The Outcasts: The Punk Singles Collection 1995

 

The Outcasts are a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland, formed in 1977. At one time the

premier punk band in Northern Ireland, the Outcasts’ line-up revolved around the three Cowan brothers; Greg (bass/vocals), Martin (guitar) and Colin (d. 1984; drums). This was the nucleus, though Gordon Blair had temporarily replaced Greg when he was injured in a car crash. The line-up was completed by ‘Getty’ (b. Colin Getgood; guitar) and Raymond Falls (drums). 
                                

The band had their first gig in May 1977, playing a mixture of their own songs and cover versions of songs by The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned and The Ramones. After building a strong local

following, they were picked up by the local It record label, which released the band's debut single, "Frustration", in May 1978. An impressive early single, ‘Magnum Force’, earned them the support of BBC disc jockey John Peel. They went on to release a solid debut album, characterized by the heavy rhythms produced by the twin drummers. However, before the release of Seven Deadly Sins, Colin Cowan was killed in a car crash. 
                             

Greg Cowan returned in 2003 with an "Irish punk supergroup" along with members of Rudi and

Stalag 17, performing at the book launch of It Makes You Want to Spit!, which is still going as Shame Academy. In August 2011 The Outcasts played on Rebellion festival in Blackpool. In 2020 The Outcasts played on Toy Dolls Tour. On 11 July 2022, the band announced the retirement of their guitarist, Petsey Burns. They said "We're sad to announce that Petsey's hanging up his guns as Outcasts guitarist… but so happy to welcome Buck Defect as permanent replacement !!!! 

                              

THE PUNK SINGLES COLLECTION

                                 

Belfast's Outcasts are most frequently invoked as one of the bands that flourished around the slipstream of Good Vibrations labelmates the Undertones. In fact, single for single, song for song, the Outcasts far

outrank their better-known peers, as this 25-track collection swiftly proves. Opening with the three tracks that made up the Outcasts' "Frustration" debut single (on their own It label) in March 1978, the collection then races on through that peerless run of three Good Vibrations 45s -- "Just Another Teenage Rebel," "The Cops Are Comin'," and "Self Conscious Over You" (the title track, of course, to the band's peerless debut album, in December 1979). 
                             

From there, the collection slips into the dog days of the band, label-hopping between GBH ("Magnum

Force") and another vanity project, Outcasts Only ("Programme Love" and "Angel Face"), Abstract ("Nowhere Left to Run"), and, finally, New Rose. Two last 45s ("Seven Deadly Sins" and "1969") marked just how far the band had traveled over the past seven years, but they still pack all the hallmarks of the classic Outcasts sound, to remind listeners once again of the Outcasts' greatest claim to fame. They really were better than the 'Tones. 
                             

The Outcasts – The Punk Singles Collection
Label: Anagram Records – CDPUNK 62
Series: The Punk Collectors Series
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: UK & Ireland
Released: 1995
Genre: Rock
Style: Punk

TRAXS

                                      

01. You're A Disease    2:30
02. Don't Want To Be No Adult    2:28
03. Frustration    2:22
04. Justa Nother Teenage Rebel    3:15
05. Love Is For Sops    3:29
06. The Cops Are Comin'    3:02
07. Self Conscious Over You    3:09
08. Love You For Never    3:00
09. Cyborg    3:12
10. Magnum Force    2:36
11. Gangland Warfare    2:57
12. Programme Love    3:16
13. Beating And Screaming (Part 1)    3:05
14. Beating And Screaming (Part 2)    2:53
15. Mania    3:10
16. Angel Face (Written-By – Shephard, John Rossall)   2:45
17. Gangland Warfare (Version 2)    2:58
18. Nowhere Left To Run (Written-By – Martin Cowan, Ross Graham)   3:13
19. The Running's Over, Time To Pray (Written-By – Martin Cowan, Ross Graham)   3:08
20. Ruby (Written-By – Mel Tillis)   2:38
21. Seven Deadly Sins (Written-By – Martin Cowan, Ross Graham)   2:45
22. Swamp Fever (7" Version) (Written-By – Ross Graham)   3:41
23. 1969 (7" Version) (Written-By – Iggy Pop)   4:13
24. Psychotic Shakedown    3:36
25. Blue Murder (Written-By – Ross Graham) 3:43

LINE - UP

                      

Bass – Gordon Blair (tracks: 11), Greg Cowan (tracks: 1 to 10 and 12 to 25)
Drums – Colin Cowan (tracks: 1 to 17), Raymond Falls (tracks: 10 to 25)
Guitar – Colin Getgood, Martin Cowan
Vocals – Greg Cowan
Written-By – Martin Cowan (tracks: All except 16, 20, 23, 25)

YOU'RE A DISEASE LYRICS
                                   

Mmm, baby, baby, what you gonna do?
Oh, baby, baby, about yourself?
You think you′ve found your messiah
You wanna convert everybody else

You're such a bore
I can′t stand you no more
I won't go 'round to your place anymore

You′re a disease, babe
You′re a disease
You're a disease, babe
You′re face a disease
I don't wanna catch

Mmm, baby, baby, think you′ve seen the light
Now everyone else is the darkest night
Oh, baby, baby, think you've seen the light
Well, now she′s talking 'bout some Israelite

You're such a bore
I can′t stand you no more
I won′t go 'round to your place anymore

You′re a disease, babe
You're a disease
You′re a disease, babe
You're face a disease
I don′t wanna catch

Oh, no, not you, babe
Tell me it's not true, babe
Oh, no, not you, babe
Tell me it's not true

You′re a disease, babe
You′re a disease
You're a disease, babe
You′re face a disease
I don't wanna catch

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