- The Rezillos
Infobox musical artist
Name = The Rezillos
Img_capt = Original 45rpm single cover: "The Rezillos – I Can’t Stand My Baby"
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Background = group_or_band
Alias = The Revillos
(1979–1985, 1994–1996)
Origin =Edinburgh ,Scotland
Genre = Punk
New WaveSka punk
Years_active = 1976–1978
2001–present
Label = Sensible, Sire
Associated_acts = The Revillos, Shake, S.W.A.L.K.,Human League ,Silly Wizard
URL = [http://www.rezillos.com/ The Rezillos' official site]
Current_members = Eugene Reynolds
Fay FifeJo Callis
Angel Patterson
Johnny Terminator
Past_members = Dr D.K. Smythe
William Mysterious
Hi-Fi Harris
Simon TemplarThe Rezillos are a punk/new wave band, who formed in
Edinburgh in 1976, and are still playing gigs around the world in a reformed line-up. Although frequently aligned with the punk movement, the Rezillos' (later known as the Revillos) irreverentglam rock image and affection for campy girl-group iconography, set them distinctly apart from their peers. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=THE|REZILLOS&sql=11:3ifyxqr5ldje~T1 Allmusic.com biography] ]Career
The band originally consisted of Eugene Reynolds (born Alan Forbes) vocals; Fay Fife (born Sheilagh Hynde) vocals;
Jo Callis guitar ;William Mysterious (bornAlastair Donaldson ),saxophone ; Angel Patterson (born Alan Patterson), drums; Hi-Fi Harrisguitar ; Dr D.K. Smythebass guitar and Gale Warning (Gail Jamieson) backing vocals. The Rezillos' early live repertoire included versions of songs originally recorded by the likes of the Sweet,Screaming Lord Sutch ,Fleetwood Mac (in the guise of Earl Vince and the Valiants) and theDave Clark Five .Bootleg recording s exist of this stage of the band's history.This line-up released their first single "Can't Stand My Baby" on the indie
record label , Sensible Records. This led to a majorrecording contract withSire Records , home at that time to such other rising new wave acts asTalking Heads andThe Ramones . The band also underwent a transformation, shedding both Hi-Fi Harris, Dr. D.K. Smythe, and twobacking singer s.William Mysterious then shifted tobassist for the band's debut album "Can't Stand The Rezillos", widely regarded as a classic of bothpunk rock and New Wave. A second single "Flying Saucer Attack" / "My Baby Does Good Sculptures" grazed the lower reaches of theUK Singles Chart , and contained different versions of thesong s found on the album release. Like the first single, it is considered highly collectable.Fact|date=February 2007However, the
quintet reached the Top 20 of the UK chart with their third single, "Top of the Pops" in 1978. By this time, William Mysterious had left the band to be replaced by another bass player Simon Templar (a pseudonym for Simon Bloomfield). The single version of "Top of the Pops" features him, whilst the album version was recorded with William Mysterious.After releasing their debut album "Can't Stand The Rezillos" — also in 1978 — Reynolds and Fife left the original band. The live LP "Mission Accomplished but the Beat Goes On" remains as a testament to the original line-up. A final single, "Destination Venus" made the lower reaches of the UK chart, and earned them a final appearance on the actual "
Top of the Pops ", a long runningBBC One TV programme.Reynolds and Fife renamed themselves The Revillos for contractual reasons, recruiting new members, including original Rezillo Hi-Fi Harris, and released an album "Rev Up" in 1980 under the new name. The Revillos had a longer career than The Rezillos, and toured and released music continually during the 1980s. The band had an ever changing line-up, but the focus and nucleus always remained Reynolds and Fife. The band later also released a compendium of their music. The remaining three Rezillos plus Troy Tate, ex-Teardrop Explodes, renamed themselves Shake, and released a 10" EP and a single ("Invasion Of The Gamma Men") before disbanding. A side project named S.W.A.L.K was also short lived.
Jo Callis went on to perform withThe Human League .Some of The Revillos reformed in 1994, playing a series of
concert s inJapan , and recording the "Live and On Fire in Japan" album. In 1996, they issued a raritiescompilation album , "From the Freezer", and played some live dates in Britain.In 2001, the band reformed as The Rezillos with the "Can't Stand…" line-up, except for new bassist Johnny Terminator. They continue to play live to the present day. Former member Simon Templar (real name Simon Bloomfield) was last heard of in 2006, having created songs on the debut album by the Swedish singer,
Thomaz .They are probably best known outside of the UK for their
cover version of the song "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked in Tonight". The song was written byJeremy Spencer and originally recorded byFleetwood Mac , who released it in 1969 as the b-side of their "Man of the World" single — credited to Earl Vince & The Valiants. Since The Rezillos recorded it, the song has been covered by numerous punk bands, including Youth Brigade and Murphy's Law.Line up changes
* The first Rezillos single (1977):
Jo Callis (AKA Luke Warm) – guitar and vocals; Fay Fife (b. Sheila Hynde) – vocals; Hi-Fi Harris (b. Alan Harris)– guitar; Angel Paterson (b. Alan Harrison) – drums; Eugene Reynolds – vocals; Dr. D.K. Smythe – bass; Gale Warning – backing vocals.
* The second single: William Mysterious replaced Smythe on bass. Also played sax. Harris and Warning left band.
* The fifth single: Simon Templar replaced Mysterious on bass.
* Disbanded in late 1978.
* The first Revillos single (1979): Fife, Harris, and Reynolds joined by Rocky Rhythm (b. Nicky Forbes) on drums. Brown, Bryce and White provided backing vocals.
* The second single: Felix joined to play bass; Kid Krupa (b. Jon McLoughlin) joined band on guitar. Backing vocalists replaced by Cherie and Babs Revette.
* Third single: Mysterious returned to replace Felix on bass; Drax replaced Babs Revette.
* Fifth single: Vince Santini replaced Mysterious on bass.
* Seventh single: Max Atom replaced Krupa on guitar; Terri Revette replaced Drax.
* Eighth single: Fabian Wonderful replaced Atom on guitar.
* Before split: Buddy Moon replaced Santini on bass.
* Disbanded in early 1985.
* Reformed in mid-1990s with original line-up.Music excerpt
Discography
Albums
* "
Can't Stand The Rezillos " (July 1978: Sire, K 56530) # 16UK Albums Chart
* "Mission Accomplished But The Beat Goes On" (Live album) (April 1979: Sire, SRK 6069) UK # 30
* "Rev Up" (as "The Revillos") (September 1980: Snatzo / Dindisc, DID X 3)
* "Attack!" (as "The Revillos") (January 1982: Superville, SV 4001) Album withdrawningles
ee also
*
List of British punk bands
*List of musicians in the first wave of punk music
*List of New Wave bands and artists
*List of Peel sessions
*List of performers on Top of the Pops
*Music of the United Kingdom (1970s) References
External links
* [http://www.rezillos.com/ The Official Rezillos website]
*
* [http://www.punk77.co.uk/groups/rezillos.htm The Rezillos] on www.punk77.co.uk
* [http://davidsmythe.org/rezillos/the%20rezillos.htm/ David Symthe's personal story of how it started]
* [http://www.revillos.co.uk/ The Revillos website]
* [http://dek.spc.org/rezillos/inset.html 'Can't Stand the Rezillos']
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