again' Reynolds left the Basement 5 out of his bookload on Post Punk history - except from the rather dubious label "post-PiL-band".

"1965-1980" has everything: starting with a super-modern sleeve design, a cutting, even violent Martin Hannett production, a handfull of tight songs, blending punk, a solid dub bass/rhythm section, some twangy guitar overtones, monotone voice with quite an agit prop awarneness in the lyrics: "No Ball Games" kicks ass, as does "Heavy Traffic". And it's not white boys/girls bringing some sentiment for the black tradition into state of the art whatever musical/art approach. It's this genuine all-black-outfit out of Island's arts department breaking hell loose - perfect punk-reggae-disco. And not a dime less interesting than the Lydon, Gill, Stewart trinity.