Various Artists - The Indie Scene 1977

The Indie Scene 77 (also catalogued as The Indie Scene 1977: The Story of British Independent Music) is a seminal compilation album released in 1991 by the specialized UK archival label Connoisseur Collection. Serving as the opening volume of a highly celebrated, chronological ten-part series documenting the evolution of British independent music through 1986, this record functions as an audio blueprint for the exact moment the DIY ethic reshaped the music industry. The collection stands out because it deliberately highlights self-financed, small-press 7" vinyl singles that bypassed major record companies, capturing the raw, democratic explosion of localized garage bands and independent labels that laid the structural groundwork for modern alternative rock.

The extensive 24-track configuration reads like a historical directory of punk, power pop, and proto-new wave pioneers, spotlighting early work from the Buzzcocks, The Stranglers, The Adverts, and The Vibrators. Beyond standard UK punk anthems, the compilation earns immense historical praise for preserving rare, transitional singles from short-lived groups featuring musicians who would later achieve global superstardom—such as Joe Strummer's pre-Clash outfit The 101'ers and Gary Numan's early, aggressive guitar-driven work with Tubeway Army. Though it targets the British landscape, the tracklist strategically integrates a few highly influential American independent acts, like The Ramones and The Dead Boys, to contextually demonstrate the aggressive transatlantic exchange that fueled the 1977 musical revolution.

When the Connoisseur Collection launched The Indie Scene 77 in 1991, they weren't just assembling another retro punk compilation; they were constructing a definitive, academic thesis on a cultural paradigm shift. By filtering the legendary musical explosion of 1977 strictly through the lens of independent distribution, the album highlights how small budgets and self-financed pressings permanently de-professionalized record production. This compilation avoids the corporate gloss of major-label punk signings, choosing instead to celebrate the charmingly unpolished, frantic, and democratic nature of genuine independent releases.

The sonic sequencing of the album is brilliantly erratic, mirroring the actual chaos of the era's underground club scene. It kicks off with the timeless, jangling guitar power of the Flamin' Groovies’ "Shake Some Action" and immediately careens into the breakneck speed of Buzzcocks' "Breakdown"—lifted directly from their self-released, revolutionary Spiral Scratch EP. What makes the review of this album so compelling is its refusal to stick to a single, monolithic definition of punk rock. Listeners are treated to a diverse spectrum of subgenres, shifting effortlessly from the pub-rock grit of Eddie and the Hot Rods to the sharp, melodic new wave hooks of Wreckless Eric's "Whole Wide World".

For music historians and crate-diggers, the true genius of the album lies in its preservation of foundational, pre-fame recordings. Hearing Gary Numan fronting Tubeway Army as a raw punk guitarist on "That's Too Bad," or listening to a young Joe Strummer lead The 101'ers through "Keys To Your Heart," provides a thrilling context to the subsequent decade of alternative music. These tracks showcase legendary artists stripped of their future signature styles, playing with a frantic, unburdened energy that could only exist on a low-budget, independent single pressed in a run of a few thousand copies.

Ultimately, The Indie Scene 77 is an essential, flawless piece of music preservation that belongs in the library of any serious vinyl collector or rock enthusiast. It strips away the commercial myths of 1977 and leaves the listener with the pure, undistilled reality: a collection of kids, micro-labels, and primitive recording setups changing the rules of the music industry in real-time. Long out of print on physical formats, it remains a gold-standard testament to the enduring power of the DIY ethos.

Ripped to MP3

1. Flamin' Groovies – Shake Some Action

2. Stanley Frank – S'Cool Days

3. The 101'ers – Keys To Your Heart (featuring a pre-The Clash Joe Strummer)

4. The Vibrators – We Vibrate

5. The Gorillas – Gatecrasher

6. Eddie And The Hot Rods – Do Anything You Wanna Do

7. The Heartbreakers – Born To Lose

8. The Adverts – One Chord Wonders

9. Buzzcocks – Breakdown (from the legendary self-released Spiral Scratch EP)

10. The Stranglers – (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)

11. The Dead Boys – Sonic Reducer

12. The Ramones – Sheena Is A Punk Rocker

13. 999 – Emergency

14. The Boys – I Don't Care

15. The Banned – Little Girl

16. Radiators From Space – TV Screen

17. The Adverts – Gary Gilmore's Eyes

18. The Lurkers – Shadow

19. Johnny And The Self Abusers – Saints And Sinners (the historic pre-Simple Minds outfit)

20. The Members – Solitary Confinement

21. The Yachts – Suffice To Say

22. Wreckless Eric – Whole Wide World

23. Radio Stars – Nervous Wreck

24. Tubeway Army – That's Too Bad (a very early, raw punk track featuring Gary Numan)