HEARTBREAKERS - L.A.M.F. - The Found '77 Masters HEARTBREAKERS

Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers’ classic 1977 punk album, now heard as intended. After decades of only outtakes, remixes and mud, the master was found in an attic. 50 years ago, Nancy Spungen reviewed the Heartbreakers relaunch gig for New York Rocker. They’d hired bassist Billy Rath to replace Richard Hell and written new songs. This was the genesis of the L.A.M.F. story. Found in an attic: a copy master of the original 1977 Track Records tape, without mud. This classic punk album, recorded in London by the band featuring New York Dolls members Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan, was universally condemned in the music press for having a muddy mix, later found to be a mastering fault.

When Track went bust the following year, manager Leee Black Childers burgled the Track Records Carnaby Street third-floor office and liberated the tapes that belonged to him and the band. He found everything except for the master tape, which remained undiscovered until last year. Other releases had been sourced from outtakes or remixes. 

First released for RSD in 2021 with not enough copies, it has been unavailable for three years. Now reissued to satisfy the demand for this latterly discovered, acclaimed recording.

The CD version comes together with a bonus CD - 'the L.A.M.F. demos, plus'; a 19-track collection of four demo sessions from 1976-77 and three tracks from singles. It’s packaged in a hardcover 32-page book, with notes by Simon Wright and a 2012 interview with Walter Lure (the last of the LAMF Heartbreakers who sadly passed away in 2020), together with rarely-seen photos.

Clem Burke from Blondie: “L.A.M.F. is one of the most brilliant rock & roll records ever made.”