A song that we just had to record. I think we all wished that we had written this when we first heard it. When Neil Young got up on stage to play with us in New York it was one of those moments we will never forget. This was one of the first things that we recorded in the studio because we knew it so well, I think this version was the second take, it was a case of one run through to get the sound right and then record it and that was that. I’m looking forward to playing it on the “RAW” tour. (Mike Peters, Shelter official fanzine, 1991)

The First song recorded for Raw was Rockin’ In The Free World and the version here is the full unedited slightly longer live arrangement. In 1989, The Alarm were touring the Change album in the US and being managed by Elliot Roberts of Lookout Management who were based in California. Elliot was also manager of Neil Young. At the start of the tour, Elliot gave us an advance tape of Neil’s soon to be released Freedom to play on the tour bus. When Dave Sharp heard the track Rockin’ In The Free World, he suggested it would make a great cover version. A few days later at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco on November 10th 1989, we jammed the song during soundcheck, learnt it, and then performed it live during the concert that evening. On hearing of a band playing one of his songs before it had ever been released, Neil Young came to see The Alarm at The Ritz in New York on 14th December 1989. As I walked off stage as the end of the set, I saw Neil Young with his wife chatting with Elliot Roberts. I went over to say hello, and asked Neil if he would like to join us on stage for Rockin’ In The Free World> he said he would but that he didn’t want to sing and that shouldn’t introduce him , Dave Sharp arranged for Neil to play a Stratocaster through the spare amp. We walked out on to the stage and it was pitch black, I started up the acoustic intro and as the lights came up with Twist’s drum fill, we powered into the song – all five of us, The Alarm and Neil Young. It took the audience a few seconds to recognise the guitarist stood at the back of the stage, but you could feel a huge buzz filter through the crowd of around 4,000, followed by a huge roar as the whole place realised it was Neil Young. (Mike Peters Alarm 2000 collection liner notes)

2000 – The Alarm – The Alarm 2000 Collection Box Set : Raw Remastered release
Running length: 4:43
Musicians
Mike Peters – Lead vocals & acoustic guitar
Dave Sharp – Electric guitar & backing vocals
Eddie Macdonald – Bass guitar & backing vocals
Nigel Twist – Drums & backing vocals
Remastered from the 1990 original recording by Mike Peters.
Remastering Engineered by Gary Butler @ RTS Liverpool in 2000.
This is the full unedited slightly longer live arrangement.

April 1991– The Alarm – Raw – IRS Records vinyl IRSA EIRSA 1055, cassette EIRSC 1055, CD EIRSACD 1055 (UK Release) (Original 1990 recording)
Raw was also released on vinyl, cassette in Italy. Vinyl and CD in Europe. CD and cassette in USA. CD only Canada and Japan
2002 – The Alarm – 68 Guns compilation album released in the Netherlands on Disky Cat. No. SI 905175. (Original 1990 recording)

Worldwide Releases
2000 – The Alarm – Raw (1990-1991) – CD (21st Century Recording Company – Catalogue number 21C016). Appearing as part of the Alarm 2000 collection box set and then later as an individual disc. This version was remastered by Mike Peters in 2000 and Engineered by Gary Butler at RTS, Liverpool. This is the full unedited slightly longer live arrangement.

24th May 1991. Recorded live at Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, California, USA
Running length 4.33
Band Line up : Mike Peters, Dave Sharp, Eddie Macdonald and Nigel Twist.
Released on CD in 2003 as The Alarm The Sound & The Fury Live 1981 to 1991. (UK, Export)
Released on CD in 2014 as The Alarm When The Storm Broke. (UK)

28th June 1991. Recorded live at Rolle Festival, Leysin, Switzerland.
Running length 4.07
Band Line up : Mike Peters, Dave Sharp, Eddie Macdonald and Nigel Twist.
Released on compilation CD in 2007 Like A Hurricane (A Tribute To Neil Young). Uncut Records. Catalogue number UNCUT 2007 12 (UK)

All are Worldwide Releases on Twenty First Century Recording Company
(Except where stated)
17th July 1998. recorded at Sesiwn Fawr, Dolgellau, Wales
Band Line up : Mike Peters, James Stevenson, Craig Adams, Steve Grantley.
Released in 1998 on CD as Mike Peters – Live From a Broadcast (Catalogue number 21C066)

14th January 2000. Recorded at The Gathering 8, The North Wales Conference Centre, Llandudno, Wales. Running Length 3:16. Mike Peters Solo Acoustic.
13th December 2000. Recorded at Rock City, Nottingham, England.
Band Line up : Mike Peters, James Stevenson, Richard Llewellyn, Steve Grantley.

