Assemblage 23 released its debut album, "Contempt" is the fall of 1999, but what many didn't know is that the project had existed many years prior to that. A23's sole member Tom Shear had been making electronic music since the mid-eighties, although this was mainly as a hobby, with the exception of some scattered compilation tracks. Over the years, fans inquired about this early material and asked if it would ever be released. Their answer came when, during the band's 2007 US tour, the first volume of "Early, Rare, and Unreleased" came out. The response was overwhelming, so in February 2009, a second volume of these seldom-heard tracks was released. Both volumes are strictly limited to 1,000 copies, making them an appealing item for collectors. The first volume of rarities is no longer available on CD, but can still be purchased digitally. There are still copies left of the second rarities CD available at the Assemblage 23 Online Store.
