Name change

For Wizard, the name “the Rejects” was too deeply embedded in what he regarded as “the new conformity of punk”, leading to the name change to the Homosexuals. Dus could not take being in a band called the Homosexuals and duly left, although Welton and Hayman approved of the change and remained. The band then lived in a series of squats while making music and recording. Their angular guitars, complex melodies and experimental leanings distanced them somewhat from the punk rock being created by their contemporaries and cemented their reputation as a precursor to post-punk. The band’s work during this period would lead to their later recognition as a pioneer of D.I.Y. , along with such bands as This Heat , Desperate Bicycles and Swell Maps . They released few recordings during their initial lifetime, and most of what did appear was in small vinyl runs on self-funded labels. The bulk of the band’s studio material was recorded at Surrey Sound during 1978–79 with producer Chris Gray; the 16-track studio was run by Gray and his brother Nigel (who produced albums by the Police and Siouxsie and the Banshees ). Wizard refused to perform on “the circuit” and thus the Homosexuals only did a handful of gigs, and refused to do interviews. Despite this lack of visibility, their debut 7″, Hearts in Exile , pressed in an edition of 2,000 copies, still managed to sell out in a few days. A self-titled EP followed.