The Image Has Cracked
The Image Has Cracked is the debut studio album by English band Alternative TV. It was released in May 1978 by record label Deptford Fun City.
| The Image Has Cracked | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 1978 | |||
| Venue | 100 Club, London on 7 February 1978 | |||
| Studio | Surrey Sound Studios, Surrey | |||
| Genre | Punk rock, post-punk | |||
| Label | Deptford Fun City | |||
| Producer |
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| Alternative TV chronology | ||||
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Recording and content
The album's studio tracks were recorded at Surrey Sound Studios in Leatherhead, Surrey, and the album's live tracks were recorded live at the 100 Club in London on 7 February 1978.
Jools Holland plays synthesiser and piano on two tracks on the album.
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Classic Rock |  [2] |
Trouser Press wrote: "Although the abstract stuff doesn't hold up so well, it's still an amazing document of a time and place."[3] In his retrospective review, Ned Raggett of AllMusic called the album "an unfairly neglected classic from the late-'70s upheaval. Seizing on the promise of punk as being a new means of expression rather than a new set of musical rules to be adhered to, Perry, along with a solid-enough band, whip up a series of incendiary pieces that explore as much as they thrash [...] As an expression of going down defiant while punk became a new fashion, it's fierce and brilliant."[1]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Alternatives" | Alex Fergusson, Mark Perry | 9:43 |
| 2. | "Action Time Vision" | Alex Fergusson, Mark Perry | 2:33 |
| 3. | "Why Don't You Do Me Right?" | Frank Zappa | 3:12 |
| 4. | "Good Times" | Chris Bennett, Dennis Burns, Mark Perry, Tyrone Thomas | 2:33 |
| 5. | "Still-Life" | Alex Fergusson, Mark Perry | 5:22 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Viva La Rock n' Roll" | Chris Bennett, Dennis Burns, Mark Perry | 4:19 |
| 2. | "Nasty Little Lonely" | Chris Bennett, Dennis Burns, Mark Perry | 6:22 |
| 3. | "Red" | Mark Perry | 2:04 |
| 4. | "Splitting in Two" | Mark Perry | 5:12 |
Personnel
- Alternative TV
- Mark Perry – vocals, guitar, production
- Dennis Burns – bass guitar, production
- Chris Bennett – drums, percussion, production
- Additional personnel
- Jools Holland – Moog synthesizer on "Alternatives", piano on "Viva La Rock 'n' Roll"
- Kim Turner – "special assistance" rhythm guitar, piano
- Technical
- Chris Gray – engineering, production
- Nigel Gray – engineering
- Steve Angel – mastering
- Jill Furmanovsky – cover design
- Harry T. Murlowski – sleeve photography
- Tony Stubbs – sleeve design (soapbox)
References
- Raggett, Ned. "The Image Has Cracked – Alternative TV". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
- Fielder, Hugh (5 November 2014). "Alternative TV: The Image Has Cracked". Classic Rock. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- Lamey, Charles P.; Green, Jim. "Alternative TV". Trouser Press. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
Further reading
- Reynolds, Simon (2008). Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978–1984. Faber and Faber. ISBN 0571252273.
External links
- The Image Has Cracked at Discogs (list of releases)