Angelic Upstarts | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | The Upstarts |
| Origin | South Shields, England |
| Genres | Punk rock,Oi! |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Labels | Warner Bros.,EMI, Anagram Records, Picasso Records, Link Records, Razor Records,Captain Oi! |
| Members | Neil 'Newts' Newton John Woodward Mick Robson Andy Wilkinson |
| Past members | Thomas 'Mensi' Mensforth[1] Ray 'Mond' Cowie Derek 'Decca' Wade Steve Forsten Ronnie Wooden Glyn Warren Tony Feedback Ronnie Rocker Max Splodge Evo Keith Sticks Warrington Paul Thompson Chris Wright Jonnie Halling Brett Mulvaney Dickie Hammond Steve Straughan Brian Hayes Gaz 'Geordie' Stoker Tony Van Frater |
Angelic Upstarts are an Englishpunk rock /Oi! band formed inSouth Shields in 1977.AllMusic calls them "one of the period's most politically charged and thought-provoking groups".[2] The band espouse ananti-fascist andsocialistworking class philosophy, and have been associated with thepunk andskinhead subcultures.
The band released eight studio albums in their first decade.[3] After a brief split they reformed in 1988, and a number of times subsequently, with new albums appearing in 1992, 2002, 2011, and 2016.[4] More than two decades after its release, their debut single, "The Murder ofLiddle Towers", was included inMojo magazine's list of the best punk rock singles of all time.[5]
Inspired byThe Clash, Angelic Upstarts formed inBrockley Whins,South Shields,South Tyneside in 1977.[6][7] The following year they self-released their debut single, "The Murder of Liddle Towers/Police Oppression", and recorded the first of three Peel Sessions.[8] In 1979, aided byJimmy Pursey, they signed to major labelWarner Bros. Records for two albums:Teenage Warning (produced by Pursey)[2] andWe Gotta Get Out of This Place; the first and its title track were bothTop 30 hits. The same year, the band made tabloid headlines following a gig inHM Prison Acklington,[9] and also played onRock Against Racism's 'Militant Entertainment' tour.[10]
Two Upstarts tracks including 1980 single "Last Night Another Soldier" were included on the same year's various artists compilationOi! The Album, beginning the band's association with theOi! subgenre, a label which singer Mensi later rejected.[11] In 1981 the band signed toEMI's revivedZonophone imprint for three further albums:2,000,000 Voices andAngelic Upstarts Live in 1981 - top 40/Top 30 hits respectively - andStill from the Heart in 1982. According toLouder Than War,2,000,000 Voices is "full of variety while giving up none of their energy, drive and honesty.. it was the perfect record for the Upstarts and the era. Still retaining the Punk might, but working in Reggae and Folk influences, presenting a band perfectly in tune with the turbulent times of 1981".[12]Still From The Heart saw the group embrace "a larger sonic palette. Tentative new wave influences, inflections of dub, and expressive horn sections are all over the album".[13]
In 1983 the band released the first in a series ofindependent albums,Reason Why?, "the strongest Angelic Upstarts record",[2] which included the "Woman in Disguise" single, described byAllmusic as "perfect pop".[14]Last Tango in Moscow followed in 1984, described by theSunderland Echo as "another strong album",[15] by which time Mensi was the band's only original member. Angelic Upstarts' next albumPower of the Press (1986) was re-released in the US the following year, renamed for the inclusion of 1985'sBrighton Bomb single. TheBlood on the Terraces album followed in 1987.
Due to their anti-fascist stance and subsequent support ofAnti-Fascist Action,[6] the band were targeted by theneo-naziBlood & Honour group, and their set at 1988 concert 'Oi! The Main Event' had to be abandoned due to crowd violence,[16] although songs were included on the eponymous tie-in live album on Link Records[17] as well as later Upstarts compilationLost and Found. Despite far-right claims to the contrary, Angelic Upstarts were gigging in London again within a year.[18][19]
Bombed Out (1992) was the band's last album for a decade, featuring original guitarist Mond and hailed as a return to form.[20] Mensi formed a new Upstarts line-up for 2002'sSons of Spartacus with members ofRed Alert,Red London andLeatherface. In 2006-7 Mensi briefly left the band, with Chris Wright of Crashed Out taking over vocal duties, although the return of Decca Wade on drums meant that the band retained an original member; in 2011 the band released a split album with Crashed Out,The Dirty Dozen. 2016 saw a new Angelic Upstarts line-up release what was to become their final studio album,Bullingdon Bastards.
The band's original members were Thomas Mensforth (Mensi)[21] on vocals, Ray Cowie (Mond) onguitar, Steve Forsten onbass guitar, and Derek "Decca" Wade ondrums. Keith Bell was the manager until 1980, when he was jailed for four and a half years for arson.[22]
Other former members include guitarist Ronnie Rocker and bassists Ronnie Wooden, Glyn Warren and Tony 'Feedback' Morrison (Long Tall Shorty andKiria's live band). Drummers have included Keith "Sticks" Warrington (who later joinedCockney Rejects),Paul Thompson (ex-Roxy Music), Chris Wright, Evo (who has also played inThe Blood,Major Accident and Warfare).
Wade rejoined the band for a few years before leaving again.[23] Brian Hayes (also ofBlaggers ITA, Long Tall Shorty) originally joined the band as the second guitarist until Mond left, leaving Hayes as the only guitarist. Tony Van Frater (Red Alert) was Mensi's main songwriting partner for theSons of Spartacus album in 2002.
In August 2006, Mensi announced he was resigning, but requested that the band continue with Chris Wright (of the band Crashed Out[24]) on vocals. The band's lineup became Wright on vocals, Dickie Hammond on guitar, Neil "Newts" Newton on guitar, Gaz "Geordie" Stoker on bass and Wade on drums. In the latter part of 2007, Mensi rejoined the band and the lineup became Mensi on vocals, Gaz "Geordie" Stoker on bass, Hammond on guitar, Newts on guitar and Brett Mulvaney (and later Jonnie Halling) on drums. In October 2018 Gaz "Geordie" Stoker left the band and was replaced by John Woodward (Long Tall Shorty,The Straps, The Gonads). In January 2020, after 14 years and two albums with the band, Neil "Newts" Newton, took time out to complete university and was replaced by Mick Robson. The lineup becoming Mensi on vocals, Mick Robson on guitar, John Woodward on bass and Andy Wilkinson on drums. Having completed his course, Newts rejoined the band to perform at a charity tribute show for Mensi, with Chris Wright standing in on vocal duties and the final Angelic Upstarts line-up of Andy Wilkinson on drums, John Woodward on bass, Mick Robson on guitar with Newts Newton on guitar.[25]
Former guitarist Tony Van Frater died on 29 October 2015.[26] Dickie Hammond died two days later. On 22 February 2021, former member Tony Morrison (aka Tony Feedback) died after contractingCOVID-19.[27] Thomas Mensforth (aka Mensi or Mensi Marx)[6] died on 10 December 2021, aged 65, after also being infected with COVID-19.[28]
Angelic Upstarts are regarded as pioneers of theOi! punksubgenre.[29] In 2001, Various Artistscover albumWe Are The People was released in tribute to the Upstarts, including tracks from bands such asLeatherface,The Oppressed,Red London andRed Alert.[30] In 2009, punk-influenced singer-songwriterJamie T sampled vocals from the albumAngelic Upstarts Live on his song "The Man's Machine".
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