Ned's Atomic Dustbin was formed by frontman John Penney in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in November 1987, alongside Gareth "Rat" Pring on guitar, Dan Worton on drums, and somewhat uniquely, two bassists in Alex Griffin and Matt Cheslin. They took their name from an episode of 1950's radio comedy programme 'The Goon Show', and quickly gathered a strong fanbase after being offered a support slot by local heroes The Wonder Stuff on their 1989 and 1990 UK tours. It wasn't long before they were snapped up by Birmingham-based indie label Chapter 22 Records for their debut release, 'The Ingredients' EP, followed by a single, 'Kill Your Television', which reached number 53 in the UK singles chart. The single also topped the UK independent singles chart, and combined with their acclaimed live reputation, they drew a huge crowd to their afternoon appearance on the main stage of the Reading Festival in August 1990. The buzz created was significant enough to pique the interest of major record labels, and so after one final single for Chapter 22, they signed to Sony Records, on the proviso that they be allowed to release their music through their own Furtive label, thus keeping a higher degree of creative control while still enjoying the benefit of the major label's distribution and advertising clout. In March 1991 they found themselves in the UK top 20 with their next single, 'Happy', proving that keeping artistic control was the right decision.
Their debut album, 'God Fodder', was released in April 1991, reaching number 4 in the UK top 40 albums chart, and by July they had also started to make their mark in the US. The band released a new UK single, 'Trust', towards the end of 1991, while America got the 'God Fodder' versions of 'Kill Your Television' and 'Grey Cell Green', and the band toured around the world with, amongst others, Mega City Four, Senseless Things and Jesus Jones. They released their second album 'Are You Normal?' in 1992, and having headlined the NME stage at the Glastonbury Festival that year, they spent the next couple of years on a worldwide tour, and released a compilation of older non-album material. In 1995 they decamped to Wales to record their final album, 'Brainbloodvolume', which boasted a heavier, more diverse sound than their previous releases, moving away from the distinctive twin bass set-up to incorporate samplers and keyboards. Sony released the album in America before the UK, meaning that most die-hard fans bought it on import, and this damaged its UK chart position when it was eventually released domestically, increasing tensions between the band and their label. The first single from the album, 'All I Ask Of Myself Is That I Hold Together', made the UK top 40 in 1995, and following a final appearance on 'The Word', 'Stuck' became the band's final single, making the BBC Radio One B-list.
In 1995, after an extensive US tour to support 'Brainbloodvolume', Ned's Atomic Dustbin split up in New York City following what would be their final show. Singer Penney formed a new band, Groundswell, featuring Ned's Atomic Dustbin guitarist, Rat, and recorded one single, 'Corrode', and a studio album 'Plausible/Infeasible' for New Jersey-based indie label, Gig Records, but they disbanded shortly afterwards, with the album being released posthumously. In 2000 Ned's Atomic Dustbin took to the stage for the first time since their initial breakup for a show in Dudley, with Groundswell members Andy King and Martin Warlow taking the place of Matt Cheslin and Rat. Originally billed as "the last 30 minutes of Ned's Atomic Dustbin," it was intended as an opportunity to say a proper goodbye to British fans who never got to see a final Ned's show, but the resounding success convinced members of the band to continue working together, and they've carried on performing sporadically ever since. 2004 saw them perform two new songs, 'Hibernation' and 'Ambush', and in June 2006 the former song became their first new single in 11 years. Although the Ned's didn't enjoy the massive success of some of their Birmingham contemporaries like The Wonder Stuff and Pop Will Eat Itself, they are fondly remembered by their fans, and they released enough non-album material on the flips of their singles to make up this two-disc collection.
Track listing
Disc I - 1990-1991
01 That's Nice (b-side of 'Kill Your Television' 1990)
02 Sentence (b-side of 'Kill Your Television' 1990)
03 Kill Your Remix (b-side of 'Kill Your Television' 1990)
04 Flexible Head (b-side of 'Until You Find Out' 1990)
05 Bite (b-side of 'Until You Find Out' 1990)
06 Aim (from 'The Ingredients EP' 1990)
07 Plug Me In (from 'The Ingredients EP' 1990)
08 Terminally Groovie (from 'The Ingredients EP' 1990)
09 Twenty Three Hour Toothache (b-side of'Happy' 1991)
10 45 Second Blunder (b-side of'Happy' 1991)
11 Trust (b-side of 'Grey Cell Green' 1991)
12 Titch (b-side of 'Grey Cell Green' 1991)
13 Faceless (b-side of 'Grey Cell Green' 1991)
14 I've Never Been To Me (from the 'Ruby Trax' compilation 1992)
Disc II- 1992-2006
01 Prostrate (b-side of 'Intact' 1992)
02 Swiss Legoland (b-side of 'Intact' 1992)
03 NAD V. NDX = Intact (b-side of 'Intact' 1992)
04 Cut Up (The Tartan Shoulders Mix) (b-side of 'Not Sleeping Around' 1992)
05 Scrawl (b-side of 'Not Sleeping Around' 1992)
06 Saturday Night (single 1993)
07 Capsize (b-side of 'All I Ask Of Myself Is That I Hold Together' 1995)
08 Take Me To The Cleaners (b-side of 'All I Ask Of Myself Is That I Hold Together' 1995)
09 A Tempted Fate (b-side of 'Stuck' 1995)
10 Hibernation (single 2006)
11 Ambush (b-side of 'Hibernation')
