999

Bish! Bash! Bosh! CLEOPATRA

Also-ran punks-with-tunes back with a bing bang bong.

Forty-three years ago, ex-Kilburn And The High Roads guitarist Keith Lucas changed his name to Nick Cash and formed a new band, 999, with his brother Gary Days. They stood out from the phlegmy mulch of most punk bands by virtue of their way with a tune and a certain manic glee best evidenced in song titles like Emergency and Homicide.

After a not entirely chartbothering time in the sun, 999 forgot to split up, continued to release manically gleefully records, and added to their number Lurkers and Pinpoint bassist Arturo Bassick.

Now, after a near-decade’s absence, they return once more, with Bish! Bash! Bosh!, an album full of tunes, wit and bounce.

From thumpers like Psycho Man to the career-reminiscing The Pit And The Pentagon, this is an album that 999 could have made at any point in their career – and several bands might wish that they had too. ■■■■■■■■■■