An extraordinary and complete Sire Records press kit from August 1977, coinciding with the label’s landmark “New Wave” marketing campaign — one of the most significant promotional pushes in punk and new wave history. This kit was acquired directly from the estate of the late Sire Records head Howie Klein.

Housed in a Sire Records press kit folder are four multi-page biographies, each dated August 1977: a three-page biography for Talking Heads and two-page biographies for the Saints, the Dead Boys, and Richard Hell and the Voidoids. These four acts represented the core of Sire’s visionary bet on the emerging new wave movement, and this kit captures that pivotal moment — when Seymour Stein’s label was positioning itself as the American home for punk and new wave.

Accompanying the biographies are four 8×10 black-and-white press photos, one group shot for each band, with the names of each band member printed below the respective musician and the Sire Records logo on each photo.

By August 1977, Talking Heads had just released their debut single “Love → Building on Fire” and were weeks away from their first album, Talking Heads: 77. The Saints had released their explosive debut (I’m) Stranded, the Dead Boys were about to unleash Young, Loud and Snotty, and Richard Hell and the Voidoids were on the verge of releasing Blank Generation. This press kit documents the exact moment all four acts were being introduced to the American music press as part of a unified new wave front.

The four press photos and all biographical pages are in mint condition. The Sire Records folder is in mint minus condition. A museum-quality piece from one of the most important moments in the history of punk and new wave.