The Partisans
Encyclopedia
The Partisans were a punk rock
band formed in Bridgend
, in 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.
Influenced by the likes of the 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 #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
. 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 #60 on the UK Album Chart, 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 #2 on the Indie Charts. This was followed by their self-titled debut LP, released in February 1983. It hit #5 in the Indie Chart and #1 in the Punk Chart, amid considerable critical acclaim from the national press and the underground fanzine culture.
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 #23 on the Indie Chart, and got played on Prime Time Radio 1
. The LP, Time Was Right, followed in 1984, described as "The Professionals
meets The Clash
," and reaching #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, became a worldwide success with Bush
. Andy moved to Scandinavia
. Andy and Rob recorded one more session in late 1989 for Link Records under the name Agent Orange including Andy's then partner Iggi. 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 full-length LP/CD in 2004 "Idiot Nation" on Dr. Strange. Currently the band are writing and recording new material.
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 formed in Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
, in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
in early 1978, when all four members were in their early teens. They continued until 1984, having several hits on 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 re-formed in the late 1990s.
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). Parsons and Stanton left in 1979, with Spike moving to lead vocals, and Lealand's girlfriend Louise Wright joining on bass.Influenced by the likes of the 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...
, 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...
, 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 #5 on 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...
, on the back of a tour with label-mates Blitz
Blitz (band)
Blitz was a street punk band from New Mills, Derbyshire, England. They had success in the United Kingdom indie charts in the early 1980s. With both punk and skinhead members, they were enthusiastically championed by Sounds magazine writer Garry Bushell, though guitarist Nidge would later go on to...
, and with strong support from Sounds
Sounds (magazine)
Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...
writer Garry Bushell
Garry Bushell
Garry Bushell is an English newspaper columnist, rock music journalist, television presenter, author and political activist. Bushell also sings in the Oi! band The Gonads and manages the New York City Oi! band Maninblack. Bushell's recurring themes are comedy, country and class...
. Following the success of this single, The Partisans were included on the third volume of Bushell's Oi!
Oi!
Oi! is a working class 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 working-class youths ....
compilation series Carry On Oi!, which reached #60 on the UK Album Chart, and won the band gig slots with Blitz, Peter and the Test Tube Babies
Peter and the Test Tube Babies
Peter and the Test Tube Babies are a punk rock band that was formed in the small town of Peacehaven, England in 1978 by Del Strangefish and Peter Bywaters. Due to their humorous tongue-in-cheek lyrics, they have been considered part of the Punk Pathetique subgenre...
and The Ejected
The Ejected
The Ejected were an English punk rock/oi! band from Dagenham, Essex, active between 1981 and 1983.-History:The band was formed by ex-Dawn Patrol members Big Jim Brooks , Gary Sandford and drummer Mick 'Sticks' Robinson.They cited UK Subs, Cockney Rejects, Angelic Upstarts and The Clash as major...
, 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 #2 on the Indie Charts. This was followed by their self-titled debut LP, released in February 1983. It hit #5 in the Indie Chart and #1 in the Punk Chart, amid considerable critical acclaim from the national press and the underground fanzine culture.
After the departure of Louise Wright, the remaining members relocated to Bayswater
Bayswater
Bayswater is an area of west London in the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to the west . It is a built-up district located 3 miles west-north-west of Charing Cross, bordering the north of Hyde Park over Kensington Gardens and having a population density of...
in west 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...
, 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 #23 on the Indie Chart, and got played on Prime Time Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. The LP, Time Was Right, followed in 1984, described as "The Professionals
The Professionals (band)
The Professionals were an English punk rock band in the late 1970s and early 1980s formed by ex-Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones and drummer and Paul Cook after that band's demise.-Career:...
meets 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...
," and reaching #20 in the Indie Chart. The album featured live recordings from a gig at the Brixton Ace, at which The Partisans supported Anthrax
Anthrax (UK band)
Anthrax were an anarcho punk band formed in Gravesend, Kent, England in 1980. They recorded their first demo in 1981 and went on to release two 7" EPs on Crass Records and Small wonder. They appeared on compilations released by Crass Records, Mortarhate Records and Fightback Records...
, Lost Cherrees
Lost Cherrees
-History:The Lost Cherrees were formed in 1979/1980 by Steve Battershill , Dave Greaves and Siân Jeffreys vocalist. After a period of rehearsal, six demo tracks were recorded and released on a tape cassette 'The Worst Demo Ever Recorded At Hark Studios, Kingston', this was a split release with...
, Conflict
Conflict (band)
Conflict is an English anarcho-punk band originally based around Eltham in South London. Formed in 1981, the band's original line up consisted of: Colin Jerwood , Francisco 'Paco' Carreno , Big John , Steve , Pauline , Paul aka 'Nihilistic Nobody' . Their first release was the EP "The House That...
and others.
The band split up in 1984. Dave Parsons later found chart success with Transvision Vamp
Transvision Vamp
Transvision Vamp were a British alternative rock group. Formed in 1986 by Nick Christian Sayer and Wendy James the band enjoyed chart success in the late 1980s...
and, even later, became a worldwide success with Bush
Bush (band)
Bush are an alternative rock band formed in London in 1992 shortly after vocalist/guitarist Gavin Rossdale and guitarist Nigel Pulsford met in a London nightclub. Realising they shared a love for such diverse artists as the Pixies, Bob Marley, The Jesus Lizard, MC5, Nirvana, Hüsker Dü, and Big...
. Andy moved to Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. Andy and Rob recorded one more session in late 1989 for Link Records under the name Agent Orange including Andy's then partner Iggi. 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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
label TKO who issued the "So Neat" single in 2001, followed by a new full-length LP/CD in 2004 "Idiot Nation" on Dr. Strange. Currently the band are writing and recording new material.
Singles
- "Police Story" (1981) No Future (#5)
- "17 Years of Hell" (1982) No Future (#2)
- "Blind Ambition" (1983) Link/Cloak and Dagger (#23)
- "So Neat" (2001) TKO
Albums
- The Partisans (1983) No Future (#5)
- Time Was Right (1984) Link/Cloak and Dagger (#20)
- The Best of The Partisans 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...
- Idiot Nation (2004) Dr. Strange
External links
- Official website
- The Partisans biography by Mark Brennan