"The more I try the harder it gets with you"

GEMLP100 front cover GEMLP100 back cover

  • Above: Another Kind of Blues UK LP release, 1979, front and back covers.
    Click to enlarge.

GEMLP100 re-issue front cover GEMLP100 re-issue back cover

  • Above: Another Kind of Blues UK LP re-issue, 1979/80, front and back covers.
    Click to enlarge.

Cat. No: GEMLP 100 (PL42929)
Label: GEM Records
Recorded: May, June 1979
Released: 14th September 1979

Side One:

C.I.D (Harper & Anderson) 2.10
I Couldn't Be You (Presley, arranged by Harper) 2.06
I live in a car (Harper, Garratt, Slack & Lions (sic)) 1.36
Tomorrows girls (Harper) 2.24
Killer (Harper, Garratt & Slack) 1.28
World War (Garratt & Harper) 1.06
Rockers (Garratt & Harper) 3.15
I.O.D (Garratt & Harper) 1.22

Run-out groove:
A PORKY PRIME CUT  GEM - LP - 100 - A - 1  'W'  A2F (Blue Vinyl)
A PORKY PRIME CUT  GEM - LP - 100 - A - 1  W  A2Z (Blue Vinyl)
A PORKY PRIME CUT  GEM - LP - 100 - A - 1  'W'  A2AL (Black Vinyl/Blue Labels)
A PORKY PRIME CUT  GEM - LP - 100 - A - 1  'W'  A6J (Black Vinyl/Green Labels)

Side Two:

T.V. Blues (Garratt, Slack & Harper) 2.08
Blues (Garratt & Harper) 1.50
Lady Esquire (Garratt & Harper) 1.50
All I Wanna Know (Garratt, Harper & Slack) 1.48
Crash Course (Garratt, McCoy & Harper) 1.40
Young Criminals (Garratt & Harper) 2.18
B.1.C (Garratt & Harper) 1.35
Disease (Garrat & Harper) 1.25
Stranglehold (Harper) 2.26

Run-out groove:
PLAY LOUDER GEM - LP - 100 - B - 1  'W'  AID (Blue Vinyl)
PLAY LOUDER*  GEM - LP - 100 - B - 1 (Blue Vinyl)
PLAY LOUDER GEM - LP - 100 - B - 1  'W'  AIAC (Black Vinyl/Blue Labels)
PORKY  AID  GEM - LP - 100 - B - 2  'W' (Black Vinyl/Green Labels)

 

Line Up

Vocals & Harmonica: Charlie Harper
Guitar: Nicky Garratt
Bass: Paul Slack
Drums: Pete Davies

 

The band's debut album and the start of the attempt to release an album for every letter of the alphabet, it was also fledgling label GEMs first long player.

Recorded between May and June 1979 the album featured a raft of Subs classics with a few numbers written especially for this release. Produced again by John McCoy at Kingsway with engineers Bob Broglia and Paul 'Chas' Watkins, McCoy is credited with writing Crash Course along with Charlie and Nicky after he and Garratt stayed up all night with McCoy playing drums.

The first 20,000 copies were issued on blue vinyl and with blue and white labels, no other early GEM releases that we know of have this colour scheme so it's fair to assume it was for this release only.
The remaining copies from the first issue are on black vinyl with blue labels. The masters must have been replaced or duplicated at some point as some copies have slightly different run-out wording (see above).
Thanks to Joakim Torudd for the additional info.

The album entered the UK album chart on the 13th of October, reaching number 21, and stayed in the top one hundred for six weeks. (Source: Guinness Book of British Hits Albums, sixth edition)

At some point in late 1979 or early 1980 the LP was repressed, possibly due to the success of the promotional tour and media attention the band were starting to attract. These copies have the standard green GEM label and a white bed on the back cover instead of blue. The quality of the sleeve is not as good with the colours not being as strong, probably a cost cutting exercise by the label.
All the UK GEM releases come with a printed card inner sleeve featuring pictures of the band.

Another Kind of Blues was named as one of the top five second wave punk albums by Classic Rock Magazine in November 2009 (see below).

The photograph used for the front cover was of someone modelling a pair of splinter goggles as worn by British and French soldiers during the First World War, these were designed to protect the wearer from shell blast and shell fragments. Safety glass was yet to be invented so these were made from pressed steel with slits cut in them which were then mounted on to shammy leather with an elasticated strap. See images below.

 

Click on images to enlarge

Blue vinyl side 1 Blue Vinyl Side 1                        Blue vinyl side 2 Blue Vinyl Side 2
Black vinyl, blue label side 1 Black Vinyl Side 1                      Black vinyl, blue label side 2 Black Vinyl Side 2
Black vinyl, green label side 1 Black Vinyl, Green Label, Side 1  Black vinyl, green label side 2 Black Vinyl, Green Label, Side 2

 

Below: REVIEW COPY (2nd Pressing) - click images to enlarge

Thanks to ANDY CUTLER for sharing his rarity.
He got this circa 79/80 from a record shop where "...they would play (this copy) in the shop for customers to try out. Possibly on what was then known as a listening post where you could hear a record before deciding whether to buy it or not."
It is unclear whether the stamped wording of "Not For Resale Review Copy Only", which appears on the label and back cover, was put on by a Gem Records rep visiting and distributing a number of these around the UK, or that the stamp was something unique that the record store in question used on every LP that was available to hear/review in their particular shop.
Please contact this website if you have any further information regarding the above.

 

Review copy (2nd pressing) - click to enlarge  Review copy (2nd pressing) - click to enlarge

 

  • Above: Copy of the picture used for the album front cover, article source unknown.

  • Above: Side by side comparison

 

  • Above: The New Records monthly classified guide, February 1980, front cover and page 11 featuring Another Kind of Blues.

  • Above: Trade press advert, Music Week, 22nd September 1979, page 39

 

16 January 2011: Another Kind Of Blues poster (from 1979?) sells on e-Bay for £256 !!!
It was sold with a copy of the LP. Click on the below screenprint to enlarge.
Thanks to Martin Watson for drawing our attention to this monster!

Click to enlarge

As far as the web admins know, this poster wasn't given away with the LP, but it looks like either an old Fan Club merchandise poster or an old Record Shop poster?

 

 

Album review

 

Tour News



Tour & AKOB release news




Sounds playlist

  • Above: AKOB features in Gary Bushell's playlist (There's a suprise!-Ed Wink)
    From the Pete Davies Archive

 

 

Classic Rock Magazine November 2009

  • Above: Classic Rock Magazine, November 2009.

 

Album review

  • Above: Album review, NME, 22nd September 1979 page 43. 

 

Album review

  • Above: Album review, unknown source. Image courtesy of Paul Mileman 

 

Sale list


Album chart


Album chart


Album chart


Album chart


Alternative chart Alternative Chart

  • Above: Alternative Chart, 13th August 1979 and 27th October 1979, unknown origin.
    From the Pete Davies Archive


 

If you have any additional information on this release, please get in touch:
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To view the next UK Subs A-Z LP release: CLICK HERE