Fischer-Z announce Word Paradise - the United Artists & Liberty Records Recordings

Fischer-Z announce Word Paradise - the United Artists & Liberty Records Recordings

release date: April 24, 2026
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​Cherry Red Records is pleased to announce Word Paradise – The United Artists Records & Liberty Recordings, a newly expanded 3CD anthology celebrating the first three albums by Fischer-Z, presented in deluxe digipack form with bonus material.
Spanning the band’s formative years, the set brings together World Salad (1979), Going Deaf For A Living (1980) and Red Skies Over Paradise (1981) - originally released on United Artists and Liberty - alongside a selection of bonus tracks drawn from each album’s original sessions. Together, they document Fischer-Z’s distinctive blend of sharp songwriting, literate lyricism and angular post-punk energy that established them as one of the most original British bands of their era.
 
Formed in 1976 at Brunel University, Fischer-Z was founded by songwriter, performer and multimedia artist John Watts, whose razor-sharp political lyricism quickly set the band apart. After signing to United Artists in 1978 alongside labelmates The Stranglers and Buzzcocks, the band found early acclaim with their debut album World Salad, propelled by the singles “The Worker” - which earned a performance on Top of the Pops - and “Remember Russia,” championed by John Peel.
 
Success continued with Going Deaf For A Living and the international breakthrough Red Skies Over Paradise (1981), which delivered further hits including “So Long,” “Marliese” and “Berlin.” “So Long” became one of the earliest music videos broadcast on MTV, helping introduce Fischer-Z to a global audience.
 
Across their career, Fischer-Z have sold more than two million albums worldwide and built an enviable international reputation through extensive touring. The band has shared stages with James Brown in East Berlin, toured with The Police and Dire Straits, and appeared on Bob Marley’s final European festival tour. Collaborators over the years have included Peter Gabriel, Steve Cropper and the horn section of Dexys Midnight Runners.
 
Word Paradise arrives as the opening chapter in Fischer-Z’s 50th-anniversary celebrations, marking five decades of uncompromised creativity. The milestone year of 2026 will see the release of a brand-new studio album, X-Ray Serenade, which combines powerful new songs with striking re-imaginations of key moments from Watts’ back catalogue. “It’s hard to believe it’s already been fifty years,” says Watts. “It’s been a hell of a journey - full of ups and downs - but I can’t wait to celebrate with everyone. Here’s to many more years of new music, shows and art.”
 
The anniversary programme will also include a major world-wide tour across Europe, the UK and, for the first time, Australia, alongside this high-quality retrospective package celebrating John Watts’ extraordinary career to date. The band announced a headline show at London’s Oslo on Sunday 4th October.
 
Fischer-Z continue to release new music and tour internationally, remaining as vital and creative today as at any point in their history. Word Paradise offers the definitive starting point for both long-time fans and new listeners, capturing the albums that launched one of Britain’s most singular and enduring musical voices.

Tracklist:

DISC ONE
Word Salad
1.  Pretty Paracetamol
2. Acrobats
3.  The Worker
4.  Spiders
5.  Remember Russia
6.  The French Let Her
7.  Lies
8.  Wax Dolls
9.  Headlines
10.  Nice To Know
11.  Billy And The Motorway Police
12.  Lemmings
Bonus Tracks
13. Angry Brigade
14.  High Wire Walker
15.  First Impressions
(German 7” Single)
16.  Bigger Slice Now
17.  Kitten Curry
 
 
DISC TWO
Going Deaf For A Living
1.  Room Service
2.  So Long
3.  Crazy Girl
4.  No aRight
5.  Going Deaf For A Living
6.  Pick Up / Slip Up
7.  Crank
8.  Haters
9.  Four Minutes In Durham (With You)
10.  Limbo
Bonus Tracks
11.  Room Service
12.  Hiding
13.  Crazy Girl
14.  So Long
15.  Limbo
16.  The Rat Man


DISC THREE
Red Skies Over Paradise
1.  Berlin
2.  Marliese
3.  Red Skies Over Paradise
4.  In England
5.  You'll Never Find Brian Here
6.  Battalions Of Strangers
7.  Song And Dance Brigade
8.  The Writer
9.  Bathroom Scenario
10.  Wristcutters Lullaby
11.  Cruise Missiles
12.  Luton To Lisbon
13.  Multinationals Bite
Bonus Track
14.  Right Hand Men
 
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