When the cassette
1984 was released on Chimik Communications in 1984,
the Nihilist Spasm Band's last record was the 1978
Vol. 2. Although the band was very active at the time, playing every Monday night at Forest City Gallery in London, Ontario, since the mid-'70s, it very seldom recorded.
1984 was an attempt at documenting these weekly sessions. Tracks were edited from domestic recording tapes, therefore the sound quality is poor, bootleg-like at times (like on "Are You OK Bill? July 30 1984").
1984 was originally marketed as a 90-minute cassette. For the CD reissue, Alchemy Records dropped two tracks in order to fit the album on one CD.