The Jook were the brainchild of Sparks manager John Hewlett, who introduced guitarist Trevor White to singer-songwriter Ian Kimmett, and recruited bassist Ian Hampton and drummer Chris Townson. He secured a record deal with RCA; a publishing contract with Mickie Most, who signed them without even hearing a note and a monthly residency at The Sundown in Edmonton, North London. Labelled as skinheads the band defended themselves in the press. "We're Rudies. Skinhead is totally the wrong word. We want to be masculine, but not violent. We just want to have a good time. We want to cater for working class kids, not just on a visual level, but by giving them the music they really want to hear."

The Jook released five singles (one of which Oo Oo Rudi inspired early Irish label mates of the Undertones to name themselves Rudi )- and recorded an unreleased album called Different Class - to little commercial success. Trevor White:" We were desperate to have a hit. We were listening to the number one single to see what it had got, apart from success, that we hadn't, and then borrowed it." The final nail in the coffin was when they were unable to promote their last single, Bish Bash Bosh, after their tour with The Sweet had been cancelled. The anthemic Aggravation Place dates from their last recording session in 1976, which later appeared as an EP on Bomp in the US and Chiswick in the UK in 1978. Trevor White: "The best thing we ever done, everything just as we wanted, and if we'd stayed together we might have had the breakthrough." As soon as the session was finished White and Hampton jumped ship and joined Sparks, who were enjoying their first taste of success with This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us, and stayed with them for two albums. Kimmett remained in the business and ran Bearsville Records for Albert Grossman.

Today the US market for 70's power pop has embraced the Jook, whilst elsewhere such as the UK and Japan the market for proto punk has equally identified the Jook for re-appraisal. Whichever way you look at it the band had something going for them and as this unique collection attests there was plenty of substance to their material. The sleeve design is based on the bands look of the period as captured by noted rock photographer Gered Mankowitz . Its is a look Mankowitz furthered with one of his next commissions, for The Jam. Name spray painted on a wall , spiky mod haircuts, accusatory stares at the camera, stark black and white with plenty of murky shadow.

This collection has had the full input from the band members, including loan of archives and leader Ian Kimmett digging up his original album songwriter demos as a special bonus. The 'lads' have recently all met up again and there is even talk of a couple of live spots on a future Sparks tour.

Alright with Me / Do What You Can / City And Suburban Blues / Shame Shame Shame / Oo-Oo-Rudi / Jook's On You / King Kapp / Rumble / Bish Bash Bosh / Crazy Kids / Aggravation Place / Everything I Do / La La Girls / Watch Your Step / Hey Doll / That's Fine / Mohair Sam / Cooch / Different Class / Movin' In The Right Direction

Bonus tracks
Aggravation Place (Ian Kimmett demo) / Everything I Do (Ian Kimmett demo) / La La Girls (Ian Kimmett demo)