The Solo Years 1978-1981

Features former Sharks and Baker Gurvitz Army singer Steve ‘Snips’ Parsons’ 1978 debut solo album Video King and its 1981 follow up La Rocca!, both forgotten new wave gems ripe for rediscovery. Packaged with associated singles and BBC recordings. Video King is released on CD for the first time.

Includes 31 previously unreleased recordings including the never before issued songs ‘Taxi’ and ‘Kustom Car Kommandos’. 27 of these unissued recordings are BBC live in concert and session tracks.

Snips compiled this box set and wrote the notes.

CD 1 focuses on Snips’ first solo album ‘Video King’ that was recorded with his band The Video Kings who included bassist Jackie Badger formerly of cult prog rock band Mother Superior, co-produced by Snips with Steve Lillywhite and originally issued by Jet Records. The songs on this new wave pop album are all written by Snips except the excellent ‘Walking’ which is a co-write with his fellow former Sharks member Chris Spedding. Other highlights include the single ‘Waiting For Tonight’ and ‘Love Is Blind’.

CD 2 features Snips’ second album ‘La Rocca!’ originally released on MAM Records that contains the radio hit ‘9 O’Clock’ on which Midge Ure plays guitar and synth, Jackie Badger plays bass and Steve Young from Holly And The Italians is on drums. Unfortunately, not enough copies of the single were pressed, shops ran out and by the time it was re-pressed all momentum had been lost so it was never the huge hit it should have been. Midge Ure was also part of Snips’ band for the March 1980 BBC In Concert included on CD3. ‘La Rocca!’ also includes the singles ‘Telepathy’ and ‘Tight Shoes’ and a cover of Larrry Wallis’ ‘Police Car’. Snips’ version of the Holland / Dozier/ Holland penned ‘You’re A Wonderful One’, originally recorded by Marvin Gaye is a bonus track.

CD3 is comprised of previously unreleased BBC recordings and shows that Snips was a consistently great live act.