(* as part of Generation X )
Chart entered : 17 September 1977
Chart peak : 36
Number of hits : Billy 20 ( 6 with Generation X, 14 solo ), Tony 14 ( 6 with Generation X, 5 with Sigue Sigue Sputnik, 2 with Sisters of Mercy, 1 with Carbon/Silicon ) Bob 10 ( 5 with Generation X, 5 with Westworld )
Tough luck on drummer Mark Laff on the left who was the only one in this line up not to have subsequent success on leaving the band.
Like The Clash Generation X had its roots in London SS. Bassist Tony James ( born 1953 ) was a maths student at Brunel University when he joined the band in 1975. The following year he and drummer John Towe quit to join another early punk band Chelsea with singer Gene October and 20 year old guitarist and pretty boy William Broad a former English student at Sussex University. He was a prominent member of the so-called "Bromley Contingent" of Pistols fans.
After just a handful of gigs the other three decided to desert October and form their own band naming themelves Generation X after a sociology textbook ( ironically a study of mods in the 60s ) owned by William's mum. William changed his name to Billy Idol and decided to be the singer. He was replaced on guitar by 17 year old guitarist Bob "Derwood" Andrews who moved over from a band called Paradox. They were the first band to play at The Roxy ( ironically set up as a punk venue by October ) in December 1976. Towe was replaced by Mark Laff before they got their record deal with Chrysalis in the summer of 1977.
" Your Generation" was their first single. I never thought much of them; they had the sound and look but not the songs and hearing "Your Generation " again does nothing to change my opinion. Written by Billy and Tony it's all posture and no substance, the lyrics a disconnected set of vaguely threatening slogans couched in tell-tale middle class politeness - "Might take a bit of violence", "Actions are rather hard to place" . They run out of ideas half way through and repeat the whole lyric a second time. Billy does a passable Joe Strummer impersonation and Bob runs through the requisite punk shapes until he forgets where he is and starts playing a few bars of Paranoid in the middle eight and coda. There's no real tune to be found . I don't know if it was directly aimed at Townsend but I doubt he'd have lost any sleep if it were.
I got a bit confused at first and thought it was the Bob Andrews of Brinsley Schwarz/Graham Parker and the Rumour (plus the distinctive piano on Nick Lowe's "I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass") mild fame. Alas not, which is a shame, as either Parker or Lowe would be at least x10 more appealing than this mob of lower league punk chancers.
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ReplyDeleteExtra comment to note that mention of Carbon/Silicon is the first sighting of a band that I've actually seen in person - Manchester Academy 3, Spring 2005 (though I have been to a Paul Weller gig).
ReplyDeleteThey weren't very good and I think most of us weren't happy that Tony James' more famous bandmate wouldn't play any songs by his old band (by which, I don't mean Big Audio Dynamite).
Mmmm. I think it's perilous to expect that anyone with new material to promote is going to be very interested in revisiting the classics from a previous incarnation but then again I'm sure you're right in thinking that's what the bulk of the audience came for that night.
ReplyDeleteI personally wasn't expecting much (I was only there to accompany my then girlfriend), but the bunch of lager-ed up middle aged punk relics were certainly left wanting. As I remember, the gig wasn't exactly cheap (I think a "new" band promoting totally original material would have had to charge half the price to pull a crowd) and I think the odd concession to the past would have gone a long way.
ReplyDeleteBut excuse my ramblings!