Tactics - The Sound Of The Sound Vol. 1 & 2 (2006 & 2008)

Tactics are a post-punk group which formed in Canberra in 1977. The line-up changed periodically, with songwriter and vocalist, David Studdert, as the mainstay. They released four studio albums, My Houdini (December 1980), Glebe (November 1981), Blue and White Future Whale (1986) and The Great Gusto (1990). Which were critically acclaimed and they were respected for the quality of their live performances. However, they did not achieve wider commercial success and remained largely unacknowledged outside of the alternative independent music scene. Their reputation for running against the grain musically, lyrically, and stylistically was described by Bob Blunt as "frenetic, discordant, [and] full of unusual rhythms."[1] Tactics disbanded late in 1989 and Studdert relocated to London. Since then, Tactics have played in Sydney 2006, 2008 and 2019). David Studdert has played periodically with ex-Tactics members in other projects.

Lavish 36 trackdouble CD compilation of this important late 70s/early 80s post punk outfit. Features the albums 'My Houdini' & 'Glebe'plus 20 bonus tracksall remasteredwith Glebe having been completely remixed from the masters.

Sydney, Australia band Tactics existed for a decade from 1978 to 1988 during which time they helped define the Australian "new wave" sound. Along the way, they released five essential (and long-deleted) albums and a handful of now-collectible and impossibly rare singles and EPs. With influences ranging from The Velvet Underground and Television to Arthur Lee's Love and reggae, Tactics was difficult to categorize, and miles away stylistically from the identikit punk bands they often shared stages with. Lyrical themes of suburban displacement and uncertainty stemmed from singer Dave Studdert's awareness of existentialist writers like Rimbaud, Nietzsche and Foucault, as well as his appreciation and understanding of indigenous Australia, and in particular, Aboriginal song cycles. Sound Of The Sound Vol. 2 is a 42-track, 2CD compilation that focuses on the band's later output between 1984 and 1988, when they experienced their closest shave with Australian mainstream success. It features the Blue And White Future Whale album (1986), the previously-unheard demos for their final album, The Great Gusto (considered by the band to be far superior to the actual album), plus rare singles, B-sides and unreleased live tracks and demos.