Gene October

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October with Chelsea in 2006 Chelsea2.jpg
October with Chelsea in 2006

Gene October (born John O'Hara; 19 June 1953) [1] , is a British singer and songwriter who was a formative figure in London's punk rock movement in the late 1970s, fronting the band Chelsea. [2]

Contents

Music career

Prior to becoming involved in the punk movement, October had modelled clothing for designer Antony Price and appeared as a nude model for Jeffrey Magazine, an early British gay publication. October is gay. [3] He was employed at Acme Attractions, a clothing store on King's Road, Chelsea, London. [4]

October is the singer/frontman of the original London band Chelsea, which formed in late 1976 after October placed an ad in the Melody Maker . Chelsea also featured Billy Idol on guitar and Tony James on bass. [5] The band made their live debut on 18 October 1976 supporting Throbbing Gristle at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts. [1]

The band's repertoire at this time consisted primarily of cover versions of 1960s songs by the Beatles and Rolling Stones, but they broke up after only a few weeks and a handful of live performances due to a clash of personalities. Idol, James, and drummer John Towe left October onstage during a live gig, eventually forming Generation X. [6] In early 1977, October assembled a new line-up of Chelsea, which released numerous records and sustained many personnel changes.

Later, he briefly managed a club named Revolution No.9 and was employed as an A&R man for Miles Copeland III's I.R.S. Records. From the mid-1980s to the 1990s, he was a solo artist, releasing two singles and a 1995 album titled Life and Struggle. Since 1999, he has intermittently recorded and toured with Chelsea, including their 40th anniversary tour in 2016. [7]

October also acted in two films produced and directed by Derek Jarman. In Jubilee , he played the character Happy Days, and in Caravaggio , he appeared as a fruit-eating model.

Solo artist discography

Albums

Singles

References

  1. 1 2 Linazasoro, Nick (10 April 2022). "Chelsea play Brighton at The Prince Albert". Brighton and Hove News. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  2. ↑ 'Gene October - a fighter who's in it for the long haul', Mid Sussex Times , 12 May 2016.
  3. ↑ Marko, Paul (15 October 2007). The Roxy London WC2: A Punk History. Yeovil: Punk 77 Books. p. 42. ISBN   9780955658303.
  4. ↑ Tyler, Kieron (10 December 2023). "Music Reissues Weekly: Chelsea - The Step-Forward Years". TheArtsDesk.com. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  5. ↑ Dancing with Myself, Billy Idol, Simon & Schuster, 2014
  6. ↑ Interview with Tony James, 'Generation X Anthology', April 2012.
  7. ↑ "REVIEW: Gene October – a fighter who's in it for the long haul". Midsussextimes.co.uk. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
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