1995 is the 20th anniversary of the founding of Chiswick Records, the company that eventually evolved into Ace Records. Later in the year there will be celebratory events and promotion around the anniversary date, but this Whirlwind collection begins a great reissue programme of the original Chiswick acts. Upcoming albums include sets from The Count Bishops, Johnny Moped, The Radiators From Space, a Whirlwind "live" album and a Chiswick sampler.Whirlwind began in 1976 at a rock'n'roll club in Uxbridge. At the time there were no reissue labels to supply the kind of well-mastered rock'n'roll collections that a label like Ace now provides, so the fans relied on an underground scene of exchanged and collected original records and a few revival bands.Whirlwind quickly proved no mere imitators of earlier styles. Founded by singer Nigel Dixon (who would later go on to play in Havana 3AM with ex-Clash bassist Paul Simonon) and drummer Phil Hardy, and joined by lead guitarist Mick Lewis and bassist Chris Emo, they quickly became an in-demand rockabilly band on the rock'n'roll club circuit and surprisingly were even supported by the burgeoning punk scene. A Speakeasy residence followed and a record deal for the infant Chiswick label that resulted in Whirlwind's debut album 'Blowin' Up A Storm' (complete with Stuart Colman sleevenotes and a Barney Bubbles-designed sleeve), released in January 1978.Phil Hardy left shortly afterwards and was replaced by Garry Hassett.By the time the band made their second album 'Midnight Blue', they were big enough to secure the support tour slot to Blondie. Sadly, during that tour, Hassett was taken ill and rather than change the line-up, they decided to call it a day.In a doubly sad 1993, Nigel Dixon succumbed to cancer and later the same year, so did Phil Hardy.This CD and its companion volume (which will cover Whirlwind's "live" performances) show what talent has been lost to the UK pop scene and how vital and entertaining Whirlwind's brand of rockabilly really was.