Omnivore Recordings

Completely Necessary (Anthology 1978-1982) The Necessaries

£68.99 Pre-Order
Tax included.
Genre: Indie Rock.
Format
Condition: Brand New
Release date: Jan 23, 2026
Catalogue number: 2501061239692
Barcode: 0810075115307

Pickup available at Record Plant Farsley

Usually ready in 24 hours

“The group has no niche, it doesn’t fit in anywhere,” explains Necessaries drummer Jesse Chamberlain in a 1980 Melody Maker interview. “We just state the facts about life in America, like The Clash did about England, but we’re not so heavy about it.”  The Necessaries rose from the ashes of Harry Toledo & The Rockets, a little-known New York art-rock band playing gigs at Max’s Kansas City during glam’s metamorphosis into punk.  —From the liner notes by Michael IQ Jones  The Necessaries came together in 1978 and in the too-brief lifespan of the band counted among their members, Ed Tomney (Rage To Live, Luka Bloom), Jesse Chamberlain (Red Crayola), Ernie Brooks (Modern Lovers), Arthur Russell (The Flying Hearts), Randy Gun (Love Of Life Orchestra).   First championed by John Cale on the strength of Tomney’s songs, Cale produced their first single for Spy Records (under the I.R.S. umbrella) which was released in 1979. With the forward momentum brought about by the single, the band set about tracking demos intended for Warner Bros., but The Necessaries ultimately would sign to Seymour Stein’s Sire Records. These rough demo basic tracks lacked overdubs, mixes and any finishing touches that would have made them viable for commercial release, but due to tour commitments, the band had to put the sessions on hold to hit the road. While on tour, the band was shocked to discover that Sire had issued the unfinished tracks as their debut album Big Sky (issued in 1981).   The band had Big Sky withdrawn and replaced with Event Horizon (issued in 1982) which included half the original tracks from Big Sky and continued to record throughout 1982 aiming for a follow-up. It was not to be and their final studio sessions remained unissued until now.  Completely Necessary (Anthology 1978–1982) is the first authorized collection of recordings by The Necessaries and includes 37 tracks, 28 of which are previously unissued. Completely Necessary represents the most accurate musical history of the band laid out across three albums. Disc one is the band-approved first album Event Horizon, followed by Pilots Facing North, a disc collecting studio recordings spanning 1978–1981 and disc three finally sees the release of their final sessions, Songs From The Blue Colony.   Album notes by Michael IQ Jones trace the history of the band for this compilation produced by The Necessaries’ Ed Tomney and Cheryl Pawelski (Omnivore Recordings). The audio has been restored and mastered by Michael Graves at Osiris Studio, and both the 3-LP and 2-CD sets feature previously unseen photos across the package.  Finally, an essential missing piece of the late ’70s/early ’80s New York scene that was just slightly ahead of the college alt-rock soon to come, is finally available to rediscover—this time it’s authorized and absolutely necessary.  BUY! HERE’S WHY! • The first authorized and comprehensive anthology by The Necessaries. • Mid-’70s/early ’80s New York rock/punk/art scene band included members: Ed Tomney, Ernier Brooks, Arthur Russell, Jesse Chamberlain, and Randy Gun. • 37 tracks, 28 previously unissued. • Liner notes by Michael IQ Jones, plus unseen photos. 

Track List:
Disc 1
1. Rage 
2. More Real 
3. Like No Other 
4. Driving And Talking At The Same Time 
5. AEIOU
6. Sahara 
7. Europe 
8. State-Of-The-Art 
9. The Finish Line 
10. Detroit Tonight 
11. On The Run 
12. Paceways 
13. Law And Order 
14. I Feel Tension 
15. I Do 
16. Dancing Out Of Time 
17. Runaway Child (Minors Beware) [Alternate Version]  18. Detroit Tonight (Alternate Version) 
19. Snake Dancing
Disc 2
1. Working 
2. Back To You 
3. My Baby’s Explosive (Alternate Version) 
4. Born Yesterday 
5. Paceways (Alternate Version) 
6. Big Sky 
7. The Dark Side Of Me 
8. Tachito In The White Meredes Benz 
9. New Strangers In Town 
10. Skylife 
11. The Dancing Girls Of Windsor 
12. My First Idea 
13. 3rd Generation 
14. The Exterminator 
15. A Detective Story 
16. Jerry Leaves The Small Town  
17. Mona Lisa On My Arm 
18. The World Is Loud
Share
Format

