Reissue of this absolute classic of the late 70s UK underground. 'O' Level was created in 1976 by London guitarist Ed Ball along with two friends from school, the Benett brothers (John on drums and Gerard on bass), who would leave the band in March 1978. That same line-up plus Dan Treacy (another school friend of Ball's) recorded the first Television Personalities single in 1977, titled '14th Floor'. 'O' Level self-released that same year their first single, which included three tracks strongly influenced by punk's energy (Buzzcocks and Undertones guitars and melody on 'East Sheen') and attitude (with ironic comments about fake punks on 'Pseudo Punk'), but as if seen from a distance, outside a decadent scene which had already been absorbed by the establishment. The single also features a sort of homonymous anthem called 'O' Levels'. Ed Ball's music career would go on over the following decades as he continued developing his own strand of wonderful pop music through the 80s and 90s with bands such as Teenage Filmstars, Television Personalities, The Times and many more, plus several records as a solo artist.
