999, named for the British emergency phone number, was among the first wave of punk bands to emerge in 1977 from England's summer of hate. Fully embodying the anger and frustration of the time, 999 delivered fast, hard-edged pop songs with poignant venomous relevancy that helped carve out that historical musical movement. By 1980's the Biggest Prize in Sport-often considered the band's masterpiece-999 had honed their craft to perfection, offering one of rock's greatest albums.