This 8CD 144 track box set contains the four studio albums issued by Sham 69 between 1978-80, each one paired with a bonus live disc from the era.

Debut album “Tell Us The Truth” is Disc 1. This album hit No.25 during an eight week chart run in 1978. The bonus tracks include debut single “I Don’t Wanna” which was produced by Velvet Underground’s John Cale as well as a five song session recorded for the BBC Radio John Peel show. The bonus disc is the 15 track In Concert” from the legendary London Roundhouse in February 1978.

The band’s second album “That’s Life” reached No. 27 during an 11 week chart run and is Disc 3. This includes the hit singles “Angels With Dirty Faces” (No.19) and “Hurry Up Harry” (No.10) whilst the bonus tracks feature band anthem and Top 10 hit “If The Kids Are United”. The bonus disc is a much sought after show Sham did for the BBC In Concert programme in February 1979.

Sham’s biggest selling album was “The Adventures Of Hersham Boys” which reached No.8 in the summer of 1979. It includes the hit single “You’re A Better Man Than I” (No.49) whilst the bonus tracks include the No.8 hit single “Hersham Boys” and the No.18 “Questions & Answers”. The bonus tracks also include the extended mixes of “Borstal Breakout” and “If The Kids Are United” that were originally featured on a 12” given away with initial vinyl copies of the LP. The bonus disc is a 24 song set from the Glasgow Apollo on which Sex Pistols Paul Cook and Steve Jones guest on four songs that at the time were set to announce a new ‘supergroup’ the Sham Pistols.   

Disc 7 is Sham’s final original era album “The Game” which includes the hit single “Tell The Children” (No.45). Amongst the many bonus tracks are three studio demos that were originally intended for the “Quadrophenia” film that was being made at the time. The bonus disc was recorded at London’s sadly missed Rainbow Theatre, a ‘farewell’ gig billed as “Sham’s Last Stand”.

The detailed booklet includes a new interview with guitarist and song-writer Dave Parsons in conversation with Vive La Rock journalist Phil Singleton. Reproductions of all picture sleeves are a feature of the artwork which also includes clippings and memorabilia from the time when Sham 69 ruled the charts!

Tracklist

CD1: TELL US THE TRUTH

Live Side
1. We Got A Fight
2. Rip Off
3. Ulster
4. George Davis Is Innocent
5. They Don’t Understand
6. Borstal Breakout
Studio Side
7. Family Life
8. Hey Little Rich Boy
9. I’m A Man, I’m A Boy
10. What About The Lonely?
11. Tell Us The Truth
12. It’s Never Too Late
13. Whose Generation!
BONUS TRACKS
14. I Don’t Wanna
15. Ulster
16. Red London
17. George Davis Is Innocent (Demo)
18. They Don’t Understand (Demo)
19. Borstal Breakout (Demo)
John Peel Session December 1977
20. Hey Little Rich Boy
21. They Don’t Understand
22. Borstal Breakout
23. Rip Off
24. What ‘Av We Got
25. Borstal Breakout (7” Version)
26. Song Of The Streets (aka What Have We Got)

CD2: LIVE AT THE ROUNDHOUSE FEBRUARY 1978

1. Red London
2. I Don’t Wanna
3. Rip Off
4. I’m A Man, I’m A Boy
5. Tell Us The Truth
6. Ulster
7. Borstal Breakout
8. It’s Never Too Late
9. Hey Little Rich Boy
10. They Don’t Understand
11. What About The Lonely?
12. What Have We Got
13. Borstal Breakout
14. George Davis Is Innocent
15. What Have We Got (Encore)

CD3: THAT’S LIFE

1. Leave Me Alone
2. Who Gives A Damn
3. Everybody’s Right Everybody’s Wrong
4. That’s Life
5. Win Or Lose
6. Hurry Up Harry
7. Evil Way
8. Reggae Pick Up Part I
9. Sunday Morning Nightmare
10. Reggae Pick Up Part II
11. Angels With Dirty Faces
12. Is This Me Or Is This You?
BONUS TRACKS
13. The Cockney Kids Are Innocent
14. If The Kids Are United
15. Sunday Morning Nightmare (7”)
16. No Entry

CD4: BBC IN CONCERT 1979

1. Everybody’s Innocent
2. Angels With Dirty Faces
3. Who Gives A Damn
4. That’s Life
5. Tell Us The Truth
6. Borstal Breakout
7. Day Tripper
8. Questions And Answers
9. If The Kids Are United

CD5: THE ADVENTURES OF HERSHAM BOYS

1. Money
2. Fly Dark Angel
3. Joey’s On The Street
4. Cold Blue In The Night
5. You’re Better Man Than I
6. Hersham Boys
7. Lost On Highway 46
8. Voices
9. Questions And Answers
10. What Have We Got?
BONUS TRACKS
11. Questions And Answers (7”)
12. I Gotta Survive
13. With A Little Help From My Friends
14. Day Tripper
15. Hersham Boys (7” Version)
16. TV Times (Demo)
17. Broken Dreams (Demo)
18. Borstal Breakout (Free 12”)
19. If The Kids Are United (Free 12”)

CD6: LIVE AT GLASGOW APOLLO, JUNE 1979

1. What Have We Got
2. I Don’t Wanna
3. Rip Off
4. Tell Us The Truth
5. Angels With Dirty Faces
6. Everybody’s Innocent
7. Ulster
8. They Don’t Understand
9. Borstal Breakout
10. Hurry Up Harry
11.If The Kids Are United
12. Voices
13. Who Gives A Damn
14. Money
15. Day Tripper
16. You’re A Better Man Than I
17. Questions & Answers
18. Joey’s On The Street Again
19. Borstal Breakout (Reprise)
20. Hersham Boys
Encore
21. Pretty Vacant
22. White Riot
23. If The Kids Are United
24. What Have We Got

CD7: THE GAME

1. The Game
2. Human Zoo
3. Lord Of The Flies
4. Give A Dog A Bone
5. In And Out
6. Tell The Children
7. Spray It On The Wall
8. Dead Or Alive
9. Simon
10. Deja Vu
11. Poor Cow
12. Run Wild Run Free
BONUS TRACKS
13. Jack
14. Unite And Win
15. I’m A Man
16. The Game Demos
17. We Who Dare To Win
18. Freeman
19. So Long To Find Out
20. Money Don’t Make It Right
21. Everything’s Alright
22. Poor Cow
23. The Game
Quadrophenia Demos
24. I’m On The Run
25. Susie
26. Someone’s Gonna Help Me

CD8: LIVE AT THE RAINBOW, JULY 1979
(SHAM’S LAST STAND)

1. What Have We Got
2. I Don’t Wanna
3. They Don’t Understand
4. Angels With Dirty Faces
5. Tell Us The Truth
6. That’s Life
7. Rip Off
8. The Cockney Kids Are Innocent
9. Voices
10. Borstal Breakout