The Professionals (band)

Last updated

The Professionals
The-professionals.jpg
Background information
OriginLondon, England
Genres Punk rock
Years active1979–1982 · 2015–2024
Spinoff of Sex Pistols, Subway Sect, Lightning Raiders, Chequered Past, Chiefs of Relief, Wild Crash 500, Fantasy 7, Hank Dogs, Neurotic Outsiders, Zilch, The Fallen Leaves, Man Raze, Diane Lane
Past members Paul Cook
Tom Spencer
Dean Croney
Marc Hayward
Chris McCormack
Toshi JC Ogawa
Steve Jones
Andy Allan
Ray McVeigh
Paul Myers
Website Official website

The Professionals were an English punk rock band active from 1979 to early 1982 and again from 2015 to 2024. They were formed by ex-Sex Pistols members Steve Jones and Paul Cook after that band's demise. [1] The Professionals split in 1982, before reforming in 2015 under the leadership of Cook.

Contents

Biography

1979–1980: Formation and recording of debut album

The Professionals were formed in 1979 by guitarist Steve Jones and drummer Paul Cook, both formerly of the Sex Pistols. In the previous year, Johnny Rotten had left the Sex Pistols, and both Cook and Jones had sung lead for the late Sex Pistols recordings "Silly Thing" and "Lonely Boy". [2] For these recordings, Lightning Raiders bassist Andy Allan was employed as a session musician. After the Sex Pistols officially split and broke ties with manager Malcolm McLaren, the line-up of Cook, Jones and Allan formed the Professionals and signed with Virgin Records, the same label as the Sex Pistols. The band were first managed by Dave Hill, who had managed Johnny Thunders and was managing the Pretenders. [3]

In July 1980, the Professionals released their first single, "Just Another Dream", [4] [5] [6] which also included a video promo. The release was followed by a second single "1-2-3" in October, [6] [7] [8] which reached No. 43 in the UK Singles Charts. Shortly after the second single's release, Cook and Jones had plans to release the band's debut self-titled album that same year. [9] However, legal problems followed as Allan had no recording contract with Virgin and sued the record company, claiming that he had been neither credited nor paid by them. Consequently, Virgin's compilation album Cash Cows, which featured the Professionals' track "Kick Down the Doors", was withdrawn and the album was shelved. [10] [11] After Allan left the band, he was replaced by ex-Subway Sect bassist Paul Myers, with Ray McVeigh also joining the band as a second guitarist. [6] The new line-up of the Professionals later re-recorded previous material so that Allan would not be owed any further royalties, but their debut album would remain unreleased until 1981. The band recorded radio sessions for John Peel's Radio 1, which aired on 10 November 1980, to promote the planned release of the single "Join the Professionals" that same month. [12] [6]

1981–1982: I Didn't See It Coming and break-up

Due to difficulties in finding a producer, the release of "Join the Professionals" was repeatedly delayed until June 1981. [13] [14] Manager Hill left soon afterwards to focus on the Pretenders, and John Curd was chosen as his replacement. The band recorded further sessions with BBC, this time for The Evening Show with Mike Read on 15 December 1981. [6] The band's first album release, I Didn't See It Coming , was produced by Nigel Gray and released in November 1981. [15] The album was supported by UK and U.S. tour dates, and the release of the single "The Magnificent". [6] [16] [17] The band's American tour was cut short when Cook, Myers, and McVeigh were injured in a car accident. [18] [19] The Professionals returned to America in the spring of 1982 after a hiatus for recovery, but Jones' and Myers' drug problems further hampered the band's prospects, and eventually the band split-up that same year. [20] [21]

Later that year, "Join the Professionals" was featured in the movie Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains along with three other songs written by Cook and Jones, "Conned Again", "La La La", and "Don't Blow It All the Way". [22] The pair along with The Clash bassist Paul Simonon and actor Ray Winstone appeared in the movie as the band the Looters.

