Just Say Sire: The Sire Records Story, a new box set on Rhino is a bit of a mixed blessing. I don't mind Madonna, and I can forgive the non inclusion of the lable's early Dutch roster. But lookin' at the tracklist I figure I seriously need to re-arange my view on the label...
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Around 1997 I was playing bass guitar in (Dutch "indie rock" band) Johan and on tour in the U.S. we had dinner with a couple of guys from Sire. I wanted to ask them about Richard Hell, Rezillos etc. but they didn't know about any of that, they were just going "yeah, we put out Echo & the Bunnymen and the Smiths"...
Just bought the CD reissue of the DMZ LP (originally on Sire); I keep hearing everywhere that it sucks, but I really like it! Maybe they've doctored up the sound a bit... "Mighty Idy" should have been on the box set!
Well, one thing should be obvious; of all those fantastic discs Sire put out in the late 70s, none was a rent payer. Only in recent years is the Ramones' backcatolgue seriously "shifting units". BTW, sire was also responsible for some great re-issues at the time (most involved Greg Shaw), like Nuggets, a couple o'Brit Rock histories and the excellent Vintage Years series that included the Pretty Things and the Troggs amogst others.
Other acts MIA: Patti Smith, Boney M, Tuff Darts, Althia & Donna and, uh, Sham '69.
Any yeah, DMZ's LP is a lot better than oft given credit...
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