Johnny & The Self Abusers

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One excellent single Saints & Sinners / Dead Vandals (Chiswick 1977) from this brilliantly named Scottish band. The NME wrote "...the song is a drab parade of New Wave that jerks off aimlessly into the void." Charming. Its not that bad. Dead Vandals is the pick which remained in the Simple Minds' set for quite some time. Unfortunately on the day the record was released the band split ! There's another demo track floating around - Pablo Picasso - which is also rather good. Featured the talents of one Jim Kerr and guitarist Charlie Burchill who formed Simple Minds. 

Early Jim Kerr

Hanging Around Fanzine 7 November 1977

 Roger Armstrong " Johnny & The Self Abusers: This came through the post from a journalist friend in Scotland Brian Hogg. We just liked the record so much that Ted lost the first tape, so they sent us another. We pre-sold it on the strength of the name – everyone thought it was great. At the last minute the manager rang up and said that they had changed their name, but Ted said – sorry too late the labels are printed. This was maybe not completely accurate, but we were determined not to blow the good pre sales. In fact the band had split into the Cuban Heels and Simple Minds. The latter’s demos arrived and were pretty good – sounded a bit like the Sweet if I remember correctly."

 Click to hear audio clip of 'Pablo Picasso' 

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