The Best of Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience – The Secret Public Years 1981–1989

The Best of Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience - The Secret Public Years 1981-1989
Greatest hits album by
Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience
ReleasedFebruary 1994[1]
Recorded1981–1989
Genre
Length79:03
LabelAnagram
Producer
Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience chronology
Heated and Rising (EP)
(1993) 		The Best of Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience - The Secret Public Years 1981-1989
(1994) 		Here's One I Made Earlier – Best of Steve Diggle, Flag of Convenience, F.O.C. and Buzzcocks F.O.C.
(1995)

The Best of Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience – The Secret Public Years 1981–1989 is a CD compilation of Buzzcocks' Steve Diggle's first solo days and his subsequent band, Flag of Convenience, which compiles his post-Buzzcocks songs from 1981 to 1989, during the years Buzzcocks remained disbanded. It was released in 1994 in the UK on Anagram Records.

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]

AllMusic wrote, "It's not that the first 13 tracks, from '81-'86, aren't of good quality -- they are. But it's the final eight songs that should have led-off here, in establishing Diggle as one of the most important and overlooked artists in all of Britain during the '80s."[2]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Steve Diggle and credited to Flag of Convenience; except where indicated.

  1. "Shut Out the Light" – 2:54 (Steve Diggle)
  2. "50 Years of Comparative Wealth" – 3:45 (Steve Diggle)
  3. "Here Comes the Fire Brigade" – 3:56 (Steve Diggle)
  4. "Life on the Telephone" – 5:24
  5. "Picking Up on Audio Sound" – 3:24
  6. "Other Mans Sin" – 4:48 [n 1]
  7. "Men from the City" – 4:54
  8. "Who Is Innocent" – 3:54
  9. "Drift Away" – 3:49
  10. "Change" – 2:49
  11. "Longest Life" – 3:26
  12. "The Arrow Has Come" – 3:27
  13. "Keep on Pushing" (live) – 4:10
  14. "Pictures in My Mind" – 2:42
  15. "Last Train to Safety" – 4:20
  16. "Exiles" – 3:04
  17. "Can't Stop the World" – 2:06
  18. "Shot Down with a Gun" – 4:16 [n 2]
  19. "Tragedy in Market Street" – 4:14
  20. "Tomorrow's Sunset" – 4:06 [n 3] (Buzzcocks F.O.C.)
  21. "Life with the Lions" – 3:35 (Buzzcocks F.O.C.)
Origin
  • Tracks 1–3 from 50 Years of Comparative Wealth EP, 1981.
  • Tracks 4–6 from "Life on the Telephone" single, 1982
  • Tracks 7–12 from The Big Secret, 1984
  • Track 13 from "New House" single, 1986
  • Track 14 from Northwest Skyline, 1987
  • Track 15 from "Last Train to Safety" EP, 1987
  • Tracks 16–19 from Exiles EP, 1988
  • Tracks 20–21 from "Tomorrow's Sunset" single, 1989

Personnel

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Credits adapted from the album liner notes, except where noted.

Musicians
  • Steve Diggle – vocals, guitar, keyboards
  • John Maher – drums (1-12)
  • Steve Garvey – bass (1-3)
  • Mark Burke – guitar (7-12)
  • Steve Mac – guitar (13)[6]
  • Gaz Connor – guitar (16-19)
  • Andy Couzens – guitar (20-21)
  • David Farrow – bass (4-6)
  • Gary Hamer – bass (7-21)
  • John Caine – drums (13-15)
  • Chris Godwin – drums (16-21)
  • Dave "D.P." Prescott – keyboards (4–6)[7]
  • Dean Sumner – keyboards (13)[6]
Technical
  • Steve Diggle – producer (1–3,[8] 7-19)
  • Flag of Convenience – producer (4-6)[3]
  • Hugh Murphy – producer (4-6)[3]
  • Gary Hamer – producer (13-19)
  • Martin Hannett – producer (20-21)

Notes

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  1. ^ Titled "The Other Man's Sin" on original single release.[3]
  2. ^ Titled "Shot Down with Your Gun" on original EP release.[4]
  3. ^ Titled "Sunset" on original single release.[5]

References

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  1. ^ McGartland, Tony (25 May 2017). "Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience: Solo Discography". Buzzcocks: The Complete History. John Blake Publishing Ltd. p. 327. ISBN 978-1-78606-520-9.
  2. ^ a b The Best of Steve Diggle and Flag of Convenience – The Secret Public Years 1981–1989 at AllMusic
  3. ^ a b c "Life On The Telephone single - inner label". Discogs. 6 October 1982. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Exiles EP - back cover". Discogs. 15 August 1988. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Tomorrows Sunset single - back cover". Discogs. 6 October 1989. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  6. ^ a b "New House single - back cover". Discogs. 6 October 1986. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Life On The Telephone single - back cover". Discogs. 6 October 1982. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  8. ^ "50 Years of Comparative Wealth EP - back cover". Discogs. 6 October 1981. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
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