Shack - Extra Extra (2006)

Shack formed in Liverpool in 1987, and originally consisted of Mick Head (vocals/guitar), his brother John Head (guitar), Justin Smith (bass) and Mick Hurst (drums). Before founding Shack, Michael and John Head were in the cult 1980's band The Pale Fountains, and released two albums, 'Pacific Street' in March 1984 and '...From Across The Kitchen Table' in March 1985. Although critically acclaimed, the albums only reached Numbers 85 and 94 in the UK Albums Chart, and the group ended around 1986 and returned from London to their home town of Liverpool. The Head brothers soon re-emerged as Shack, signing to the Ghetto Recording Company, home of record producer Ian Broudie's solo project The Lightning Seeds, and British soul band Distant Cousins. The band's first album 'Zilch' was released in 1988, but was neither critically nor commercially successful, being a victim of the production tecniques of the time, and it was to be a few years before they attempted to follow it with a new album. 'Waterpistol' was recorded in 1991 at London's Star Street Studio and Chapel Studios, Lincolnshire, but shortly after the recording was complete, the Star Street studio burnt down and most of the tapes were destroyed. The only remaining DAT of the album was in the possession of producer Chris Allison, who at the time was in Los Angeles, and when he returned, it transpired that he had left the copy in his hire car. It was only found weeks later after a frenzied search, but by this point Ghetto had folded so the record was without a distributor. Not surprisingly, this led to the disolussion of the band, with Wilkinson joining fellow Liverpudlian John Power (formerly of The La's) to form the successful Britpop band Cast, and the Head brothers accompanied Love for a few touring dates in 1992. 

'Waterpistol' was finally released in 1995 on the German independent record label, Marina, and it prompted the NME to describe Mick Head as "a lost genius and among the most gifted British songwriters of his generation". Instead of reforming Shack to capitalise on the album's success, Head formed Michael Head And The Strands with his brother John, releasing one album and one single in 1998. 'The Magical World Of The Strands' was a superb album, rightly garnering Head further critical acclaim, and as their sole single had an exlusive b-side I've included that here. With the addition of Ren Parry on Bass, The Strands regrouped as a new incarnation of Shack, and released the outstanding 'HMS Fable' in 1999, reaching the Top 25 on the UK albums chart. By the time of the next album '... Here's Tom With the Weather', Parry had been replaced by Guy Rigby, before Wilkinson rejoined in 2005, replacing the departed Rigby. This line-up then signed to Noel Gallagher's Sour Mash record label, and in May 2006 they released the album '...The Corner Of Miles And Gil', which is named after two of the Head brothers' heroes, Miles Davis and Gil Evans. Both of these later albums contain more examples of the excellent songwriting of Michael Head, and are prime examples of indie/rock of the period. The band toured briefly in England in October and November 2007 with Martyn Campbell on bass, and then in February 2008 they re-formed The Pale Fountains for two critically acclaimed live shows in Liverpool and London, with the Head brothers being joined by Martyn Campbell, Andy Diagram, Thomas 'Jock' Whelan and Iain Templeton. Since 2008, John Head has pursued a solo career playing live shows with his band The Streams, and had recently launched a new project called Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band on his own label Violette Records, who hope to have their debut album released soon. If you're a fan of the band then you'll already know how great their albums are, and every one of these songs would have been a worthy addition to any one of them.  

Track listing

Disc One
01 Liberation (b-side of 'Emergency' 1988)
02 Faith (b-side of 'Emergency' 1988)
02 I Know You Well (single 1990)
03 Feel No Way (b-side of 'I Know You Well')
04 Elizabethan Radio Star (from the 'Starstreet' compilation album 1990)
05 Al's Vacation (single 1991)
06 Irish (b-side of 'Al's Vacation')
07 Up (from 'Unearthed - Liverpool Cult Classics Volume 3' compilation album, recorded 1991)
08 Green Velvet Jacket (b-side of 'Somethin' Like You' by The Strands 1998)
09 Flannery (b-side of 'Natalie's Party' 1999)
10 Extra Extra (b-side of 'Natalie's Party' 1999)
11 Too Late For Me Now (b-side of 'Natalie's Party' 1999)
12 Miss Christine (b-side of 'Natalie's Party' 1999)

Disc Two
01 Uncle Delaney (b-side of 'Comedy' 1999)
02 Petroleum (b-side of 'Comedy' 1999)
03 24 Hours (b-side of 'Comedy' 1999)
04 Solid Gold (b-side of 'Comedy' 1999)
05 Oscar (single 2000)
06 Queen Matilda (b-side of 'Oscar')
07 Not Afraid Of Loving You (b-side of 'Byrds Turn To Stone' 2003)
08 Lizzie Mallaly (b-side of 'Cup Of Tea' 2006)
09 Uncle Smaegel's Cardigan (b-side of 'Tie Me Down' 2006)
10 Working Family (bonus track on Japanese edition of '...The Corner Of Miles And Gil' 2006)
11 Holiday Abroad (previously unreleased, from the 'Time Machine' compilation 2007)
12 Wanda (previously unreleased, from the 'Time Machine' compilation 2007)