The original Not About To Die was an illegal bootleg, released at some point in the early 80s by the dubiously named Amnesia Records. The album was made up of selections from demos recorded by the group for their second and third albums: Chairs Missing and 154. These demos had been recorded for EMI, with cassette copies circulated amongst record company employees. However, they were never intended for release.

A typically shoddy cash-in, the songs on Not About To Die were taken from a second or possibly third generation cassette, with the album housed in a grainy green and red photo-copied sleeve. Compared with the high standards of production and design Wire have always been known for, it was something of an insult to band and fans alike.

Now, in a classic act of Wire perversity, the group have decided to redress the balance and reclaim one of the shadier moments of its history, by giving Not About To Die its first official release. All the tracks have been properly remastered, with the relevant recording details in place. As for the sleeve artwork, whilst it strongly references the original, it is decidedly more artful in its execution.

Having received proper care and attention, Not About To Die emerges as a fascinating snapshot of Wire in transition. Herein are embryonic versions of classic songs such as “French Film (Blurred),” “Used To” and “Being Sucked In Again,” that the group would develop considerably for their epochal 1978 album Chairs Missing. Later demos such as “Once Is Enough,” “On Returning” and “Two People In A Room” would surface in radically altered form on 1979’s 154.

Some songs, such as ‘The Other Window,” are virtually unrecognisable from their later iterations. But the biggest prizes here may well be the numerous tracks that were destined to be omitted from Wire’s later studio albums… Highlights include “Motive,” which, whilst obviously still in an embryonic state, has an undeniable power. Robert Grey’s drumming is crisp and minimal, and Graham Lewis’s bass runs are particularly ear-catching. Despite its distinctly un-Wire title, “Love Ain’t Polite” is also something of a gem. Bruce Gilbert’s guitar is razor sharp and Colin Newman’s vocal is especially strong, with his delivery of the ‘bah-ba- bah-ba’s’ providing an irresistible energy and charm.

Meanwhile, the track which gives the album its title Not About To Die, officially known as “Stepping Off Too Quick” and shared online for the first time today, is alive with confident energy, and possesses what Newman half jokingly calls “The best intro to any song ever.” The intro is so good in fact, that it takes up a third of the song’s entire time frame.

Newman says “The LP version was initially a Record Store Day release & we do like to support independent record shops. We also appreciate that RSD does not cover all retail, not everyone wants to consume the music on vinyl and that indeed not everyone can get to a record shop. So this release is for everyone else!”

1. Oh No Not So (Save The Bullet) – 4th demo 2. Culture Vultures – 4th demo 3. It’s The Motive – 4th demo 4. Love Ain’t Polite – 4th demo 5. French Film (Blurred) – 4th demo 6. Underwater Experiences – 4th demo 7. Stalemate – 4th demo 8. Options R – 5th demo 9. Indirect Enquiries v1 – 5th demo 10. Chairs Missing (Use To) – 5th demo 11. Being Sucked In Again – 5th demo 12. Ignorance No Plea (I Should Have Known Better) – 6th demo 13. Once Is Enough – 6th demo 14. The Other Window – 6th demo 15. Stepping Off Too Quick (Not About To Die) – 6th demo 16. On Returning – 6th demo 17. Former Airline – 6th demo 18. Two People In A Room – 6th demo

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