Their self-titled debut album , produced by Andy Arthurs, was released in March 1978. One retrospective review claimed it “demonstrated their limitations as well as their strengths. The 45 cuts like “Me and My Desire” and “Emergency” demonstrated the latter, but the album lacked that special ingredient, uniqueness or originality…
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The group was formed in 1977 by songwriter and keyboardist Dammers, vocalist Tim Strickland, guitarist/vocalist Lynval Golding , drummer Silverton Hutchinson and bassist Horace Panter (Sir Horace Gentleman). Strickland was replaced by Terry Hall shortly after the band’s formation. The band was first called the Automatics, then the Coventry Automatics.…
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In August, Tony Secunda took over the management of the band, and their cohesiveness became so unstable that by March 1978, Clarke and Taylor had formed and were performing as the Muggers with Speedy Keen and Billy Rath of American punk band The Heartbreakers .
…And Then There Were Three… was released in March 1978. It received some mixed reviews from critics at the time owing to the album only containing short songs, which excited new fans but disillusioned those who had been used to the band’s previous work. Chris Welch wrote a positive review…
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The …And Then There Were Three… tour ran from March to December 1978 and visited North America, Europe and, for the first time, Japan. It cost an estimated £2 million to stage (equivalent to £11,000,000 in 2025). which included the sound system, light and laser displays and additional effects from…
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The band’s debut album, Crossing the Red Sea was released by Bright on 17 February 1978. It has since become one of the most highly regarded albums of the punk era, with Dave Thompson calling it “a devastating debut, one of the finest albums not only of the punk era,…
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“Motorcade” co-writer Dickinson, whose background was in classical and avant-garde music , left shortly after several gigs in late 1977. In mid-February 1978, the band recorded their first John Peel session for BBC radio. In early 1978, they also released their first single, ” Shot by Both Sides “, produced…
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“Suspect Device” was released in February 1978. A copy of the single was sent to John Peel . He played it repeatedly leading to a distribution deal through Rough Trade Records . The single was released on the band’s own Rigid Digits label, re-released a month later with the support…
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The bleached-blond hair that became a band trademark happened by accident. In February 1978, the band, desperate for money, were asked to do a commercial for Wrigley’s Spearmint chewing gum (directed by Tony Scott ) on the condition they dye their hair blond in order to play a punk band…
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In February 1978, the Clash released the single ” Clash City Rockers “; and played the song live, along with ” Tommy Gun “, on BBC television’s youth show Something Else .