154 (album)

154 is the third album by the English post-punk band Wire, released in 1979 (see 1979 in music) on EMI imprint Harvest Records in the UK and Europe and Warner Bros. Records in America. Branching out even further from the minimalist punk rock style of their earlier work, 154 is considered a progression of the sounds displayed on Wire's previous album Chairs Missing, with the group experimenting with slower tempos, fuller song structures and a more prominent use of guitar effects, synthesizers and electronics.

154
Studio album by Wire
Released	September 1979
Recorded	April–May 1979
Studio	Advision Studios, West London, England, United Kingdom
Genre	Post-punk[1] art punk[2] avant-pop[3]
Length	44:41
Label	Harvest
Producer	Mike Thorne
Wire studio album chronology
Chairs Missing (1978) 154 (1979) The Ideal Copy (1987)
Singles from 154
"Map Ref. 41°N 93°W" Released: 26 October 1979

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[5]
The Guardian	[6]
Mojo	[7]
Pitchfork	9.1/10[8]
Q	[9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[10]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	7/10[11]
Uncut	[12]
The Village Voice	B[13]

154 peaked at number 39 in the UK Albums Chart, the highest position the band has achieved.[14] It was first issued on CD in 1987 by EMI Japan and later reissued by Restless Records in 1989. First editions of the vinyl album were accompanied by an EP, the tracks from which are included on the Harvest CD, issued in 1994, along with an additional bonus track. The new remastered release, released by Pinkflag as digipacks in 2006, does not contain any extra tracks, because, according to the band, such additions dishonour the "conceptual clarity of the original statements."[15] The album is so named because the band had played 154 gigs in their career at the time of the album's release. Pitchfork listed 154 as 85th best album of the 1970s.[16]

Track listing

Credits adapted from the 2018 Special Edition.[17]

Side one

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"I Should Have Known Better"	Graham Lewis	Lewis	3:52
2.	"Two People in a Room"	Bruce Gilbert	Colin Newman	2:00
3.	"The 15th"	Newman	Newman	3:05
4.	"The Other Window"	Gilbert	Gilbert, Lewis	2:07
5.	"Single K.O."	Lewis	Lewis, Newman[nb 1]	2:23
6.	"A Touching Display"	Lewis	Lewis	6:55
7.	"On Returning"	Newman	Newman	2:06

Side two

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
8.	"A Mutual Friend"	Lewis	Newman	4:28
9.	"Blessed State"	Gilbert	Gilbert	3:28
10.	"Once Is Enough"	Newman	Newman	3:23
11.	"Map Ref. 41°N 93°W"	Lewis[nb 2]	Newman	3:40
12.	"Indirect Enquiries"	Lewis	Newman	3:36
13.	"40 Versions"	Gilbert	Gilbert, Newman[nb 3]	3:28

Bonus EP (included on 1979, 1987, 1989, 1994 and 1995 releases)

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
14.	"Song 1"		Robert Gotobed, Newman, Desmond Simmons	3:02
15.	"Get Down (Part I & II)"		David, Gotobed, Newman, Simmons, TV Smith	4:27
16.	"Let's Panic Later"	Lewis	Lewis	3:20
17.	"Small Electric Piece"		Gilbert	3:33

Bonus track (included on 1994 and 1995 releases)

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
18.	"Go Ahead" (single B-side)	Lewis	Gilbert, Gotobed, Lewis, Newman	4:01

Bonus tracks (1995 Japanese release only)

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
19.	"Stepping Off Too Quick"	Newman	Newman	1:22
20.	"Indirect Inquiries" (sic)"	Lewis	Newman	3:18
21.	"Map Ref. 41°N 93°W"	Lewis	Newman	3:49
22.	"A Question of Degree"	Lewis	Newman	2:56
23.	"Two People in a Room"	Gilbert	Newman	2:02
24.	"Former Airline"	Gilbert	Gilbert	1:12

Tracks 19–24 are demo versions that have also appeared on compilations such as Behind the Curtain and After Midnight.

2018 Special Edition

Disc one (Original Album)

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"I Should Have Known Better"	Lewis	Lewis	3:52
2.	"Two People in a Room"	Gilbert	Newman	2:11
3.	"The 15th"	Newman	Newman	3:05
4.	"The Other Window"	Gilbert	Gilbert, Lewis	2:08
5.	"Single K.O."	Lewis	Lewis, Newman	2:24
6.	"A Touching Display"	Lewis	Lewis	6:56
7.	"On Returning"	Newman	Newman	2:06
8.	"A Mutual Friend"	Lewis	Newman	4:28
9.	"Blessed State"	Gilbert	Gilbert	3:28
10.	"Once Is Enough"	Newman	Newman	3:23
11.	"Map Ref. 41ºN 93ºW"	Lewis	Newman	3:40
12.	"Indirect Enquiries"	Lewis	Newman	3:27
13.	"40 Versions"	Gilbert	Gilbert, Newman	3:29
Total length:				44:48

Disc two (Singles, B-sides & Studio Recordings)

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"A Question of Degree" (single A-side, 1979)	Lewis	Newman	3:09
2.	"Former Airline" (single B-side, 1979)	Gilbert	Gilbert	3:19
3.	"Go Ahead" (single B-side, 1979)	Lewis	Gilbert, Gotobed, Lewis, Newman	4:03
4.	"Our Swimmer" (single A-side, 1981)	Gilbert, Lewis, Newman	Gilbert, Newman[nb 4]	3:29
5.	"Midnight Bahnhof Cafe" (single B-side, 1981)	Lewis	Newman	4:30
6.	"2nd Length (Our Swimmer)" (single B-side, 1983)	Gilbert, Lewis, Newman	Gilbert, Newman	2:49
7.	"Catapult 30" (single B-side, 1983)		Gilbert, Gotobed, Lewis, Newman	5:05
8.	"Song 1" (154 EP, 1979)		Gotobed, Newman, Simmons	3:02
9.	"Get Down (Parts I + II)" (154 EP, 1979)		David, Gotobed, Newman, Simmons, Smith	4:27
10.	"Let's Panic Later" (154 EP, 1979)	Lewis	Lewis	3:19
11.	"Small Electric Piece" (154 EP, 1979)		Gilbert	3:31
Total length:				40:43

Disc three (Sixth Demo Sessions, December 1978, Riverside Studios, London)

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"40 Versions"	Gilbert	Gilbert, Newman	3:19
2.	"Ignorance No Plea (I Should Have Known Better)"	Lewis	Lewis	4:02
3.	"Blessed State"	Gilbert	Gilbert	3:11
4.	"A Touching Display"	Lewis	Lewis	5:19
5.	"The 15th"	Newman	Newman	2:30
6.	"A Mutual Friend"	Lewis	Newman	3:56
7.	"Once Is Enough"	Newman	Newman	2:39
8.	"The Other Window"	Gilbert	Lewis, Gilbert	2:09
9.	"Stepping Off Too Quick"	Newman	Newman	1:22
10.	"Indirect Enquiries (Version 2)"	Lewis	Newman	3:15
11.	"Map Ref. 41°N 93°W"	Lewis	Newman	3:50
12.	"Single KO"	Lewis	Lewis, Newman	2:24
13.	"On Returning"	Newman	Newman	1:49
14.	"A Question of Degree"	Lewis	Newman	3:02
15.	"Former Airline"	Gilbert	Gilbert	1:12
16.	"Two People in a Room"	Gilbert	Newman	2:03
Total length:				61:02

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of the 2018 Special Edition.[17]

Wire

• Colin Newman – vocals, guitar, backing vocals, distorted bass on "On Returning"
• Graham Lewis – bass, vocals on "I Should Have Known Better", "A Touching Display" and "Blessed State", backing vocals, percussion on "Once Is Enough", sleeve concept
• B. C. Gilbert – guitar, spoken word on "The Other Window", sleeve concept
• Robert Gotobed – drums, percussion

Additional personnel and production

• Kate Lukas – alto flute on "Single K.O."
• Tim Souster – electric viola on "A Touching Display"
• Hilly Kristal – bass vocals on "A Mutual Friend"
• Joan Whiting – cor anglais on "A Mutual Friend"
• Mike Thorne – production, synthesizer, piano on "Single K.O."
• Paul Hardiman – engineer
• Ken Thomas – assistant engineer
• Dave Dragon – art direction
• Brian Harris – typographic design

Bonus tracks

• Colin Newman – vocals, guitar, syndrum on "Go Ahead", saxophone on "Former Airline", keyboards on "Midnight Bahnhof Cafe", production on "Get Down (Parts I + II)"
• Graham Lewis – bass, keyboards on "Go Ahead", saxophone on "Former Airline", vocals and production on "Let's Panic Later"
• B. C. Gilbert – guitar, bass on "Go Ahead", saxophone on "Former Airline", production on "Small Electric Piece"
• Robert Gotobed – drums, production on "Song 1"
• Mike Thorne – production on "A Question of Degree" and "Former Airline"
• Paul Hardiman – engineer on "A Question of Degree" and "Former Airline"
• Ken Thomas – assistant engineer on "A Question of Degree" and "Former Airline"
• Wire – production on "Go Ahead", "Our Swimmer", "Midnight Bahnhof Cafe", "Our Swimmer (2nd Length)", "Catapult 30" and the sixth demo sessions
• Nick Glennie-Smith – engineer on 154 EP and the sixth demo sessions
• Daniel Priest – engineer on "Go Ahead", "Our Swimmer" and "Midnight Bahnhof Cafe"
• Steve Parker – engineer on "Our Swimmer (2nd Length)" and "Catapult 30"
• "A Question of Degree" and "Former Airline" recorded and mixed April 1979 at Advision Studios, London
• 154 bonus EP recorded and mixed July 1979 at Riverside Studios, London
• "Go Ahead", "Our Swimmer" and "Midnight Bahnhof Cafe" recorded and mixed November 1979 at Magritte Studios, Middlesex
• "2nd Length (Our Swimmer)" and "Catapult 30" recorded and mixed 1980 at Scorpio Sound, London

References

1. Kellman, Andy. "Real to Real Cacophony – Simple Minds". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
2. Hart, Ron (21 June 2018). "Wire Looks Back on Its Pioneering Art Punk Trilogy". Billboard. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
3. "10 Essential Album Trilogies". Treble. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
4. Huey, Steve. "154 – Wire". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
5. Larkin, Colin (2011). "Wire". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
6. Simpson, Dave (3 March 2006). "Wire, 154". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
7. Myers, Ben (June 2018). "Wire: 154". Mojo. No. 295. p. 104.
8. Tangari, Joe (5 May 2006). "Wire: Pink Flag / Chairs Missing / 154". Pitchfork. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
9. Harris, John (July 2018). "Dawning of a New Era". Q. No. 386. pp. 120–21.
10. Gross, Joe (2004). "Wire". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 883–84. ISBN 0-743-20169-8.
11. Weisbard, Eric (1995). "Wire". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 435–37. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
12. "Wire: 154". Uncut. No. 106. March 2006. p. 106.
13. Christgau, Robert (25 February 1980). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
14. "Wire" (select "Albums" tab). Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
15. "Wire: 1977 > 1979 – Pinkflag (America)". PostEverything. Archived from the original on 14 April 2006. Retrieved 2 May 2006.
16. Pitchfork staff (23 June 2004). "The 100 Best Albums of the 1970s". Pitchfork. p. 2. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
17. 154 (liner notes). Wire (special ed.). Pinkflag. 2018. PF13SE.CS1 maint: others (link)
18. Neate, Wilson (2013). Read & Burn: A Book About Wire. London: Jawbone Press. p. 81. ISBN 978-1-90827-933-0.

Informational notes

1. The songwriting credits for 154 have been modified on all reissues since 2006.[18] "Single K.O." was originally credited to Graham Lewis alone.
2. "Map Ref. 41°N 93°W" was originally credited to Graham Lewis, Colin Newman and Bruce Gilbert.
3. "40 Versions" was originally credited to Bruce Gilbert alone.
4. "Our Swimmer" and "2nd Length (Our Swimmer)" was originally credited to Bruce Gilbert, Robert Gotobed, Graham Lewis and Colin Newman.

External links

• 154 at Discogs (list of releases)
• Lyrics for the album on Wire's official website
• The making of Wire's 154 album
• Accolades archived at Acclaimed Music