IT all began with C86, a 1986 cassette compiled by the New Musical Express in a drive to be more alive to the sound of indie music.

In 2014 ace archivists Cherry Red issued a C86 box set with 50 extra tracks, then repeated the excavation format for the equally comprehensive C87 in 2016 and now C88 a year later.

What had changed between 1986 and 1988? Margaret Thatcher was still lodged at No 10 ("It is the spirit of Britain," she pronounces at the start of Rote Kapelle's Fire Escape]; "jangly" guitars still ruled; too many blokey singers still had rather colourless voices and the girls were again in thrall to Sixties pop's poster queens, but independent music had become even more so, aided by fanzines, flexidisc giveaways and champions of fave local bands.

Cherry Red has rounded up the early deeds of The Stone Roses, The House Of Love and Inspiral Carpets, but more importantly shine a light on the where-did-they-go likes of Murrumbidgee Whalers and The Flatmates.