Neat, Neat, Neat... and then some more Neat...

Neat Records originally started as a label working out of Impulse Studios, Wallsend, Tyne & Wear, in the North of England. Impulse’s David Wood had created a number of different labels to showcase various acts and genres, and when Neat was initially formed it didn’t really have a direction, releasing a couple of pop-orientated singles. But then Neat and Tygers Of Pan Tang crossed paths, and things were never quite the same again. Neat Records adopted the slogan, ‘Allegedly Britain’s No.1 Independent Heavy Metal Label’, and its importance to the growth and the spread of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal cannot be understated.

Across four CDs, new Cherry Red compilation All Systems Go looks back at the glory days of Neat and includes many influential, collectable, and highly sought after heavy metal acts, including Fist with Name, Rank And Serial Number b/w You’ll Never Get Me Up (In One Of Those) single and White Spirit, featuring future Iron Maiden guitar- slinger Janick Gers, with Back To The Grind b/w Cheetah. Raven, one of the most important acts of the NWoBHM-era are represented by Don’t Need Your Money b/w Wiped Out, Hard Ride b/w Crazy World, Break The Chain b/w The Ballad Of Marshall Stack, plus their collaboration with Accept’s Udo Dirkschneider on their cover of the Steppenwolf classic, Born To Be Wild b/w Inquisitor.

Although not as often celebrated, but equally important to the development of the genre, this four CD collection also features Valhalla with Coming Home b/w Trouble With You (Ain’t Looking For Trouble), Sabre’s Miracle Man b/w On The Loose and Persian Risk with Ridin High b/w Hurt You, among many other HM classic.

This first volume has been compiled and annotated by NWoBHM expert, John Tucker, the author of Neat & Tidy – The Story Of Neat Records and Suzie Smiled… The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal.