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Sham 69 is an English punk band that formed in Hersham in 1976.

Although not as commercially successful as many of their contemporaries, albeit with a greater number of chart entries, Sham 69 has been a huge musical and lyrical influence on the Oi! and streetpunk genres. The band allegedly derived their name from a piece of graffiti that founder Jimmy Pursey saw on a wall. It originally said Walton and Hersham '69 but had partly faded away, and made reference to when Walton & Hersham F.C. secured the Athenian League title in 1969.

Early history

The November 12, 1976 issue of NME notes that Sham 69 was rehearsing in 1976, although only Pursey would remain from this early line-up twelve months later. Sham 69 did not have the art school background of many English punk bands of the time, and brought in football chant backup vocals and a sort of inarticulate political populism. The band had a large skinhead following (left wing, right wing and non-political), which helped set the tone for the Oi! movement. Their concerts were notoriously plagued by violence, and the band ceased live performances after a 1978 concert at Middlesex Polytechnic was broken up by National Front-supporting white power skinheads fighting and rushing the stage.

Sham 69 released their first single, "I Don't Wanna", on Step Forward Records in August 1977, produced by John Cale (formerly of the Velvet Underground), and its success in the independent charts prompted Polydor Records to sign the band. Their major label debut was "Borstal Breakout" in January 1978, followed by UK Singles Chart success with "Angels With Dirty Faces" (reaching number 19 in May 1978) and "If the Kids Are United" (number 9 in July 1978). They weren't taken from the group's debut album, Tell Us the Truth, a mixture of live and studio recordings. The group had further chart success with "Hurry Up Harry" (number 10 in October 1978), which came from their second LP and first full studio album, That's Life. The band's popularity was enhanced by their performances on Top Of The Pops, and the band performed in the 1980 film, D.O.A..

The band eventually started to move away from punk rock, to embrace a sound heavily influenced by classic British rock bands such as Mott the Hoople, The Who, The Rolling Stones and The Faces. This was demonstrated by their third album, The Adventures of the Hersham Boys.

The band broke up in 1979 following Jimmy Pursey's departure to the Sex Pistols. This was after their fourth album, and Pursey moved in a heavy metal direction after working with the remaining members of the Sex Pistols for a short time, under the name Sham Pistols. Rick Goldstein, Dave Parsons, and Dave Tregunna joined the 1980s glam punk/gothic rock band The Wanderers (band)|The Wanderers with Stiv Bators of The Dead Boys before he formed The Lords of the New Church. Stiv Bators and Dave Tregunna recruited Nick Turner of The Barracudas and Brian James of The Damned to become Lords of the New Church. In 1981, Pursey collaborated with Peter Gabriel on the single "Animals Have More Fun" which was commercially unsuccessful.

1987 and later

In 1987, Sham 69 was resurrected with a different line-up, releasing the single "Rip And Tear". "If the Kids Are United" was used in a McDonald's advertising campaign, long after the rights to the band's songs had been sold. By that time, Pursey was a vegetarian, and he appeared in the British media condemning the use of his song by what he considered a multinational abuser of animals and humans.

In 2005, the band gained media attention when "If the Kids Are United" was played during UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's entrance at the Labour Party Conference. As a result of this, the band was invited onto BBC TV's current affairs programme Newsnight to sing a version of the song. Pursey sang altered lyrics, including "Mr. Blair/We know you care/So bring them home/Don't leave them there", referring to the troops remaining in Iraq after the 2003 invasion.

In 2006, listeners to Christian O'Connell's Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio voted overwhelmingly for the band to record a song to support the England national football team in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Released under "Sham 69 and The Special Assembly" (O'Connell and Blur guitarist Graham Coxon were also involved), the song was based on the Sham 69 hit "Hurry Up Harry", with the lyrics "We're going down the pub", changed to "We're going to win the cup!" The resulting single, "Hurry Up England" reached number 10 in the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's first such hit in 26 years.

2006 break-up and aftermath

In late 2006, Sham 69 broke up, and Dave Parsons stated his wish to independently continue as 'Sham 69'. On January 26, 2007, BBC News announced that Sham 69 had split because of a bitter fallout between Pursey and Parsons. NME reported that a statement released by Parsons included the message: "Sham 69 have left Jimmy Pursey on the eve of their 30th anniversary. The band had become increasingly fed up with Jimmy's lack of interest in playing live and continually letting down both promoters and fans by pulling out of gigs at the last moment". Parsons and Whitewood continued Sham 69 with Tim V on vocals and Rob Jefferson on bass. This line-up performed tours of the United States, played at many punk festivals across Europe, and released the album, Hollywood Hero, in August 2007. Rob Jefferson (bass) has since left Sham 69 and has been replaced by the former U.K. Subs member Alan Campbell. In 2009 Sham 69 was the first major punk band to tour China. Their new album 'Who Killed Joe Public' was released in Autumn 2010 by One Media Publishing.

2011–present

In May 2011, Dave Parsons stated on his website that he had disbanded Sham 69, although this is disputed by the remaining members of the line-up seeing they hadn't stopped performing to date. In July 2011, Jimmy Pursey announced on Twitter the re-formation of the 1977 line-up - Jimmy Pursey, Dave Parsons, Dave Tregunna and Mark Cain. Although other commitments may mean changes to part of the line-up Jimmy Pursey and Dave Parsons will always be present.

On 4 August 2011, The Independent ran an article regarding a punk compilation album for the benefit of the National Trust, who will be selling the album at its gift shops and online to fund conservation work on its historic homes and ancient landscapes. Pursey described it as "the most Tupperware bit of nonsense I have ever heard in my life." He added: "We are so frightened of what we are looking at ahead of us that we are digging trenches in nostalgia. We are just standing our ground and not letting the future affect us".

As of June 2012, when Jimmy Pursey registered the name as a trademark, the only band entitled to use the name 'Sham 69' is the original 1977 Pursey/Parsons line-up . The reference for this registration can be seen at line-up anyone else using the name is misleading the fans.This however has been challenged and the fact that no trademark can be enforced without High Court action taken place. So the previous comments are unfounded and illegal. All citations and changes made on here will be registered and monitored by legal representatives and used in evidence at a later date.

Line-ups

1975 - 1977(July)

• Jimmy Pursey: vocals
• Neil Harris: lead guitar
• John Goode: rhythm guitar
• Albie Slider (Albert Maskell): bass
• Billy Bostik: drums

1977

• Jimmy Pursey: vocals
• Dave Parsons: guitar
• Albie Slider : Bass
• Mark Cain: drums

1977–1979

• Jimmy Pursey: vocals
• Dave Parsons: guitar
• Dave Tregunna: bass
• Mark Cain: drums

1979–1980

• Jimmy Pursey: vocals
• Dave Parsons: guitar
• Dave Tregunna: bass
• Ricky Goldstein: drums

1986–2006

• Jimmy Pursey: vocals
• Dave Parsons: guitar
• Andy Prince: bass (1988–1991)
• Mat Sargent: bass (2001–2006)
• Sonny Boy Williamson: drums (1988)
• Ian Whitewood: drums

2007–2011

• Tim V: vocals
• Dave Parsons: guitar
• Rob "Zee" Jefferson: bass (2007–2009)
• Al Campbell: bass
• Ian Whitewood: drums

2011-present

• TIM V LINE UP
• Tim V: vocals
• Al Campbell: bass
• Ian Whitewood: drums
• Neil Harris: guitar
• Tony Feedback: guitar

• JIMMY PURSEY LINE UP
• Jimmy Pursey: vocals
• Dave Parsons: guitar
• Dave Tregunna: Bass
• Danny Fury: Drums

Discography

Albums

Singles

Compilation albums

• The First, the Best and the Last (1980)
• Kings & Queens (1993)
• Lords of Oi! (1997)
• The Punk Singles Collection: 1977-1980 (1998)
• Laced Up Boots and Corduroys (2000)
• Teenage Kicks (4 April 2005)
• The Original Punk Album (2007)
• Punk 77/2007 30th Anniversary (2007)
• If The Kids Are United - The Very Best of Sham 69 (2004)
• The Complete Collection: 3-disc (2004)

Live albums

• Live and Loud!! (1987)
• The Complete Sham 69 Live (1989)
• Live at the Roxy Club (1990)
• Live in Italy (1996)
• Live at CBGB's (1998)
• SHAM 69 Live (2011)

References

1. ^ Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. p. 869. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
2. Allmusic.com Sham 69 biography
3. "Sham 69". The Sham 69 Official Website. Retrieved 2012-23-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
4. Music - News - Punk star to make World Cup alternative - Digital Spy
5. "Punk band Sham 69 in bitter split". BBC News. 2007-01-26. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
6. Sham 69 split with singer | News | NME.COM
7. Sham69online.co.uk
8. | Never Mind the Dovecotes | independent.co.uk
10. Sham 69 text trademark
11. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 493. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

External links

• Official website of Sham 69
• Sham 69 on Facebook
• BBC article on use of Sham 69 song at Labour Party conference

• Musical groups from London
• English punk rock groups
• Musical groups established in 1976
• English socialists
• Street punk