Passage were a post-punk band from Manchester, who released singles on a variety of independent labels, such as Object Music, Cherry Red Records, and their own label Night & Day. The band was formed in 1978 as a trio by songwriter and former Hallé Orchestra percussionist Richard Witts, with former founder member of The Fall Tony Friel on bass, and Magazine's original keyboardist Bob Dickinson, who was later replaced by Lorraine Hilton. They released the 4 track EP 'New Love Songs' on Object Records in 1978, quickly followed by a second 4 track EP 'About Time' the following year, this time produced by David Cunningham of The Flying Lizards. After an audience altercation at a London gig, Freil quit the band, and was replaced by Hilton's sister Martine on bass, and John Snowdon was added on vocals for live work. The band recorded their debut album in July 1980, but before it could be released Witts was involved in a car accident and his arm was injured, leaving him out of action, and putting the band on hold indefinitely. Object Music released 'Pindrop' as by The Passage in November 1980 to critical acclaim, but a dispute with the record company caused the album to be deleted after just 5000 copies were pressed. Now without a label, they formed their own, Night & Day Records, releasing two singles and their second album 'For All And None', before signing to Cherry Red Records for the 'Taboos' 12" single in 1981. Their first album for the label, 'Degenerates', and the 'XOYO' single from it, were their biggest successes, helped enormously by the single being included on Cherry Red's hugely popular 'Pillows And Prayers' compilation album. After providing Cherry Red with one more album 'Enflame', which the label didn't offer to promote with a tour, they decided that they were unhappy with the way that their records were being handled, and so in 1983 they quit the label. After an abortive attempt at a new project, The Passage finally disbanded later that year. This collection concentrates on their early days from 1978 to 1981, as fans who came to them off the back of the 'XOYO' single in 1982 might not have realised that they'd already released a lot of music on small labels, much of which never appeared on their albums.
Track listing
01 Love Song (from the 'New Love Songs' EP 1978) 02 Competition (from the 'New Love Songs' EP 1978) 03 $lit Machine (from the 'New Love Songs' EP 1978) 04 New Kind Of Love (from the 'New Love Songs' EP 1978) 05 Taking My Time (from the 'About Time' EP 1979) 06 Clock Paradox (from the 'About Time' EP 1979) 07 16 Hours (from the 'About Time' EP 1979) 08 Time Delay (from the 'About Time' EP 1979) 09 Troops Out (single 1981)10 Hip Rebels (b-side of 'Troops Out')11 Devils And Angels (single 1981)12 Watching You Dance (b-side of 'Devils And Angels')13 Taboos/Taboodub (12" single 1981 - exclusive mix)14 Mr. Terror, Chief Of Police (Piccadilly Radio session 1981) 15 My One Request (Piccadilly Radio session 1981) 16 The Beginning, The Dawn (Piccadilly Radio session 1981) 17 A Man Set Out (Piccadilly Radio session 1981)
