Description
Black vinyl
Sparta came from Mansfield (in Nottinghamshire), back in the early ‘80’s a town with a healthy local scene. According to Steve, “there were a good number of local pub-based venues to play at the time and local bands to play. Savage and Tyrant being among them (as featured on the ‘Scene Of The Crime’ album). In 1980, Nottinghamshire-based label Suspect Records put out Sparta’s debut single pairing “Fast Lane” with “Fighting To Be Free”. Steve explains how the single came about: “Suspect Records was formed to allow us to release our first single, financed by the band. 1,000 copies were pressed primarily for promotional purposes, a single always impressed more than a demo tape.” The band decided to put “Fast Lane” and “Fighting To Be Free” on plastic but there were other hot contenders: “I cannot remember how many Sparta songs we were playing at the time, but I think ‘Boy King’ and ‘Rock Don’t Roll’ were also candidates.” “Fast Lane” was named ‘Single of the Week’ in Sounds magazine. This gave the band some kind of promotional push as Steve explains: “It’s always uplifting to read positive stuff about the band. The single coupled with cuttings from the Sounds magazine allowed us to get interest in the band outside our local area. Still in 1981, Suspect Records published a compilation of local bands under the name of “Scene Of The Crime”, which featured five bands: Panza Division, Tyrant, Savage, Manitou and Sparta. Each band had an allotted time on the album and contributed their share of the costs. We did not have two songs at the time that fitted the slot, so ‘Lords of Time’ was picked as our sole contribution. ‘Scene Of The Crime’ was our compromise to releasing a third single. Recording was expensive back then.” This 2005 compilation album features 5 demo tracks, the track from Scene Of The Crime compilation album as well as the B-side from their debut single.
Track list:
1. Rock Don’t Roll-demo
2. Boy King-demo
3. Fast Lane-demo
4. Angel Of Death-demo
5. Tonight-demo
6. Lords Of Time-from Scene Of The Crime compilation
7. Fighting To Be Free-single B side