The Defects
Encyclopedia
The Defects were a punk rock
band from Belfast
, Northern Ireland
, formed in 1979.
journalist Carol Clerk befriended the band and recommended them to John Curd, manager of WXYZ records, who signed them to his label. Gary Smyth replaced Fenton on bass, and The Defects moved to London in 1982 and embarked on the six-week So What UK tour with labelmates The Anti-Nowhere League
, Chelsea
and Chron Gen
. The tour was filmed by Stewart Copeland
(with backing from brother Miles) with a view to cinema release but it was never issued. A second single, "Survival" was issued in 1982, going on to reach number 8 in the UK Indie Chart
. The band recorded their debut (and only) album, Defective Breakdown in 1982. With Curd looking for ways to gain crossover success for the bands on his label, he persuaded The Defects to record a cover version
of Elvis Presley
's "Suspicious Minds". With producer Ray Shulman
on keyboards, the single's release in early 1984 coincided with the decline in popularity of second-wave punk, and did not sell well. With control of the band's destiny slipping away, Murdock left the band after the release of "Suspicious Minds". The band continued, playing a gig supporting 999
with Kingsmore on vocals, before Murdock rejoined to play in support of The Clash
in Belfast. The band then split more permanently, with all members returning to Belfast except Duke, who stayed in London. Kingsmore joined Western Justice with former members of Rabies, including Murdock's brother Gary, and was later a member of Ashanti.
Murdock revived the Defects name in 1996 for a one-off performance at a punk festival, with his brother drums, which was filmed and released on video by Barn End Video as Live At The Pavilion 12.10.96. He later started the punk and ska
covers band Doghouse.
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 1979.
History
The band formed in 1978 with a line-up of Ian "Buck" Murdock (vocals), Marcus "Dukie" Duke (bass), Geoff Gilmore(bass), and Glenn Kingsmore (drums). After playing locally, they recorded their first demo, but when this failed to gain them a record deal, they started their own Casualty Records label and issued their debut single, "Dance (Til You Drop)". The single sold all two thousand copies, and brought the band to the attention of the UK music press. Melody MakerMelody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
journalist Carol Clerk befriended the band and recommended them to John Curd, manager of WXYZ records, who signed them to his label. Gary Smyth replaced Fenton on bass, and The Defects moved to London in 1982 and embarked on the six-week So What UK tour with labelmates The Anti-Nowhere League
The Anti-Nowhere League
Anti-Nowhere League is an English punk band, formed in 1980 by lead singer Animal , guitarist Magoo , Tony "Bones" Shaw on drums and Chris "Baggy" Elvy on bass.-Early days:...
, Chelsea
Chelsea (band)
Chelsea are an English punk rock band, formed in London in 1976.Three of the four original band members went on to help found Generation X. More than two decades after its release, "Right to Work", Chelsea's debut single, was included in Mojo magazine's list of the best punk rock singles of all...
and Chron Gen
Chron Gen
Chron Gen were a British punk band formed in January 1978 in Letchworth, Hertfordshire.-History:Chron Gen initially comprised former members of The Condemned and Optional Xtras...
. The tour was filmed by Stewart Copeland
Stewart Copeland
Stewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks...
(with backing from brother Miles) with a view to cinema release but it was never issued. A second single, "Survival" was issued in 1982, going on to reach number 8 in the UK Indie Chart
UK Indie Chart
The UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered...
. The band recorded their debut (and only) album, Defective Breakdown in 1982. With Curd looking for ways to gain crossover success for the bands on his label, he persuaded The Defects to record a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's "Suspicious Minds". With producer Ray Shulman
Ray Shulman
Raymond Shulman is a British musician, and the youngest of three brothers in progressive rock band, Gentle Giant.Born in Portsmouth, Shulman's father was a trumpet player in a jazz band, and that was the first instrument he learned to play...
on keyboards, the single's release in early 1984 coincided with the decline in popularity of second-wave punk, and did not sell well. With control of the band's destiny slipping away, Murdock left the band after the release of "Suspicious Minds". The band continued, playing a gig supporting 999
999 (band)
999 are an English rock band who formed in London in 1977. They are often cited as one of the first punk rock bands. Between 1978 and 1981, they had five Top 75 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and one Top 40 single. After extensive touring across the Atlantic Ocean, the band's third and fourth...
with Kingsmore on vocals, before Murdock rejoined to play in support of The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
in Belfast. The band then split more permanently, with all members returning to Belfast except Duke, who stayed in London. Kingsmore joined Western Justice with former members of Rabies, including Murdock's brother Gary, and was later a member of Ashanti.
Murdock revived the Defects name in 1996 for a one-off performance at a punk festival, with his brother drums, which was filmed and released on video by Barn End Video as Live At The Pavilion 12.10.96. He later started the punk and ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
covers band Doghouse.
Singles
- "Dance (Til You Drop)" (1981) Casualty
- "Survival" (1982) WXYZ (UK Indie #8)
- "Suspicious Minds" (1984) ID (UK Indie #17)
Albums
- Defective Breakdown (1982) WXYZ (UK Indie #10) (reissued (1994) Captain Oi!Captain Oi! RecordsCaptain Oi! 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...
including the tracks from the singles)
External links
- O'Neill, Sean "The Defects Biography"