Formed in 1977 London, 999 had four top 10 Indie hits and massive success (as far as punk bands go). Today they are one of the scene's longest surviving and most respected bands. The Biggest Prize In Sport (a Punk Classic) was originally released in 1980 and contains humorous track notes by lead singer Nick Cash. Live At The Nashville includes rare cuts which are unavailable elsewhere plkus a number of 999 classics. You Us It! is a studio album recorded in 1993 and one of their strongest albums. The band that came to be known as 999 first came together towards the end of 1976s when Guy Days and Nick Cash (AKA Gene Carsons AKA Keith Lucas) who had known each other since schooldays, started thinking seriously about getting a group together. Previously Nick Cash had been the guitarist in pub rockers Kilburn & The High Roads who also featured Ian Dury and featured on the album 'Handsome'. But for 999 he claimed to have had to unlearn... An advert was placed in the Melody Maker for a bassist. Jon Watson remembers, "I had come back from a year of playing in Germany and I was determined not to end up in a funk/soul band, then I saw this advert in the Melody Maker ...'Bass player required for punk rock group.' Pablo Labrittain (AKA Paul Buck) joined two months later in December after the band had auditioned numerous drummers. Nick and Guy recall: 'We knew what we wanted and we wouldn't settle for anything less.' Others passing through auditions would be the ever hopeful Chrissie Hynde' later of the Pretenders' and John Moss who had also failed the Clash auditions and who would later join London, the Damned & Culture Club. They started serious rehearsals the week before Christmas '76 in the basement of Broomfields Bakery Brixton before making their debut appearance in January supporting Stretch at Northampton Cricket Ground. Drummer Pablo had only been with the band for nine days! Apart from one other show at the Target Club Reading, 999 did not get a chance to play live again for nearly two months. During this period they found that they could not afford to function without taking daytime jobs. Nick worked as a postal clerk. Pablo became a porter, Guy took a job as a general office worker and Jon started painting on a Brixton building site. Things really started moving for 999 in April 1977 when Albion, the management and agency with whom they signed, began getting them regular gigs. They played the Nashville, Red Cow, Hope & Anchor and Roxy quickly building up a following. One section of it having originated from Southall and calling themselves the Southall Contingent. They went through numerous name changes - the Dials, Fanatics and 48 Hours - until finally settlling on 999 mid year and released on their own LaBritain record label the single I'm Alive which sold around 10,000 copies. At the time they didn't think of themselves as a punk band, 'We're just modern" write songs that obviously appeal to punks.' On the basis of this United Artists signed them up and 999 went on a great singles run including Emergency, Nasty Nasty, Homicide and re-releasing I'm Alive. Other signings to UA like The Stranglers and Buzzcocks both enjoyed chart success but for some reason it eluded 999. Their biggest chance came with the anthemic Homicide in 1978 released on green vinyl which would have seen them gain a spot on the chart programme Top Of The Pops and a near certain rise up the charts. However a technicians strike meant no TOTP that week and the momentum was lost. Even worse was next when Pablo was injured in a car crash and stand in drummer Ed Case was recruited but they still toured America to great acclaim. Their return however saw them move to Radar records. Punk had changed and 999 attempted to change with it like so many others. While never gaining back the their original popularity and record sales, they have for the past 30 years or so maintained a live and recording profile to become one of Britain's best loved punk acts and always a great live act.