2015–2024: Reunion and new albums

In celebration of the release of a three-disc set (The Complete Professionals) by Universal Music Group on 16 October 2015, the Professionals, with Tom Spencer filling in for Steve Jones, reunited for a concert at the 100 Club. [23] [24] This reunion also included a warm-up gig at the Fleece in Bristol three days prior to the main show. [25] The band returned to the capital in June 2016 for a co-headline performance with the Rich Kids at the Islington Academy. [26]

In March 2017, the band announced via their official Facebook page that the lineup of founding member Paul Cook along with Paul Myers and Tom Spencer would be releasing the first new music under the Professionals name in 35 years. Although Steve Jones isn't officially listed as a member of this new incarnation of the group, the band confirmed it is with his full blessing and that he is featured on the album alongside other guests including Marco Pirroni and Billy Duffy. [27]

2018 saw some UK live appearances of the band, like the Rebellion and Isle of Wight Festivals. Chris McCormack (3 Colours Red) took on guitar duties. Also, during this year, original bass player Paul Myers had to step aside for health reasons. Toshi JC Ogawa, the band's tech guy, stepped in as bass player. They supported Billy Idol on his English dates.

In 2023, Chris McCormack and Toshi JC Ogawa left the band and was replaced by Dean Croney and Marc Hayward.

Legacy

A best-of album was eventually released in 2005, containing material from their one album, four singles, and the album's-worth of demos recorded with Andy Allan. Ten years later, the compilation was expanded further with the release of The Complete Professionals, which features all of their studio tracks, alternate recordings, and radio sessions.

Their song "Join the Professionals" was covered by the Epoxies.

Discography

Studio albums

Live album

EPs

Compilations

Personnel

Former

See also

Related Research Articles

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

The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became one of the most culturally influential acts in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspired many later punk, post-punk and alternative rock musicians, while their clothing and hairstyles were a significant influence on the early punk image.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public Image Ltd</span> English rock band

Public Image Ltd are an English post-punk band formed by lead vocalist John Lydon, guitarist Keith Levene, bassist Jah Wobble, and drummer Jim Walker in May 1978. The group's line-up has changed frequently over the years; Lydon has been the sole constant member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glen Matlock</span> English musician (born 1956)

Glen Matlock is an English musician, best known for being the bass guitarist in the original line-up of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He is credited as a songwriter on 10 of the 12 songs on the Sex Pistols' only officially released studio album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, although he had left the band early in the recording process, credited as bassist and backing vocalist on only one song on the album, "Anarchy in the U.K.". However, on the bootleg album Spunk, Matlock played bass on all the songs, which included earlier studio recordings of 10 of the 12 songs that later appeared on the Bollocks album.

<i>Never Mind the Bollocks, Heres the Sex Pistols</i> 1977 studio album by Sex Pistols

Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols is the only studio album by English punk rock band the Sex Pistols, released on 28 October 1977 through Virgin Records in the UK and on 11 November 1977 through Warner Bros. Records in the US. As a result of the Sex Pistols' volatile internal relationships, the band's lineup saw changes during the recording of the album. Original bass guitarist Glen Matlock left the band early in the recording process, and while he is credited as a co-writer on all but two of the tracks, he only played bass and sang backing vocals on one track, "Anarchy in the U.K." Recording sessions continued with a new bass player, Sid Vicious, who is credited on two of the songs written by the band after he joined. While Vicious's bass playing appeared on two tracks, his lack of skill on the instrument meant that many of the tracks were recorded with guitarist Steve Jones playing bass instead. Drummer Paul Cook, Jones and singer Johnny Rotten appear on every track. The various recording sessions were led alternately by Chris Thomas or Bill Price, and sometimes both together, but as the songs on the final albums often combined mixes from different sessions, or were poorly documented who was present in the recording booth at the time, each song is jointly credited to both producers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anarchy in the U.K.</span> 1976 single by Sex Pistols

"Anarchy in the U.K." is a song by English punk rock band the Sex Pistols. It was released as the band's debut single on 26 November 1976 and was later featured on their album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols. "Anarchy in the U.K." was number 56 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Jones (musician)</span> English guitarist

