A collection of primarily never-before released material from one of Australia’s most legendary punk-era bands.
The Perth-based line-ups of The Scientists recorded the brilliant “Frantic Romantic” single and self-titled EP highlighted by “Last Night.” They also recorded a posthumously released LP – the so-called ‘Pink Album’ – which came as a massive disappointment due to bad production and a reduced line-up. “Not For Sale: Live 1978/79” is a collection of live and rehearsal tracks that captures the band making the same noises as on those 45's, and presents live versions of the fan faves and superior versions of most of the LP tracks as well as coughing up a bunch of hitherto unreleased originals and covers to boot. This is “The Legendary Scientists” – as they were calling themselves back when former Victims and future Hoodoo Gurus/Beasts of Bourbon drummer James Baker was in the band – as they should be heard.
The main set comes from late 1979; a live-to-air broadcast from Melbourne’s 3RRR, recorded just after the band recorded their classic EP featuring “Last Night”. It includes great versions of tracks like “It’ll Never Happen Again,” “That Girl” “Making a Scene” and, “She Said She Loves Me”; vastly superior to the limp versions they recorded in the studio. It also includes covers The New York Dolls, Flamin’ Groovies and The Undertones' “Teenage Kicks”.
The same line-up is also present on a handful of primitive live recordings, made by a friend at one of the group's regular haunts, the Governor Broome Hotel in ‘79. This bunch of tracks includes a few never before released originals, the first ever release of The Scientists’ version of “Drop Out”, which later became a Beasts of Bourbon classic, and, exclusive to the vinyl edition, covers of The Velvet Underground’s “There She Goes Again”, The Searchers’ “When You Walk In the Room”, and 1970 Masters Apprentices rocker “Turn Up Your Radio”.
The band's short-lived original line-up, featuring Roddy Radalj on rhythm guitar and Boris Sujdovic on bass, also finally gets proper representation here in the last bracket of songs, which presents, for the first time (minus a couple of tracks on the CD), the complete ‘Loft Sessions.’ The jewel here is the lengthy “Baby You’re Not For Sale,” an ambitious Velvet Underground-inspired piece that gathers momentum to end more than 10 minutes after it starts, in a beautiful racket. This classic, like most of the material here, has never been available on any Scientists collection ever before.
Packaged with rare and unseen images, an original 1979 Roadrunner magazine feature and additional notes by Grown Up Wrong!’s David Laing. “Not For Sale: Live 1978/79” provides a thrilling glimpse into what an album by the “Legendary” Scientists might've sounded like if it had been recorded in 1979. With the current incarnation of the band touring the US again and performing the likes of “Last Night” and "Frantic Romantic”, this collection is an essential listen for all Scientists fans, no matter which line-up they prefer.