In 2008, esteemed music writer Jon Savage announced that he’d put together a compilation entitled Fame: Jon Savage’s Secret History Of Post-Punk.

Now, following a wait of almost four years, the compilation is finally to see the light of day. We assume that it was licensing or label issues that have contributed to the delay, because Savage hasn’t exactly been idle in the interim, curating two different compilations for Domino, 2008’s Dreams Come True: Classic First Wave Electro 1982-87 and 2010’s Black Hole: Jon Savage presents Californian Punk 1977-80.

Few people are better qualified to present an audio overview of the post-punk era than Savage, who was on the frontline, so to speak, as a star writer at Sounds and then Melody Maker in the late 1970s and early 80s. His most recent book is 2007’s Teenage: The Creation of Youth 1875-1945, but he remains best known for England’s Dreaming, his forensic study of the Sex Pistols and punk, published in 1991 and a true landmark of music and cultural criticism.

Fame‘s final, 23-strong tracklist has yet to be announced, but we do know that it’s an interesting, authoritative mix of the familiar and the obscure, including contributions from Wire, DNA, The Urinals, File Under Pop, Joy Division, Noh Mercy, Judy Nylon, The Subway Sect, Pere Ubu, Chrome and This Heat. It’s released by Caroline True Records on March 26 on digital and highly limited (500 copies only) double-gatefold coloured vinyl with digital drop-card, and a free 7″ with the first 50 pieces.

Savage will be launching the vinyl edition at midday in London’s Rough Trade East on Saturday 24 March – signing copies and playing an in-store DJ set. That evening he’ll play a lengthier set at the nearby 93 Feet East club. More information here.