Ruefrex, originally called Roofwrecks, were a 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...

 band from Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

, Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

, formed in in 1977.

History

The band was formed in 1977 by Paul Burgess and Tom Coulter at the Boys Model School in Belfast, Coulter originally acting as vocalist but sticking to bass when Ivan Kelly joined. Kelly left in 1979 to join The Wall

The Wall (band)

The Wall were a punk rock band formed in Wallsend, Sunderland, England, in early 1978. They released two albums while together.-History:Formed in early 1978, the initial line-up was Ian Lowery , Andzy Griffiths , John Hammond , and Bruce Archibald , and this line-up recorded the band's debut...

, and was replaced by Allan Clarke. By the time of their first release, "One By One" on Terri Hooley

Terri Hooley

Terri Hooley, Godfather of the Belfast punk scene and the first person to win the Oh Yeah Legend Award in 2008. Hooley has received many awards throughout the world, his first was The Irish Music Industry Award 1994, Belfast caught up in 2008 when he received several awards in his native city...

's Good Vibrations

Good Vibrations (record label)

Good Vibrations is a Belfast record label and store. Founded by Terri Hooley in the early 1970’s, Good Vibrations started out in a small derelict building on Great Victoria Street, Belfast...

 label, they had also been joined by guitarist Jackie Forgie. They had two hits on the UK Independent Chart, "Capital Letters", which reached number 31, and "Wild Colonial Boy" which reached number 46.

They were notable for their anti-sectarian

Sectarianism

Sectarianism, according to one definition, is bigotry, discrimination or hatred arising from attaching importance to perceived differences between subdivisions within a group, such as between different denominations of a religion, class, regional or factions of a political movement.The ideological...

 stance at a time when the Troubles

The Troubles

The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...

 were at their height in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

. A later line-up of the band featured Gordy Blair

Gordon Blair

Gordon Blair is a Northern Irish musician, usually known as Gordy Blair.Blair started off his musical career as bass guitarist for Highway Star, the band that was to become Stiff Little Fingers. In 1976 he joined Belfast punk band Rudi, with whom he stayed for three years...

 who also performed with Highway Star, the band that was to become Stiff Little Fingers

Stiff Little Fingers

Stiff Little Fingers are a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. They formed in 1977, at the height of the Troubles. They started out as a schoolboy band called Highway Star , doing rock covers, until they discovered punk. They split up after six years and four albums, although they...

. In 1976 he joined Belfast punk band Rudi

Rudi

Rudi were a punk rock/power pop band from Belfast, Northern Ireland formed in 1975.-History:Rudi formed in 1975 as a covers band with members Brian Young, Ronnie Matthews, Graham Marshall, Leigh Carson and Gordon Blair, playing rock 'n' roll and glam rock hits. The band's name was taken from a...

. Forgie joined Colenso Parade

Colenso Parade

Colenso Parade were an alternative rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland formed in 1984. Taking their name from a street in the Stranmillis area of their native city, the original line-up was Oscar Askin , Linda Clandinning , Neil Lawson , Jackie Forgie and Robert Wakeman...

 and later formed the Black Taxi Ballads.

One By One (EP)

Recorded at Wizard Studio's, Belfast. Released: Good Vibrations [GOT 8] 1979.

Tracks:

1. One by One
2. Cross the Line
3. Don't Panic

Line Up:

• Alan Clarke - Vocals
• Jackie Forgie - Guitar
• Tom Coulter - Bass
• Paul Burgess - Drums

Capital Letters/April Fool (7 inch)

Recorded at Downtown Radio

Downtown Radio

Downtown Radio is an Adult Contemporary music radio station based in Newtownards, County Down, that serves all of Northern Ireland using a network of FM and AM transmitters.- History :...

 Studio, Newtownards

Newtownards

Newtownards is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. Newtownards is the largest town in the Borough of Ards. According to the 2001 Census, it has a population of 27,821 people in...

. (Taken from Downtown Radio session master March 1980) Released: Kabuki Records [KAR 7] 1983.

Line Up:

• Alan Clarke - Vocals
• Jackie Forgie - Guitar
• Tom Coulter - Bass
• Paul Burgess - Drums

Paid In Kind/Perfect Crime (7 inch)

Released: One to One Records [1X1] 1984. Produced, Engineered and Directed by Ruefrex and Keith McCormick. Recorded at Unknown. ('The Perfect Crime' from Downtown Radio session, March 1980)

Line Up:

• Alan Clarke - Vocals
• Gary Ferris - Guitar
• Tom Coulter - Bass
• Paul Burgess - Drums

Wild Colonial Boy (Parts 1 and 2) (7 inch)

Recorded at Unknown. Produced by Hugh Matier with Ruefrex. Released: Kasper [KAT 1] 1985.

