UK, NES 304, 1982

"Some day soon this place is gonna go"

Above: Countdown UK release, 1982, front & back cover.
Click to enlarge.

Cat. No: NES 304
Label: NEMS
Recorded: September 1981
Released: January 1982

A-Side: Countdown (Harper, Gibbs)
Run-out groove: BILBO TA1PE NES - 304 - A2

B-Side: Plan Of Action (Harper, Gibbs)
Run-out groove: BILBO TA1PE NES - 304 - B2

Line Up

Vocals: Charlie Harper
Guitar: Nicky Garratt
Bass: Alvin Gibbs
Drums: Steve Roberts

Recorded at Jacobs Studios in Farnham, Surrey in September 1981 and produced by Nicky Garratt. This was the only single release for NEMS who, like GEM, folded a few months later. In retrospect, it was not an obvious choice of label with the Subs stablemates consisting mostly of heavy metal acts like Black Sabbath and Nazareth. Also signed to NEMS at the time was Marianna Faithfull, although The Damned were on the label at the same time. However that was not through choice but because no-one else would have them and they knew NEMS weren't financially sound (See Paul Gray's account of his time in The Damned).This was also the last single release with Steve Roberts on drums.

The single failed to make an impression on the official chart (it did reach number 8 in the then important UK Independant Chart) and was poorly promoted, although some copies came with a free badge.
It is unclear whether these copies with the freebie, obviously put out to encourage sales, were released on the day the single came out, or in a later effort to boost poor sales. The latter is more likely however, as the adverts in the music press at the time do not mention any free badge coming with the single.

Click on images to enlarge
A-Side B-Side