Various Artists - DIY - The Modern World - UK Punk II (1977-78)

Part of Rhino's acclaimed 9-volume D.I.Y. series, this second UK volume serves as a chronological follow-up to Anarchy In The UK - UK Punk I. It captures the pivotal transition period when raw first-wave British punk began fracturing into post-punk, new wave, and mod revival. The collection is notable for its excellent sound remastering by Bill Inglot and detailed historical liner notes written by rock journalist Jon Savage.

DIY: The Modern World - UK Punk II (1977-78) is a premier compilation album released by Rhino Records on 19 January 1993. Serving as the second UK-focused volume in Rhino's acclaimed nine-part D.I.Y. series, this 19-track collection captures the pivotal transition period when raw, first-wave British punk began splintering into new wave, post-punk, and the mod revival. Curated with historical precision, the album features essential tracks from legendary acts like The Jam, Buzzcocks, Wire, Generation X, and Siouxsie and The Banshees. Music journalist Jon Savage provided extensive liner notes for the release, while renowned audio engineer Bill Inglot handled the digital remastering, making it a definitive sonic time capsule of Britain's underground music scene.

The compilation is highly praised by historians and collectors for balancing commercial hits with obscure, influential tracks that shaped the future of alternative rock. Listeners are treated to a diverse sonic landscape that ranges from the pop-infused energy of The Rezillos to the art-punk experimentation of Magazine and The Fall. Because it was released during the early 1990s CD boom, physical copies of the album have long been out of print, turning the original Rhino disc into a sought-after collector's item on music marketplace sites. While official digital versions are rarely available on modern streaming services due to complex song licensing, the album's tracklist remains a gold standard blueprint for anyone looking to understand the evolution of British independent music.

Rhino Records’ 1993 compilation, DIY: The Modern World - UK Punk II (1977-78), stands as a masterful audio documentary of a musical ecosystem in rapid, brilliant mutation. While its predecessor captured the initial shockwave of 1976, this second British volume tracks the precise moment the movement's foundational 3-chord fury fractured into something more cerebral, artistic, and varied. By 1977, British punk was no longer a monoculture of leather jackets and political slogans; it had evolved into a launchpad for experimental post-punk, pop-forward new wave, and urgent street anthems. Rather than merely archiving the hits, this collection delivers a deeply atmospheric snapshot of how British youth hijacked pop culture and weaponised the independent "do-it-yourself" philosophy.

The compilation’s sequence brilliantly contrasts the surviving embers of first-wave classicism against the encroaching tide of art-school experimentation. Straightforward, adrenaline-fueled power pop and street punk like The Jam’s title track, Generation X's "Wild Youth", and Buzzcocks' flawlessly vulnerable "What Do I Get?" provide a baseline of relentless energy and undeniable melody. Yet, the true thrill of the album lies in its embrace of the weird and the angular. The sharp, paranoid bass grooves of Wire’s "I Am the Fly" and the cinematic synth-and-guitar interplay of Magazine’s "Shot by Both Sides" demonstrate how quickly musicians discarded punk’s rigid rules in favour of avant-garde sonic textures.

Beyond the genre-defining heavyweights, the album earns its legendary status through historical breadth and exceptional sequencing. It flawlessly incorporates the neon-bright sax-punk of X-Ray Spex, the hyper-caffeinated retro-futurism of The Rezillos, and the early, primitive grit of The Fall. This vast range highlights punk's capacity for humor and artistic eccentricity alongside its traditional political rage. The inclusion of Stiff Little Fingers' fierce "Alternative Ulster" and Sham 69's unifying "If the Kids Are United" ensures that the raw, socio-political frustration of the era is never lost amid the artistic detours. The curation paints a vivid portrait of a brief, lightning-in-a-bottle epoch where bands could be completely distinct from one another yet united by a singular, rebellious spirit.

Decades after its initial release, the compilation serves as a gold standard blueprint for historical retrospectives. Audio engineer Bill Inglot preserves the raw, biting friction of the original single pressings while updating the clarity for maximum dynamic impact. Paired with rock journalist Jon Savage's first-hand liner notes, the physical package offers invaluable context for how these 19 tracks shaped decades of alternative rock. While the original Rhino Records compact disc is long out of print and digital streaming licensing remains frustratingly fragmented, the tracklist remains an unassailable masterclass. It stands not just as an excellent introduction for beginners, but as a crucial, definitive document for seasoned music historians.

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1. The Jam - The Modern World 2:33

2. Generation X (4) - Wild Youth 2:53

3. The Rezillos - (My Baby Does) Good Sculptures 2:52

4. 999 - Emergency 2:45

5. Sham 69 - (There's Gonna Be A) Borstal Breakout 2:07

6. Magazine - Shot By Both Sides 4:04

7. Buzzcocks - What Do I Get? 2:05

8. Wire - I Am The Fly 3:08

9. X-Ray Spex - The Day The World Turned Day-Glo 2:51

10. Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device 2:43

11. The Lurkers - Ain't Got A Clue 2:11

12. The Soft Boys - (I Want To Be An) Anglepoise Lamp 3:02

13. Sham 69 - If The Kids Are United 3:49

14. Alternative TV - Action Time Vision 2:32

15. The Fall - Bingo Master 2:24

16. Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster 2:46

17. Siouxsie & The Banshees - Hong Kong Garden 2:56

18. 999 - Homicide 3:44

19. Subway Sect - Ambition 3:03