Line Up:

• Alan Clarke - Vocals
• Jackie Forgie - Guitar
• Gary Ferris - Guitar
• Tom Coulter - Bass
• Paul Burgess - Drums

Wild Colonial Boy/Even In The Dark Hours (7 inch)

Recorded at Unknown. Produced by Mick Glossop.

Released: Kasper [KAS 3] 1986.

Line Up:

• Alan Clarke - Vocals
• Jackie Forgie - Guitar
• Gary Ferris - Guitar
• Gordy Blair
  Gordon Blair
  Gordon Blair is a Northern Irish musician, usually known as Gordy Blair.Blair started off his musical career as bass guitarist for Highway Star, the band that was to become Stiff Little Fingers. In 1976 he joined Belfast punk band Rudi, with whom he stayed for three years...
  
   - Bass
• Paul Burgess - Drums

In The Traps/Lenders Of The Last Resort (7 inch)

Recorded at Unknown. Produced by Mick Glossop. Released: Kasper [KAS 3] 1986.

Line Up:

• Alan Clarke - Vocals
• Jackie Forgie - Guitar
• Gary Ferris - Guitar
• Gordy Blair - Bass
• Paul Burgess - Drums

Wild Colonial Boy (Extended Version)/Even In The Dark Hours (12 inch)

Released: Kasper [12KAS 2] 1985.

Line Up:

• Alan Clarke - Vocals
• Jackie Forgie - Guitar
• Gary Ferris - Guitar
• Gordy Blair - Bass
• Paul Burgess - Drums

In The Traps/Lenders Of The Last Resort (12 inch)

Recorded at Unknown. Produced by Mick Glossop. Released: Kasper Records [12KAS3] 1986.

Line Up:

• Alan Clarke - Vocals
• Jackie Forgie - Guitar
• Gary Ferris - Guitar
• Gordy Blair - Bass
• Paul Burgess - Drums

Flowers For All Occasions (LP)

Recorded at Music Works, London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, N7

N7

N7 may refer to:* N°7 is the seventh studio album by the Lebanese female singer Nancy Ajram* N°7, a shortening for Number Seven* N7 , with Cliff Parisi as Alvin * N7, a postcode district in the N postcode area* London Buses route N7...

. (16th - 29th Oct 1985)
Mixed at Sarm West. (4th - 8th Nov 1985) Produced by Mick Glossop. Released: Kasper [KATLP 1] 1985.

Tracks

1. The Wild Colonial Boy
2. In the Traps
3. The Ruah
4. Mr Renfield Reflects
5. Correct Your Fireside Manner
6. The Sources of the Energies
7. By the Shadowline
8. Paid in Kind
9. Even in the Dark Hours
10. One by One
11. Flowers for all Occasions.

Line Up:

• Alan Clarke - Vocals
• Jackie Forgie - Guitar
• Gary Ferris - Guitar
• Gordy Blair - Bass
• Paul Burgess - Drums

Flowers For All Occasions (LP)

Released: MCA Records [MCA 5733 - USA

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

Issue] 1985.

Political Wings (LP)

Recorded live at The Chocolate Factory, South London. Produced by Paul Burgess. Released: Flicknife [BLUNT 041] 1987.

Tracks:

1. Political Wings
2. On Kingsmill Road
3. Playing Cards with Dead Man
4. Days of Heaven
5. Playing Adult Games

Line Up:

• Alan Clarke - Vocals
• Jackie Forgie - Guitar
• Gary Ferris - Guitar
• Gordy Blair - Bass
• Paul Burgess - Drums

Flowers For All Occasions (CD)

This CD was re-issued to celebrate the band's reunion in August 2003. Only 100 copies were made. Most were distributed among fans, the remainder were sold by mail order. The release was a replica of the original but with a lyric sheet.

'Capital Letters- The Best of Ruefrex' (CD)

More recently, Cherry Red Records revealed that the official release date for the album 'Capital Letters.... the best of..' was October 17, 2006. This CD includes previously unreleased material.

Tracks are - One by One/Don't Panic/Capital Letters/April Fool/Perfect Crime/The
Wild Colonial Boy Pt 1/Correct Your Fireside Manner/Even In Ihe Dark Hours/Paid In Kind/By The Shadowline/The Wild Colonial Boy/In The Traps/Flowers For All Occasions/The Lenders Of The Last Resort/Days Of Heaven/Playing Adult Games/The Fightin' 36th/Between Having And Wanting/Playing Cards With Dead Men/Middle-Ground