Stephen Philip Jones is an English guitarist, best known as a member of the punk band Sex Pistols. Following the split of the Sex Pistols, he formed the Professionals with former bandmate Paul Cook. He has released two solo albums, and worked with Johnny Thunders, Iggy Pop, Cheap Trick, Bob Dylan and Thin Lizzy. In 1995, he formed the short-lived supergroup Neurotic Outsiders with members of Guns N' Roses and Duran Duran. He played with Suicidal Tendencies frontman Mike Muir's Cyco Miko, which is still an ongoing project. Jones was ranked #97 in Rolling Stone's 2015 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich Kids</span> English new wave band

Rich Kids were a short-lived new wave band from London, founded in 1977 by Glen Matlock following his departure from the Sex Pistols. The band also included teenage guitarist Steve New, former Slik and future Ultravox member Midge Ure and Rusty Egan, who both later founded Visage together. They released one album and three singles during their existence, from March 1977 to December 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somethin' Else (song)</span> 1959 single by Eddie Cochran

"Somethin' Else" is a song by the rockabilly musician Eddie Cochran, co-written by his girlfriend Sharon Sheeley and his elder brother Bob Cochran, and released in 1959. It has been covered by a wide range of artists, including Johnny Hallyday, Led Zeppelin, and the Sex Pistols.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No One Is Innocent (song)</span> 1978 single by Sex Pistols

"No One Is Innocent" was the fifth single by the British punk rock band the Sex Pistols. It was released on 30 June 1978. The Pistols had split up early in 1978, losing bassist Sid Vicious and original lead vocalist Johnny Rotten. "No One Is Innocent" was recorded by remaining members Paul Cook and Steve Jones, with vocals performed by Ronnie Biggs, a British criminal notorious for his part in the Great Train Robbery of 1963. At the time of "No One Is Innocent" Biggs was living in Brazil, still wanted by the British authorities, but immune from extradition. The song was credited to Jones and Biggs.

<i>I Didnt See It Coming</i> 1981 studio album by The Professionals

I Didn't See It Coming is the debut album by punk rock band the Professionals. It was first released by Virgin Records in November 1981. On June 14, 2001, Virgin/EMI released a CD edition of the album, appending six tracks previously released as singles and two songs recorded for the mooted The Professionals album.

<i>The Professionals</i> (The Professionals album) 1997 studio album by The Professionals

The Professionals is the second album of the rock band the Professionals, released in 1997. Recorded as their debut album and scheduled for release in 1980 by Virgin Records, a legal dispute with bassist Andy Allan over unpaid royalties led to the album being scrapped and re-recorded as I Didn't See It Coming.

The Sham Pistols were a short-lived punk rock supergroup composed of guitarist Steve Jones and drummer Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols, with vocalist Jimmy Pursey and bass player Dave Tregunna of Sham 69. Although now referred to as The Sham Pistols, no name had been decided upon at the time. There was a possibility that they may have been called the Sex Pistols.

<i>Spunk</i> (Sex Pistols bootleg album) 1977 demo album (bootleg) by Sex Pistols

Spunk is a bootleg demo album by the English punk rock band the Sex Pistols. It was originally released in the United Kingdom during September or October 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Kellie</span> English rock drummer (1947–2017)

Michael Alexander Kellie was an English musician, composer and record producer.

<i>Sex Pistols</i> (box set) 2002 box set by Sex Pistols

Sex Pistols is a box set anthology of the career of the punk band The Sex Pistols with singer Johnny Rotten. It was released on 3 June 2002. The set comprises three themed CDs and an 80-page booklet.

<i>Filthy Lucre Live</i> 1996 live album by Sex Pistols

Filthy Lucre Live is a 1996 live album by the reformed Sex Pistols. The album was recorded live at London's Finsbury Park on 23 June 1996 during the band's Filthy Lucre Tour. BBC Radio 1 broadcast the concert live, featuring the complete show, including the final encore of "No Fun". "No Fun" was not included on the standard edition of the album; however, it was included in as an exclusive bonus track on Filthy Lucre Live's release in Japan, making the EMI-released Japanese edition the only release to include the complete show in its entirety.