24th August 2003. Recorded at William Aston Hall, NEWI, Wrexham, Wales.
Running Length 5:08. Mike Peters Solo acoustic.
Released in 2003 on Alarmstock vol 8 – Rock And Roll International

13th August 2005. Recorded at Electric Lady Studio A,New York, USA
Running Length 3:56 Mike Peters Solo acoustic.
Released in 2005 on Alarmstock III vol 3 – Los Angeles

31st January 2009. Recorded at The Gathering 17, Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Wales.
Running length : 5:03
Band line-up : Mike Peters, James Stevenson, Craig Adams and Steve Grantley
Released on DVD in 2010 – The Alarm – Loaded, Live At The Gathering 2009 (Cat. No.21CDVD013) (Audio highlights disc)

22nd October 2010. Record at King Tuts Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow, Scotland.
Running Length 1:35. Mike Peters Solo acoustic
Released on CD in 2010 Mike Peters // The Alarm – Direct Acoustic MMX live in Glasgow (Catalogue number 21C054)

29th January 2011. Recorded at The Gathering 19, Pontins Prestatyn Sands, Holiday Park, Wales. Running length : 5:56
Band Line Up : Mike Peters, James Stevenson, Craig Adams and Steve Grantley
Released in 2011 – The Alarm – Live At The Gathering 2011 (audio disc) (Cat. No. 21CDVD015)

18th February 2012. Recorded at 02 Academy, Sheffield, England with Big Country.
Band line-up : Mike Peters, Bruce Watson, Jamie Watson, Tony Butler and Mark Brzezicki.
Released in 2012 on CD as Big Country with Mike Peters – Crossing The Country – Sheffield

30th June 1991. Recorded live at Brixton Academy, London SW9, England
Band Line up : Mike Peters, Dave Sharp, Eddie Macdonald and Nigel Twist
Released in 1991 on VHS Video as The Alarm Blaze of Glory – Live at Brixton Academy (Catalogue number VHSCV4110)

12th December 1992. Recorded at The Gathering 1, The Town Hall, Rhyl, Wales.
Band Line up : Mike Peters, Brad Williams, Dave Watkins-Clarke, Martyn Baker and Jules Jones Peters
Released on DVD in 2005 – The Alarm – The Gathering History (Cat. No.21CDVD003)

17th December 1993. Recorded at The Gathering 2, The Town Hall, Rhyl, Wales.
Mike Peters solo acoustic
Released on VHS Video in 1995 – Mike Peters – The Gathering II

12th January 2001. Recorded at The Gathering 9, The North Wales Conference Centre, Llandudno, Wales. Mike Peters Solo acoustic in the round
Released on DVD in 2005 – The Alarm – The Gathering History (Cat. No.21CDVD003)

9th June 2001. Recorded at The Town Hall, Rhyl, Wales.
Mike Peters Solo acoustic.
Released in 2001 on DVD The Story Of The Alarm (20th Anniversary) (Cat. No. 21CDVD002)

27th January 2006. Recorded at The Gathering 14, The North Wales Conference Centre, Llandudno, Wales. Mike Peters Solo Acoustic.
Released on DVD in 2006 – The Alarm – Live At The Gathering 2006 (Cat. No. 21CDVD007)

31st January 2009. Recorded at The Gathering 17, Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Wales.
Running length : 5:03
Band line-up : Mike Peters, James Stevenson, Craig Adams and Steve Grantley
Released on DVD in 2010 – The Alarm – Loaded, Live At The Gathering 2009 (Cat. No.21CDVD013)

29th January 2011. Recorded at The Gathering 19, Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park, Wales. Running length : 5:56
Band line-up: Mike Peters, James Stevenson, Craig Adams and Steve Grantley
Released in 2011 on DVD – The Alarm – Live At The Gathering 2011 (Cat. No. 21CDVD015)

17th April 1991 – Nicky Campbell Session – Recorded for the BBC Radio One. First transmitted on 7th May 1991. Performed by Dave Sharp, Mike Peters, Eddie Macdonald, Nigel Twist

There’s colours on the streets
Red, white and blue
People shuffling their feet
People sleeping in their shoes
There’s a warning sign on the road ahead
There’s a lot of people saying they’d be “better off dead’
Don’t feel like Satan but I am to them
So I try to forget it any way I can

Keep on rockin’ in the free world
Keep on rockin’ in the free world
Keep on rockin’ in the free world
Keep on rockin’ in the free world

There’s a woman of the night
Got a baby in her hand
Near an old street light
Down by a garbage can
Now she puts the kid away and she’s gone to get a hit
She hates her life and what she’s done to it
There’s one more kid who’ll never go to school
Never get to fall in love, never get to be cool

Keep on rockin’ in the free world
Keep on rockin’ in the free world
Keep on rockin’ in the free world
Keep on rockin’ in the free world

Keep on rockin’

There’s a thousand points of light for the homeless man
There’s a kinder, gentler, machine gun hand
Got department stores, toilet paper
Styrofoam boxes for the ozone layer
There’s a man of the people
Saying, Keep hope alive
I’ve got fuel to burn
I’ve got roads to drive

Keep on rockin’ in the free world
Keep on rockin’ in the free world
Keep on rockin’ in the free world
Keep on rockin’ in the free world

Keep on rockin’ in the free world

Video Link – The Alarm Live at Brixton Academy, London, England 30th June 1991 take from the Blaze of Glory video release.
Video Link – Mike Peters with Powderfinger live at Lucy’s Lounge in Pleasantville, New York, USA on 15th December 2011