This is a long overdue complete BILLY CHILDISH retrospective called '25 Years Of Being Childish' and it's just that, a 42 track compilation of everything from his very first ever recording, The Pop Rivits 'Whatcha' Gonna Do About It' right through to the latest stuff with John and Wolf as The Buff Medways. It's a double CD and Triple Gatefold vinyl.

Billy Childish has been releasing records, painting, writing poetry and generally doing his own thing for the last 25 years. He first took to the stage back in October 1977 with seminal punk garage band The Pop Rivets, The first song they ever played was "Wotcha Gonna Do About it" and that (actual recording) is the first track on this album. From there it moves through legendary bands like The Milkshakes, Thee Mighty Caesars, Thee Headcoats right bang up to date with The Buff Medways.

In amongst the more well known bands are tracks he recorded solo and with other spin-off groups and artists like The Delmonas, Thee Headcoatees, Holly Golightly, Kyra etc.

Over the years Billy has been championed by a lot of great bands and musicians including Beck, Mudhoney and Kurt Cobain and more recently by The White Stripes who he supported on their last tour. Even with that praise Billy has been largely ignored by the music press in this country which is really surprising as he has now released over 100 albums (including 4 Milkshakes albums on one day!), this changed recently with the release of the latest Buff Medways album which got fantastic reviews in all the press including the NME!. They even did an interview with him and reckoned the Buff Medways were one of the best bands to play at Glastonbury this year. Channel 4 recently broadcast a documentary on Billyıs paintings and other art projects there is also a new exhibition of his paintings and other art going on in Orpington in November. As well as a straight painting exhibition in central London.

Many of the tracks on this compilation have been unavailable for ages and also have never appeared on CD (inc. one Buff Medways) as well as many unpublished photos on the cover.

Now seems to be the perfect time for people to catch up with what he has been doing for the last 25 years and what's more the Triple vinyl is bloody lovely, proper gatefold sleeve, weighs a ton! Nice Xmas prezzie too.

Tracks

• Watcha Gonna Do About It (Live 77) / Pop Rivets (3:01)
• Fun In The UK (Demo) / Pop Rivets (2:40)
• Beatle Boots / Pop Rivets (3:52)
• Pretty Baby (Demo) / The Milkshakes (2:27)
• Please Don't Tell My Baby / The Milkshakes (1:43)
• For She / The Milkshakes (1:59)
• I Need Loving / The Milkshakes (2:32)
• Wily Coyote / Thee Mighty Caesars (3:23)
• True To You / Thee Mighty Caesars (2:25)
• You Make Me Die / Thee Mighty Caesars (1:34)
• Cowboys Are Square / Thee Mighty Caesars (2:03)
• Get Out Of Here Pretty Girl (2:18)
• I Feel Like Giving In / The Delmonas (1:51)
• Lie Detector / Thee Mighty Caesars (2:04)
• Muscel Horse / Billy Childish & Sexton Ming (1:49)
• Somebody Else / Jack Ketch & The Crowmen (2:48)
• Who Could Be Proud / Jack Ketch & The Crowmen (3:29)
• I Rememeber / Billy Childish (2:18)
• The Noble Beast / Billy Childish (1:28)
• Earl Of Suave / Thee Headcoats (1:56)
• Smile Now / Thee Headcoats (2:24)
• Wild Man / Thee Headcoatees (2:25)
• Girl From 62 / Thee Headcoats (1:44)
• Davey Crockett / Thee Headcoatees (2:57)
• Shirts Off / Billy Childish & Armitage Shanks (2:48)
• We're Gone / Thee Headcoats (2:09)
• Anarchy In The Uk / The Blackhands (3:53)
• One More Bottle To Drink / Billy Childish & The Singing Loins (3:36)
• All My Feelings Denied / Thee Headcoats (1:55)
• I Love My Woman / The Blackhands (4:24)
• Deer Stalking Man / Thee Headcoat Sect (3:15)
• The Bitter Cup / Billy Childish (3:36)
• Ballad Of Hollis Brown / Billy Childish (4:37)
• This Wondrous Day [Flemish] / Kyra (4:05)
• Punk Rock Ist Nict Tot / Thee Headcoats (2:39)
• Im Hurtin / Thee Headcoats (2:12)
• Hurt Me / Thee Headcoatees (4:10)
• The Same Tree / Thee Headcoats (2:41)
• I Believe / Billy Childish & Holly Golightly (3:52)
• Achive From 1959 / The Buff Medways (2:44)
• Troubled Mind / The Buff Medways (2:15)
• Fire / The Buff Medways (2:42)