Raw, unfiltered, shambolic madness. The vision to capture the Auckland scene began with Bryan Staff (Head of Ripper Records and Radio DJ at the time) who saw reason to capture the music coming out of the local punk venues of the time such as Windsor Castle and Zwines. Originally released by Ripper Records in December 1979, bands that featured on the original pressing included The Swingers, The Scavengers, The Primmers, Proud Scum, Toy Love and The Terrorways. The musical movement captured on record was an abrasive, empowered response to the overindulgent progressive rock and glam era of the 70s. The initial pressing, with its iconic black and white cover designed by Terence Hogan was limited to 500 copies, to be later reissued on vinyl and cassette through CBS. During the 40 years since AK79’s first release, the record took on a life of its own. Those original 500 pressings became a rare and coveted collectors item, and somewhat of an “urban myth” on the vinyl market. December 2019 marks the 40 year anniversary of an important record in our lives, AK79. Within the grooves of this historical landmark compilation lies a connection to our musical whakapapa as New Zealanders and music lovers. A defining record, having captured a raw snapshot of the punk subculture in Auckland during the late 70s, this much-loved compilation is a living, breathing statement of what came before today. To mark this very special occassion, Flying Nun Records pays tribute to those ragged and rambunctious years by presenting the AK79 40th Anniversary Edition Reissue, featuring new liner notes written by Ripper Records’ Bryan Staff, as well as all songs ever featured on any version of AK79 for a complete look at its recorded history. 40 years on, the spirit of the AK79 still packs a punch and the feeling captured in these recordings are as relevant as ever.