Masters of the Backside
Encyclopedia
Masters of the Backside was an early British
punk rock
group. They never released a recording or performed beyond practice sessions, but the group's members went on to greater success: Chrissie Hynde
later fronted The Pretenders
, and Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible
, and Rat Scabies
all became founding members of The Damned. Dave Zero was the only other member.
The band was managed by future Sex Pistols
manager Malcolm McLaren
, who wanted to create a band with the musical sound of The Ramones and the style of former Television
member Richard Hell
, both of whom he had seen perform at CBGB
.
They broke up before playing live or recording any material after the members became tired of McLaren's need to control their activity. McLaren had more success with his second band, the Sex Pistols, and Hynde eventually joined the Pretenders while Vanian, Sensible, and Scabies teamed up with former London SS
member Brian James to form The Damned.
Masters of the Backside has since gone on to attain semi-legendary status among the punk community alongside bands like the London SS
, The Flowers of Romance
, and The Subterraneans.
It is unclear when the band began using the name "Masters Of The Backside" as The Damned acknowledge many of their members first performed together in a group with Hynde but they refer to the project as being unnamed.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
group. They never released a recording or performed beyond practice sessions, but the group's members went on to greater success: Chrissie Hynde
Chrissie Hynde
Christine Ellen "Chrissie" Hynde is an US musician best known as the leader of the rock/new wave band the Pretenders. She is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.-Early life and career:Hynde is the daughter of a part-time...
later fronted The Pretenders
The Pretenders
The Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
, and Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible
Captain Sensible
Captain Sensible is a singer, songwriter, guitarist who grew up in Croydon, England, and co-founded the punk rock band The Damned in 1976. After leaving the band, he reinvented himself as an alternative pop singer with a rebellious, self-conscious image...
, and Rat Scabies
Rat Scabies
Christopher Millar , better known by his stage name Rat Scabies, is a musician best known for his tenure as the drummer for The Damned....
all became founding members of The Damned. Dave Zero was the only other member.
The band was managed by future Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
manager Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm McLaren
Malcolm Robert Andrew McLaren was an English performer, impresario, self-publicist and manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls...
, who wanted to create a band with the musical sound of The Ramones and the style of former Television
Television (band)
Television was an American rock band, formed in New York City in 1973. They are best known for the album Marquee Moon and widely regarded as one of the founders of "punk" and New Wave music. Television was part of the early 1970s New York underground rock scene, along with bands like the Patti...
member Richard Hell
Richard Hell
Richard Hell is a singer, songwriter, bass guitarist, and writer.Richard Hell was an innovator of punk music and fashion. He was one of the first to spike his hair and wear torn, cut and drawn-on shirts, often held together with safety pins...
, both of whom he had seen perform at CBGB
CBGB
CBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...
.
They broke up before playing live or recording any material after the members became tired of McLaren's need to control their activity. McLaren had more success with his second band, the Sex Pistols, and Hynde eventually joined the Pretenders while Vanian, Sensible, and Scabies teamed up with former London SS
London SS
London SS were an early British punk rock group founded in March 1975 by guitarist Mick Jones and bassist Tony James.The band spent most of their short history auditioning potential members. Besides Jones and James, however, guitarist Brian James was the only other semi-permanent member...
member Brian James to form The Damned.
Masters of the Backside has since gone on to attain semi-legendary status among the punk community alongside bands like the London SS
London SS
London SS were an early British punk rock group founded in March 1975 by guitarist Mick Jones and bassist Tony James.The band spent most of their short history auditioning potential members. Besides Jones and James, however, guitarist Brian James was the only other semi-permanent member...
, The Flowers of Romance
The Flowers of Romance (band)
The Flowers of Romance were an early punk band, formed in mid-1976 by Jo Faull and Sarah Hall. The band never played live or released any recordings, and, like London SS and Masters of the Backside, are more famed for the number of band members that later became well known, including: Sid Vicious...
, and The Subterraneans.
It is unclear when the band began using the name "Masters Of The Backside" as The Damned acknowledge many of their members first performed together in a group with Hynde but they refer to the project as being unnamed.