Cock Sparrer

Cock Sparrer are widely considered to be one of the most influential streetpunk bands in history, and helped pave the way for the late-1970s punk scene and the significant Oi! subgenre. The band’s fate has been to enjoy a career trajectory the polar opposite of that which the industry promotes and aspires to - commercial success threatened but ultimately eluded them during the 1970s and 1980s, but the 1990s’ punk revival saw them rediscovered by hordes of new younger fans. As a result, for the past fifteen years they have enjoyed huge success as a live attraction, particularly in the UK and Europe, and now find themselves headlining bills consisting of far more familiar punk names and performing their own shows to crowds which many of today’s younger bands would sell their grandmothers for.

Best Seat In The House tells the band’s story from the perspective of drummer and driving force, Steve Bruce. From their beginnings in London’s East End, through the mid seventies’ punk boom, Malcolm McLaren’s attempts to mould them prior to his adventures with The Sex Pistols and entanglements with Carrere Records, into the eighties and the reality of civvy street, and on into the nineties and beyond, a period which sees them as surprised as anybody to find themselves touring the world, releasing new material and enjoying the respect and love of the punk and Oi! community.

The band are childhood friends, and their relationships and Bruce’s own extra curricular adventures on the East End pub circuit add a warm background to this tale, making it the polar opposite of the tired sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll cliché that comprise the bulk of today’s rock biogs (and all the more interesting for it). In all likelihood, this book won’t find high street shelf space, but it really doesn’t need it - to a large diehard community across the world it’s the long awaited, all access story of one of their most treasured bands and is certain to sell very well amongst that brand loyal group, wherever it might be found.

The book’s initial run will be a numbered limited edition, but we confidently anticipate further runs as the band’s live activities continue next year. Cock Sparrer will be fulfilling live commitments in Europe and America for the remainder of 2009 before headlining two homecoming shows at London’s HMV Forum on 26th and 27 March 2010.

In Bruce’s own words: “I'm 54 years old, I've been married for 25 years and am a founder member of the band that was to become Cock Sparrer, which we formed at school in the year 1972. The four original members are still together as friends and a band today. We’ve never been on "Top of the Pops", but these days we seem to be Top of the Bill”.

This boxset is the ULTIMATE package for any COCK SPARRER fan. It is truly the ESSENTIALS. Cover to cover, this legendary package includes all 6 studio albums in casewrapped sleeves, 4 full live albums and a slew of singles, picture discs and creatively packaged one-of-a-kind goodies. All in all, thirty two sides of remixed, remastered, or otherwise previously unreleased 180gram heavyweight colored vinyl, a book, two posters, a limited edition metal lapel pin, screenprint and more.

This boxset is strictly limited to 250 pieces - and will not be re-issued in this same format again... it really is THE ESSENTIALS

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FROM PIRATES PRESS - www.piratespressrecords.com/essentials