VIA PRESS RELEASE | Liberation Hall Records today announces the start of a worldwide catalog campaign with the Scottish post-punk dance band APB. The deal will include physical rights for the band’s first two studio albums and two compilations. Distribution will be handled by MVD Entertainment Group.
The launch begins with the November 18 multi-format release of APB’S first singles compilation, Something to Believe In. Originally issued in 1985 by New York-based Link Records, the ten-song title was perceived at the time to be APB’s debut album although it was actually a compilation drawn from the band’s previous eight independent singles. The band’s 1981 debut single, “Chain Reaction,” will be added as a bonus track to the vinyl release, while that song and an additional five tracks will appear on the expanded edition CD and download. “Danceability” will appear in its original mix on the vinyl LP, while the CD will feature the song in its extended “Danceability Parts 1 & 2” form.
In 1979, APB was formed in the small rural town of Aberdeen, Scotland. Taking inspiration from the D.I.Y. (“Do It Yourself”) spirit of punk rock, teenagers Iain Slater (singer, bassist), Glenn Roberts (guitar), and George Cheyne (drums) rehearsed relentlessly and signed with local independent Oily Records at the dawn of the 1980s. The band’s trademark post-punk dance rhythms were there from the start, with debut single “Shoot You Down” crackling with serrated guitar and Slater’s native vocal inflections. APB was in lock step with similarly militaristic dance factions of the time—Gang of Four, Au Pairs, Delta 5—but their own music was more celebratory and inclusive. Everyone was invited to an APB party.
The quality and infectious energy of the songs found on Something to Believe In never lags. Each song deserved to be a chart hit but poor distribution and lack of marketing muscle held them back from fulfilling their promise.
“When I bought the second APB single, ‘Shoot You Down,’ I was blown away by the pure energy and sparse funk groove that drove the record,” said Matt Pinfield, former host of MTV’s 120 Minutes. “Over the course of the next few years, I saw the band live about 15 times. They would always pack clubs in New York, New Jersey, and Long Island—anywhere they received airplay.” In 2018’s Beastie Boy Book, band member Adam “Ad-Rock” Horowitz referred to “Shoot You Down” as a “punk dance-floor classic.”
In 2022, APB remains an active touring band which includes original members Slater, Roberts, and Cheyne. Over the decades, APB’s sparse, rhythmic sound has influenced everyone from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Franz Ferdinand. A new generation is primed to make their acquaintance.
