Chelsea (band)
Encyclopedia
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 time.
, William Broad (later and better known as Billy Idol
) (guitar), Tony James
(bass) and John Towe (drums, who had come from London SS
along with James). After a few gigs
, the other three left October to form Generation X. October then recruited Carey Fortune (drums), Martin Stacy (guitar) and Bob Jessie (bass), with the last two soon replaced by Henry Daze (Henry Badowski
) and James Stevenson
(who also later joined Generation X). This rapid turnover of band members (Simon Cade Williams, aka Simon Vitesse, joined the band as bassist in 1977 for UK tour and the single: "High Rise Living") was characteristic throughout Chelsea's existence, with October the only constant presence.
Their first single, "Right to Work", dealing with unemployment
, was their most popular song. After spending 1977-78 touring in the UK
and overseas, they released their first album
, Chelsea, in 1979. Their second LP, Alternative Hits
, was released in 1980. At this time the band split and October put together a new line-up, including guitarist Nic Austin, which recorded the critically acclaimed album Evacuate. October put out albums sporadically with various line-ups throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including Rock Off, The Alternative and Traitors Gate. In 1999 the line-up from the first album reformed for the 'Social Chaos Tour' across North America
. The live album Metallic F.O. was recorded
at CBGBs in New York
during this tour. The band released their latest studio album, Faster, Cheaper and Better Looking in 2005, their first in over 25 years with original members Stevenson and Bashford. The album was released in the U.S.
on TKO Records in February 2007.
They continue to record and tour. Chelsea are currently recording new material to be used for a new album in early 2010.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, formed in 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...
in 1976.
Three of the four original band members went on to help found Generation X
Generation X (band)
Generation X was a British punk rock band, formed on 21 November 1976 by Billy Idol, Tony James and John Towe.-History:...
. More than two decades after its release, "Right to Work", Chelsea's debut single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, was included in Mojo
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
's list of the best punk rock singles of all time.
Biography
The original line-up was frontman Gene OctoberGene October
Gene October is an English musician, best known as the singer for the punk rock band, Chelsea.October was instrumental in the creation of the punk venue The Roxy, persuading the manager of gay London nightclub, 'Shageramas', to convert the club to cater for a punk clientele...
, William Broad (later and better known as Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
) (guitar), Tony James
Tony James
Tony James is a British musician, best known as a bassist of Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik.- Career :He was originally a member of the punk band London SS, along with Brian James, , and Mick Jones plus Terry Chimes .Later, James joined the early punk band Chelsea...
(bass) and John Towe (drums, who had come from 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...
along with James). After a few gigs
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
, the other three left October to form Generation X. October then recruited Carey Fortune (drums), Martin Stacy (guitar) and Bob Jessie (bass), with the last two soon replaced by Henry Daze (Henry Badowski
Henry Badowski
Henry Badowski is a British multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and composer, who was a member of several punk rock bands in the 1970s before embarking on a solo career.-Career:...
) and James Stevenson
James Stevenson (musician)
James Stevenson is a UK punk / rock guitarist, at one time appearing with The Alarm, Gene Loves Jezebel, Generation X and Chelsea.-Music career:...
(who also later joined Generation X). This rapid turnover of band members (Simon Cade Williams, aka Simon Vitesse, joined the band as bassist in 1977 for UK tour and the single: "High Rise Living") was characteristic throughout Chelsea's existence, with October the only constant presence.
Their first single, "Right to Work", dealing with unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
, was their most popular song. After spending 1977-78 touring in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and overseas, they released their first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Chelsea, in 1979. Their second LP, Alternative Hits
Alternative Hits
Alternative Hits is the second album released by British punk rock band Chelsea. Since many of the album's tracks had been previously released as singles, Alternative Hits is regarded by some as a compilation album...
, was released in 1980. At this time the band split and October put together a new line-up, including guitarist Nic Austin, which recorded the critically acclaimed album Evacuate. October put out albums sporadically with various line-ups throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including Rock Off, The Alternative and Traitors Gate. In 1999 the line-up from the first album reformed for the 'Social Chaos Tour' across North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The live album Metallic F.O. was recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
at CBGBs in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
during this tour. The band released their latest studio album, Faster, Cheaper and Better Looking in 2005, their first in over 25 years with original members Stevenson and Bashford. The album was released in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on TKO Records in February 2007.
They continue to record and tour. Chelsea are currently recording new material to be used for a new album in early 2010.
Studio albums
- Chelsea (July 1979: Step Forward, SFLP 2)
- Alternative HitsAlternative HitsAlternative Hits is the second album released by British punk rock band Chelsea. Since many of the album's tracks had been previously released as singles, Alternative Hits is regarded by some as a compilation album...
(part compilationCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
) (November 1980, SFLP 5) American name No Escape - EvacuateEvacuate (album)Evacuate is the third album released by British punk rock band Chelsea. Originally released in 1982 by Step Forward, it was re-issued in 2008 by Captain Oi!-Track listing:# "Evacuate" - 3:46# "How Do You Know" - 3:24# "Cover Up" - 3:06...
(April 1982: Step Forward, SFLP 7) - Original Sinners (August 1985: Communiqué, LARGE 1)
- Rocks Off (November 1986: Jungle, FREUD 14)
- Underwraps (June 1989: I.R.S., EIRSA/+C/CD 1011)
- The Alternative (April 1993: Alter-Ego, ALTGOCD 002)
- Traitors Gate (August 1994: Weser, WL 2480-2)
- Faster, Cheaper and Better Looking (2005)
Live albums
- 1978 - Live At The Music Machine
- 1981 - Norwich UK
- 1983 - Live and Well
- 2005 - Live & Loud
Compilation albums
- 1981 - I.R.S. Greatest Hits Vols. 2 & 3
- 1997 - Fools and Soldiers
- 2000 - Punk Rock Rarities
- 2000 - The Punk Singles Collection 1977-82
- 2001 - BBC Punk Sessions
- 2005 - Urban Kids: A Punk Rock Anthology
Singles
- "Right to Work" / "The Loner" (June 1977: Step Forward, SF 2)
- "High Rise Living" / "No Admission" (October 1977: Step Forward, SF 5)
- "Urban Kids" / "No Flowers" (August 1978: Step Forward, SF 8)
- "No-One's Coming Outside" / "What Would You Do?" (February 1980: Step Forward, SF 14)
- "Look at the Outside" / "Don't Get Me Wrong" (April 1978: Step Forward, SF 15)
- "No Escape" / "Decide" (July 1980: Step Forward, SF 16)
- "Rockin' Horse" / "Years Away" (May 1981: Step Forward, SF 17)
- "Freemans" / "ID Parade" / "How Do You Know?" (September 1981: Step Forward, SF 18)
- "Evacuate" / "New Era" (November 1981: Step Forward, SF 20)
- "War Across the Nation" / "High Rise Living (Remix)" (March 1982: Step Forward, SF 21)
- "Stand Out" / "Last Drink" (October 1982: Step Forward, SF 22)
- "Valium Mother" / "Monica, Monica" (June 1985: Communiqué, Little 1) Also released as a 12 inch single
- "Shine The Light" / "Believe Me" (March 1986: Communiqué)
- "Give Me More" / "Sympathy For The Devil" (May 1988: Chelsea, CH 001)
- "We Dare" / "What’s Wrong With You (Live)" / "Right To Work (Live)" (May 1995: Weser, WL 2482 - 7)
- "Sod the War" / "Mr. Ferry's Son" / "Home" (2007)