The Only Ones were the most important band to emerge in 1977, artistically if not commercially. Their eponymous first LP presents a wonderful sense of possibilities and excitement, of a band standing on the verge of something fantastic. And the presence of Another Girl, Another Planet – ‘arguably the best rock single ever recorded’ according to Allmusic.com – illustrates how not being a hit can extend the shelf life of a song.

Working from new interviews with the band members, Simon Wright documents the formation and early days of this enigmatic group and explains why they never achieved the massive success they deserved. Illustrated with previously unseen photographs, it’s an account of how four musicians from very different backgrounds made an exhilarating LP which grafted punk attitude onto rock ‘n’ roll rootstock.

Odds-on that your favourite musician has this LP in their collection: read this book to find out why.