Product information

UNITED KINGDOM

Singles/7” £3.50 + £1 per each additional record.
LPs and 10”: £5.00 for up to 2kg and between £51 and £150 – Tracked 48
LPS and 10”: £12.00 for up to 2kg and over £150 – Royal Mail Special Delivery
For Packages above 2kg (6 plus records) – £10.95 up to 5kg and 15.95 from 5k to 10k
Delivery is by Parcel Force

EUROPE

Singles/7” : £10 Royal Mail Signed and Tracked
LPs and 10”: £13 for up to 2kg and less than £500 – Royal Mail Signed and Tracked
For Packages above 2kg (6 plus records) – £18.75 up to 10kg.

WORLD ZONE 1

United States, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, India, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Israel, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Vietnam.

Singles/LPs/10”: £15.00 up to 1.5kg and less than £500 – Royal Mail Signed and Tracked
Singles/LPs/10”: £20 over 1.5kg and less than 2kg and less than £500 – Royal Mail Signed and Tracked
For Packages above 2kg (6 plus records) – £35 up to 10kg.

WORLD ZONE 2

Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Fiji.

Singles/LPs/10”: £18.00 up to 1.5kg and less than £500 – Royal Mail Signed and Tracked
Singles/LPs/10”: £24.00 over 1.5kg and less than 2kg and less than £500 – Royal Mail Signed and Tracked
For Packages above 2kg (6 plus records) – £43 up to 10kg.
All customers are responsible for paying the necessary customs1 fees charged. We will not be able to under declare the value of any order for customs as it is unlawful to do so.

RETURNS AND CANCELLATION POLICY

At Record Plant, we are committed to ensuring your satisfaction with every purchase you make. We understand that circumstances may change, and you might need to cancel an order or return a product. Our Returns and Cancellation Policy is designed to provide you with clear guidelines and information on your rights and responsibilities when it comes to cancelling orders and returning goods under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation & Additional Charges) Regulations. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the key points outlined below.

RIGHT TO CANCEL

Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, you have the right to cancel your order for goods. This right begins the moment you place your order and lasts for 14 days from the day you receive the goods.

CANCELLATION DEADLINE

To meet the cancellation deadline, kindly notify us of your decision to cancel your order before the 14-day cancellation period expires. You can contact us via email or phone to initiate the cancellation process.

RETURNING GOODS

If you decide to cancel your order, you are responsible for taking reasonable care of the goods while they are in your possession. To complete the return process, send the goods back to our contact address at your own expense. Exceptions apply if we delivered the item in error, or if the item is damaged or defective.

COST OF RECOVERY

In case the returned goods are not received within the specified conditions, we reserve the right to charge you for the direct costs incurred in recovering the goods.

REFUNDS

Once you have notified us of your decision to cancel the order, any payments made will be promptly refunded to you. You can expect the refund to be processed within 14 days of your cancellation.

ITEMS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR CANCELLATION OR RETURN

Certain goods and services are exempt from the right to cancel, including prescription medicines, personalized goods, rapidly perishable items, and more. Please refer to our policy for a comprehensive list of non-cancelable and non-returnable items.

FORFEITURE OF CANCELLATION RIGHT

Your right to cancel may be forfeited if you unseal goods that are not suitable for return due to hygiene or health reasons, unseal sealed audio/video recordings or software, or combine goods with other items to make them inseparable.

At Record Plant, we value your satisfaction and aim to make your shopping experience as smooth as possible. Our Returns and Cancellation Policy ensures transparency and fairness in all interactions. If you have any questions or concerns about cancelling an order or returning goods, our dedicated customer service team is here to assist you.

Please note that specific regulations and details may vary based on your location and the applicable laws. For a detailed understanding of our policy and your rights, we recommend reviewing our complete Returns and Cancellation Policy or contacting our customer service representatives.

Recently viewed products