Biography
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Founded In
London, England, United Kingdom
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Members
- Garry Bushell
- Steve Kent
- Tony Morrison
Formed: Charlton, London South East London, England, UK
Oi!/Punk Pathetique also-rans led by Garry Bushell, Sounds scribe, one-time manager of Cockney Rejects (and The Blood), mastermind of the Oi! albums, minor media personality, novelist, and former writer for The Sun. They tried very hard to be funny, and sometimes they actually were: check out the charming 'I Lost My Love To A U.K. Sub' and 'S.E.7 Dole Day' (a cover of The Monkees' 'Pleasant Valley Sunday') are pretty good. Bushell's backing band in their early '80s heyday consisted of members of The Business and The Blood. At some point they were managed by so-called poet Garry Johnson. By the turn of the '90s they had mercifully stopped, but there have been numerous reformations since.
Of the band itself, Bushell aka Gal Gonad was and is the only constant. The musicians were basically pick-ups from established bands on the Oi! scene. Variously, the following scene stalwarts have helped out: Steve Kent and Mark Brennan (The Business), J.J. Bedsore and Mark Brabbs (The Blood), Barry Damery (Infa-Riot), John Fisher (Combat 84), Tony Frater (Red Alert etc), Tony Feedback (Angelic Upstarts) as well as pianist Frankie Flame and Ron Rouman aka Lol Pryor (one-time manager of The Business and co-founder of Link Records with Brennan). 'TNT' on the Total Noise #1 compilation EP features backing from the Cockney Rejects.
Bushell's reputation as a hardcore right-winger was foisted upon him by the ignorant, and is largely down to the controversy surrounding the Strength Thru Oi! LP and his years spent as journo for The Sun. He has never been a Nazi, and has spoken out against fascism with passion and clarity. Whenever I've seen him interviewed - or read his articles - he comes across as a perfectly alright bloke. The Gonads were vocal supporters of the Anti-Nazi League and played gigs for Prisoners' Rights. Old Boots No Panties is the only album by this lot I own, and it is surprisingly entertaining.
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