The Partisans (band)

Last updated

The Partisans
Origin Bridgend, Wales, UK
Genres Punk rock, hardcore punk
Years active1978–1984, late 1990s–present
Labelsse
MembersRob "Spike" Harrington
Andy Lealand
Magnus Neundorff
Charlie Claesson
Past membersPhil Stanton
Mark "Shark" Harris
Mark "Savage" Parsons
Louise Wright
Dave Parsons
Mikael "Gustav" Gustavsson

The Partisans are a Welsh punk rock band formed in Bridgend, South Wales, in early 1978, when all four members were in their early teens. They continued until 1984, having several hits on the UK Indie Chart. The band re-formed in the late 1990s.

Contents

History

The band formed in early 1978, with an original line-up of Phil Stanton (vocals), Rob "Spike" Harrington (guitar and vocals), Andy Lealand (guitar), Mark "Shark" Harris (drums), and Mark "Savage" Parsons (bass guitar). [1] Parsons and Stanton left in 1979, with Harrington moving to lead vocals, and Lealand's girlfriend Louise Wright joining on bass. [1]

Influenced by Sex Pistols, The Clash, and The Ramones, the band started off covering punk rock hits and soon started to compose their own material. They were the second band signed to Chris Berry's No Future Records label, and their debut release, the double A-sided "Police Story" / "Killing Machine" was released on 28 September 1981. It reached No. 5 on the UK Indie Chart, on the back of a tour with label-mates Blitz, and with strong support from Sounds writer Garry Bushell. [1] Following the success of this single, The Partisans were included on the third volume of Bushell's Oi! compilation series Carry On Oi!, which reached No. 60 on the UK Albums Chart, [2] and won the band gig slots with Blitz, Peter and the Test Tube Babies and The Ejected, as well as a 'No Future' night at London's Zig Zag Club with Red Alert, The Lombardos, and Peter and the Test Tube Babies.

The band released its second single, "17 Years of Hell", on 27 May 1982, peaking at No. 2 on the Indie Chart. [3] This was followed by their self-titled debut LP, released in February 1983. It hit No. 5 in the Indie Chart and No. 1 in the Punk Chart,[ which? ] amid considerable critical acclaim from the national press and the underground fanzine culture.[ citation needed ]

After the departure of Louise Wright, the remaining members relocated to Bayswater in west London, with new bassist Dave Parsons to relaunch the band. Their next release was the three-track Blind Ambition EP on Cloak & Dagger Records, which peaked at No. 23 on the Indie Chart, and got played on BBC Radio 1. The LP, Time Was Right, followed in 1984, described as "The Professionals meets The Clash," and reaching No. 20 in the Indie Chart. The album featured live recordings from a gig at the Brixton Ace, at which The Partisans supported Anthrax, Lost Cherrees, Conflict and others.

The band split up in 1984. Dave Parsons later found chart success with Transvision Vamp and, even later, having global success with Bush. Lealand moved to Scandinavia. He and Harrington recorded one more session in late 1989 for Link Records under the name Agent Orange including Lealand's then partner Iggi. [1] In the late 1990s, Lealand and Harrington reformed the band along with two of Lealand's Swedish friends, Magnus Neundorff and Mikael "Gustav" Gustavsson. The band signed to American label TKO who issued the "So Neat" single in 2001, followed by a new album in 2004, Idiot Nation on Dr. Strange. [1]

In 2006, the band toured the UK with fellow Welsh hardcore punk band Picture Frame Seduction and played the Berlin festival Punk n' Disorderly in 2007. No further plans are being made to play live, although on 27 November 2015 they opened for Italian glam rock band, Giuda, at Orion, a rock venue in Ciampino, a small town near Rome. The band will also be opening for American experimental rock band The Garden for two dates in London in June 2024.

Discography

Chart placings shown are from the UK Indie Chart. [3]

Singles

Albums

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Romantic</span> 1970s popular culture movement originating in the UK

New Romantic was an underground subculture movement that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The movement emerged from the nightclub scene in London and Birmingham at venues such as Billy's and The Blitz. The New Romantic movement was characterised by flamboyant, eccentric fashion inspired by fashion boutiques such as Kahn and Bell in Birmingham and PX in London. Early adherents of the movement were often referred to by the press by such names as Blitz Kids, New Dandies and Romantic Rebels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slaughter & the Dogs</span> English punk rock band

Slaughter and the Dogs are an English punk rock band formed in 1975 in Wythenshawe, Manchester. Their original line-up consisted of singer Wayne Barrett McGrath, rhythm guitar Mick Rossi, drummer Brian "Mad Muffet" Grantham, lead guitarist Mike Day and bassist Howard Bates.

