This 18-track CD is a definitive compilation of the career of A Witness, a distinctive guitar-driven independent group working out of mid-80s Manchester. Replacing their drum machine with drummer Alan Brown after their first album they cut their own determined groove through the leftfield individuality of 1980s independent music, touring to appreciative audiences in Germany, Holland, France and Belgium as well as extensively in the UK. In five years they released one album, four 12" singles and an American-only compilation, survived the collapse of their label Ron Johnson Records and recorded four sessions for John Peel's Radio One show. However their career ended in tragedy when guitarist Rick Aitken was killed in a climbing accident in 1989 and the group drifted apart.

Despite their inclusion on the NME's acclaimed album C-86, A Witness missed much of the acclaim other bands subsequently received, partly through choice but partly because their diverse sound was not easily pigeonholed.

Digitally re-mastered throughout, this CD charts the career of A Witness from their debut five-track single from 1985 which included 'Lucky in London' to their last release: 'I Love You Mr Disposable Razors' EP in 1989. There are eight tracks from their first album 'I Am John's Pancreas' (1986), which blended the full frontal guitar/bass/drum machine assault of 'The Loudhailer Song' and 'Smelt Like a Pedestrian' with melodic tunes like 'Car Skidding' and soundscapes 'Dipping Bird' and '4.49 Stool'.

There are highlights too from their four 12" singles, the American-only compilation 'Sacred Cow Heart' and versions of the songs recorded for John Peel, as well as the three songs recorded at their last studio session: 'I Love You Mr Disposable Razors' which demonstrates their progress towards becoming premier melodic pop songwriters, and careful re-workings of the classics 'Tomorrow Never Knows' and 'Break on Through' which stand as a testament to what might have been had Rick lived.

This collection also includes two previously unreleased tracks. 'Dudefield' was the final song the band worked on and was recorded by Vince Hunt a year after Rick's death. 'Threaphurst Lane' is a sad piano reflection recorded several years later.

Band members eventually moved onto other projects: Keith Curtis played guitar for John Robb's Membranes then switched to bass in Gold Blade. Vince Hunt recorded soundscape albums before forming Marshall Smith in 1997, with Alan Brown and former Pram drummer Daren Garratt.