Cockney Rejects
"Freedom? There ain't no fucking freedom!". With that
simple statement the Cockney Rejects assault on the eardrums of
the world was launched with Police Car from their debut Flares 'n'
Slippers EP released by the independent Small Wonder label in June
1979.
Formed by London East End brothers Stinky Turner (vocals) and
Micky Geggus (guitar) the line-up for the debut EP also included
bassist Chris Murrel and drummer Paul Harvey, although both left
after the single's release to be replaced by Vince Riordan (bass)
and Andy Scott (drums).
Gaining a manager in the shape of Sounds journalist Gary
Bushell, the band signed to EMI in late 1979 and released the
single I'm Not A Fool, which managed to hit the dizzying heights
of Number 65 in the UK charts. The band followed this with Bad Man
(ironically, another Number 65) and a debut LP, cheekily titled
Greatest Hits Vol 1 (which reached Number 22 in March 1980).
The Rejects were a great singles band who provided a breath of
fresh air for punk fans who weren't taken with
Crass or the art
school direction much punk music had taken. Accordingly, they
quickly built a loyal following attracted by the band's football
terrace-style songs with their chants and sing-along choruses.
Indeed the band's allegiance to their beloved West Ham United
often led to violence at their gigs, but didn't stop their records
selling by the bucket load, as the single The Greatest Cockney
Rip-off proved by reaching Number 21 in the national charts,
earning the band their first appearance on Top Of The Pops (where
they allegedly attacked Mod band The
Lambrettas, and made lewd
advances to the show's female dancers).
They appeared on the show again when I'm Forever Blowing
Bubbles (the anthem of West Ham supporters) got to Number 35 in
the charts. The follow-up single, We Can Do Anything, earned the
band their third Number 65 hit, though their second LP, Greatest
Hits Vol. 2 (featuring new drummer Nigel Wolf) shot to Number 23
in the UK charts in October 1980. Like Oi!'s answer to
Slade, the
Rejects made Top Of The Pops
fun again!
At the beginning of 1981, the band replaced Wolf with ex-Angelic Upstarts drummer Sticks. The band were also involved at
this time in a conflict with their new manager Tony Gordon, and
uncertainty about the future of the band led EMI to rush-release
the live Greatest Hits Vol. 3 LP and the single Easy
Life. The
releases flopped.
With legal and managerial problems resolved, the Rejects
recorded their fourth LP, Power & The Glory, which showcased
their determination to pursue a more traditional rock-based
direction, as the single On The Streets Again demonstrated. With
neither record charting though, EMI dumped the band.
The band continued to follow their heavy rock leanings,
releasing three albums (The Wild Ones, Quiet Storm and
Lethal),
though none of the records achieved anywhere near the success of
their previous releases. Nevertheless, the Cockney Rejects' six
hit singles and three hit albums well-and-truly earned them their
place in the punk hall of fame.
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