Popular music of the United Kingdom in the 1980s built on the post-punk and new wave movements, incorporating different sources of inspiration from subgenres and what is now classed as world music in the shape of Jamaican and Indian music. It also explored the consequences of new technology and social change in the electronic music of synthpop. In the early years of the decade, while subgenres like heavy metal music continued to develop separately, there was a considerable crossover between rock and more commercial popular music, with a large number of more "serious" bands, like The Police and UB40, enjoying considerable single chart success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toy Dolls</span> English punk rock band

Toy Dolls are an English punk rock band formed in 1979. Departing from the angry lyrics and music often associated with punk rock, the Toy Dolls worked within the aesthetics of punk to express a sense of fun, with songs such as "Yul Brynner Was a Skinhead", "My Girlfriend's Dad's a Vicar" and "James Bond Lives Down Our Street". There is often alliteration in their song titles. They are probably best known however for their sole UK hit, a punk-rock cover of "Nellie the Elephant".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British rock music</span> Rock music from the United Kingdom

British rock describes a wide variety of forms of music made in the United Kingdom. Since around 1964, with the "British Invasion" of the United States spearheaded by the Beatles, British rock music has had a considerable impact on the development of American music and rock music across the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Lurkers</span>

The Lurkers are a British punk rock band from Uxbridge, West London. They are notable for being the first group ever on Beggars Banquet Records for whom they released two albums, the first of which charted in the UK Albums Chart, while five singles also charted in the UK Singles Chart.

The Blood are an English, London-based punk rock band, formed in 1982. Led by Cardinal Jesus Hate and JJ Bedsore, the band formed in the early 1980s under the name "Coming Blood". Their music is a blend of hardcore punk, Oi!, heavy metal, football chants and shock rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theatre of Hate</span> British post-punk band

Theatre of Hate are a British post-punk band formed in London, England, in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cock Sparrer</span> British punk rock band

Cock Sparrer is an English punk rock band formed in 1972 in the East End of London. Although they have never enjoyed commercial success, they helped pave the way for the early '80s punk scene and the Oi! subgenre. Their songs have been covered by many punk, Oi!, and hardcore punk bands.

Blitz were an English punk rock band from New Mills, Derbyshire, formed in 1980 which recorded several singles, EPs and albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Business (band)</span> English punk band

The Business were an English punk band formed in 1979 in Lewisham, South London, England. The band lasted for four decades until their frontman Micky Fitz died from cancer in December 2016.

Oi! is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The music and its associated subculture had the goal of bringing together punks, skinheads, and other disaffected working-class youth. The movement was partly a response to the perception that many participants in the early punk rock scene were, in the words of The Business guitarist Steve Kent, "trendy university people using long words, trying to be artistic... and losing touch."

The Ejected were an English punk rock/Oi! band from Dagenham, London, active mainly between 1981 and 1983.

Captain Oi! Records is a punk rock and Oi! record label based in High Wycombe, England. The company has released over 300 albums by many notable punk and Oi! bands of the late 1970s and 1980s. The label was set up by Mark Brennan, former bassist of The Business, who had previously co-run Link Records and the Dojo subsidiary of Castle Records. Brennan's inspiration had been Ace Records, with Captain Oi! targeted at being "the Ace Records of retro punk rock", reissuing material by classic punk bands.

One Way System are an English punk rock band formed in the Fleetwood, Lancashire, in 1979.

The Outcasts are a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland, formed in 1977.

The Wall were a punk rock band formed in Sunderland, England, in early 1978. They have released two studio albums.

Red Alert are аn English punk/oi!-band, formed in Sunderland, England, in May 1979. The group released five EPs and a studio album, and appeared on numerous compilations, including Punk And Disorderly and Carry On Oi!. Three of the band's releases reached the Top 30 in the UK Indie Chart. Red Alert broke up in 1984, reformed five years later and continued touring and recording.

Major Accident is a punk band from the North East of England.

An independent record label is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented by trade associations in their country or region, which in turn are represented by the international trade body, the Worldwide Independent Network (WIN).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Glasper, Ian (2004). Burning Britain: The History of Punk 1980-1984. Cherry Red Books. ISBN   1-901447-24-3.
  2. "carry on oi | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  3. 1 2 Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980-1999. Cherry Red Books. ISBN   0-9517206-9-4.
  4. "PARTISANS | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 11 June 2020.