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The Spitfire Boys | |
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| Also known as | The Blackmailers (early for Liverpool incarnation) The White Boys (early for Wales incarnation) |
| Origin | Merseyside, England Cardiff, Wales |
| Genres | Punk rock,new wave |
| Years active | 1977–1980 |
| Past members | David Littler (in 1979, David Francis) Pete Griffiths Mike Rigby Paul Rutherford Peter Clarke Pete Wylie Peter Millman Kurt Prasser Chris Brazier |
The Spitfire Boys were the firstLiverpoolpunkband to release asingle ("British Refugee" c/w "Mein Kampf").[1] The Spitfire Boys were mainly notable for including in their line-upPeter Clarke, who went on todrum forthe Slits and laterSiouxsie and the Banshees andthe Creatures (as well as marryingSiouxsie) as Budgie, andPaul Rutherford, later better known for being a member of 1980spop bandFrankie Goes to Hollywood. Jones (a.k.a. guitaristDavid Littler) went on to jointhe Photons, which also includedSteve Strange (Visage) and Vince Ely (the Psychedelic Furs).
In early 1977,David Littler sawthe Heartbreakers live atEric's Club, inLiverpool, and asked them about a band he had, but really didn't exist, and the group gave him a place to support them alongsideSlaughter and the Dogs andBuzzcocks atWarrington Parr Hall,Warrington,Cheshire, in May. The band was formed shortly afterwards by Littler as guitarist, alongside his friends, bassist Peter Griffiths and lead vocalist Michael Rigby, and Steve Platt a drummer. A short time later, while preparing for the gig, the band changed their name to the Spitfire Boys as a suggestion ofWayne County. For their first gig at Warrington Parr Hall, they played covers of theRamones.[2]
After their debut gig, the band had their first drummer,Peter Clarke, then an art student and member of Albert Dock, laterYachts. With that new line-up, the band played their second gig at Eric's Club. After that, the group sacked off Michael Rigby, who was replaced, as suggestion of Clarke, byPaul Rutherford.[2]
They released their first single,British Refugee 7", on 7 October 1977,[3] on RKO Records.
During the brief era of that line-up, they toured UK. They also supportedthe Prefects andthe Slits (later Clarke's band), and also played a gig withHolly Johnson.
In December,Pete Wylie (formerly ofCrucial Three and The Mystery Girls) joined the band, but only for a few rehearsals. On 22 December 1977, the band split up, Clarke, Griffiths and Wylie formed the Nova Mob (alongJulian Cope), and Paul Rutherford formed the Opium Eaters,[4] while Littler moved to London in January 1978,[2] where he joined the Photons, alongsideSteve Strange (laterVisage). Griffiths joined turned his back on the entire music scene, citing the growing trend in drug abuse, and general disillusionment as his reasons.
In July 2006, the band had "British Refugee" re-released on aKorova Recordscompilation album, entitledNorth by Northwest, which was compiled byPaul Morley.
After Littler disbanded the short-lived Photons, he moved toCardiff, Wales, in October 1978, where he formed a band, the White Boys, but changed their name to the Spitfire Boys, as pressure by a financer of the band, who thought the name would sell better.[5] That time, the line-up was formed by Littler (as David Francis) on vocals and guitar, and former Nylonz members Peter Millman on guitar, Kurt Prasser on bass and Chris Brazier on drums.[5][6] That alineation recorded and released the 7" single, "Funtime" in 1979. In October 1979, the band moved to London, where they recorded some demos with RKO Records. By 1980, despite the interest of Major Label,[7] they disbanded, and Littler joined White Brothers.[5]
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