A classic of early punk rock, the album has been called "probably the best official document of any New York band of the era.

Co-lead singer/co-lead guitarist Johnny Thunders remained in England and recorded his first solo album, So Alone, during the summer of 1978.

The band's first reunion gigs, billed as farewell shows, were at Max's on August 18 and 19 with drummer Lee Crystal.

The band had continued to play occasional shows in New York throughout late 1978 and early 1979, and Jerry Nolan eventually returned to the drum throne.

As Robert Christgau put it, "This captures the boys in all their rowdy, rabble-rousing abandon, and I know that when I feel like hearing them I'll be pulling it off the shelf.

Thunders was unable to participate due to other commitments, but was played the results, and gave them his full endorsement, requesting only that the 1979 recordings were released "just the way it is, including the talk.