<i>Anarchy in the U.K: Live at the 76 Club</i> 1978 live album by Sex Pistols

Anarchy in the UK: Live at the 76 Club is a live album by the English punk rock band the Sex Pistols. It was recorded live at the 76 Club in Burton upon Trent. Prior to its formal release, the album had made its way around Sex Pistols fans as a bootleg, most commonly under the title Indecent Exposure in which form it was first issued in 1978, though the number of tracks included varies. In 2001 the album was remastered and re-released on Yeaah Records as "The 76 Club".

<i>The Great Rock n Roll Swindle</i> (album) 1979 soundtrack album by Sex Pistols

The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle is the soundtrack album of the film of the same name by the Sex Pistols.

Lightning Raiders were an English pub rock band, with Johnny Hodge being the most prominent member of the group. During their lifetime, they released two singles, an EP, and recorded an album that was not released until 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Cook</span> English drummer for the Sex Pistols

Paul Thomas Cook is an English drummer and musician. He is best known as the drummer and a founding member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols. He is nicknamed "Cookie" by friends in the punk music scene.

References

  1. ↑ "The Professionals (7)". Discogs. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  2. ↑ "Sex Pistols - Silly Thing / Who Killed Bambi". Discogs. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  3. ↑ "RAY McVEIGH in conversation with Phil Singleton November 2008". cookandjones.co.uk.
  4. ↑ "The Professionals (7) - Just Another Dream". Discogs. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "45cat - The Professionals - Just Another Dream / Action Man - Virgin - UK - VS 353". 45cat.com.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gimarc, George (2005). Punk Diary. ISBN   9780879308483.
  7. ↑ "The Professionals (7) - One Two Three". Discogs. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  8. ↑ "45cat - The Professionals - 1-2-3 / White Light, White Heat - Virgin - UK - VS 376". 45cat.com.
  9. ↑ "The Professionals (7) - The Professionals". Discogs. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  10. ↑ "Various - Cash Cows". Discogs. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  11. ↑ "Vinyl Album - Various Artists - Cash Cows - Virgin - UK". 45worlds.com.
  12. ↑ "BBC - Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - 03/11/1980 The Professionals". bbc.co.uk.
  13. ↑ "The Professionals (7) - Join The Professionals". Discogs. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  14. ↑ "45cat - The Professionals - Join The Professionals / Has Anybody Got An Alibi - Virgin - UK - VS 426". 45cat.com.
  15. ↑ "The Prague Post Online: Night & Day: Still Packing Heat". Praguepost.com. Retrieved 7 April 2008.
  16. ↑ "The Professionals (7) - The Magnificent". Discogs. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  17. ↑ "45cat - The Professionals - The Magnificent / Just Another Dream - Virgin - UK - VS 456". 45cat.com.
  18. ↑ "Paul Cook | New Music And Songs | MTV". Vh1.com. 20 July 1956. Archived from the original on 22 October 2004. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  19. ↑ "Paul Myers Interview 25th March 2007". plus.com.
  20. ↑ "Paul Myers Interview 25th March 2007". plus.com.
  21. ↑ Fortnampublished, Ian (13 December 2017). "The Professionals: "We didn't want to do this as a nostalgia trip"". louder. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  22. ↑ "Soundtracks for Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains (1982)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  23. ↑ "God Save The Sex Pistols - Paul Myers Interview 30th July 2015".
  24. ↑ "The Professionals: 100 Club". Louder Than War.
  25. ↑ Johnny H (28 October 2015). "The Professionals / dragSTER / Healthy Junkies - Bristol, The Fleece - 13th October 2015". Über Röck. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  26. ↑ "Gig Junkies » Blog Archive » Rich Kids + The Professionals, o2 Islington Academy, London – 23 June 2016". www.gigjunkies.com. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  27. ↑ "The Professionals". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.