False Gestures for a Devious Public

Their first single, “Megalomania”, ridiculed the Pope . Doctor Wild Thing played drums on “Megalomania”. Their second single release “Stark Raving Normal” (a double A side with “Mesrine”) criticized one-dimensional patriotism , apathy and mediocrity. The Cardinal calls himself a punk secular humanist . Their first album, False Gestures for a Devious Public featuring Evo (ex Angelic Upstarts , Warfare and Major Accident ) on drums (1983), hit the UK top 30 and was voted one of the year’s best releases by Sounds magazine. They used to be managed by Garry Bushell , and their song “Such Fun” was on the Oi! compilation album Oi! Oi! That’s Yer Lot!. The album also included the song ” Mesrine ” which was an anthem about the French iconoclastic gangster Jacques Mesrine . “Mesrine” was released in 1983 which preceded the release of the film of the same name that was made in 1984. J.J. Bedsore died in 2004 of multiple organ failure due to years of chronic alcoholism.