1977

While for some 1976 was their defining year, for me and so many others 1977 was the moment we found our music in punk rock and nothing would ever be the same again.

Now much older I have a slight tinge of nostalgia for the images and sights and sounds of the times and even some of the music etc I hated then have developed a warm glow of nostalgia.

So here for your delectation is the Record Mirror’s summary of events of that year with a load of pictures thrown in and some YouTube stuff that might make you choke!

Record Mirror kicked off 1977 with a punk calendar in the last issue of 1976

JANUARY 1977

Week ending January 8
BRYAN FERRY announces new band plus UK and American tours. ACE return to Britain after a year in California. ERROL GARNER, jazz pianist, dies in Los Angeles aged 53. SEX PISTOLS shock passengers and airline staff at Heathrow Airport as they spit, vomit and use four – letter words.. GARY MOORE replaces the injured BRIAN ROBERTSON for THIN LIZZY’s American tour. Eleven members of ROD STEWART’s road crew charged in Glasgow under, the drugs act.

Week ending January 15
QUEEN start their 42-date tour of USA. NIK TURNER quits HAWKWIND. DAVID BOWIE releases ‘Low’. GARY GLITTER comes out of retirement and announces cabaret tour. KEITH RICHARD in court on drugs charges after car crash.

Week ending January 22
STRANGLERS, banned from appearing on children’s TV show `Magpie’. MELANIE cancels British dates. RICK WAKEMAN escapes injury in serious road crash in Switzerland. JACK BRUCE forms new band. Three members of STATUS QUO fined £3,800 in Vienna after scuffle with police at the city’s airport.

Week ending January 29
WINGS release ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’ as a single. Britain’s pop stars are to come under even closer scrutiny from the taxman.

FEBRUARY 1977

Week ending February 5
MARC BOLAN and his new T REX announce new album, single and tour. CLASH sign to CBS. PATTI SMITH hurt in stage fall in Florida. ROLLING STONES still negotiating new record deal. GRATEFUL DEAD sign to Arista.

Week ending February 12
Stiff Records licensed to Island but retains its own identity. RICHARD JONES quits CLIMAX BLUES BAND.

Week ending February 19
DAVID SOUL opens sell-out UK tour. TONY CAREY and JIMMY BAIN sacked from RITCHIE BLACKMORE’S RAINBOW. BARRY MARTIN joins KIRSAALS.

Week ending February 28
ROLLING STONES sign to EMI. DAVID SOUL’S ‘Don’t Give Up On Us Baby’ sells its millionth copy.

MARCH 1977

Week ending March 5
SEX PISTOLS sack bass player GLEN MATLOCK and replace him with SID VICIOUS. RAY CHARLES attacked onstage during concert in Los Angeles. DAVID BOWIE comes out of hiding to tour with his protégé IGGY POP. In Canada KEITH RICHARD charged with possession of heroin for the purpose of trafficking. The offence carries a maximum life sentence.

Week ending March 12
Riots at the Rainbow when IGGY POP and DAVID BOWIE appear. STEVIE WONDER makes rare live appearance with OSIBISA in Nigeria.

Week ending March 19
SEX PISTOLS sign a new recording deal with A&M. The deal is completed in a small ceremony outside Buckingham Palace to mark their new single ‘God Save The Queen’. JOHNNY ROTTEN – real name John Joseph Lydon – fined £40 for possession of amphetamines. CLASH release debut single ‘White Riot’. Former DEEP PURPLE singer IAN GILLAN signs to Island.

Week ending March 26
A&M Records issue the following statement: “A&M Records wish to announce that Its recording contract with the SEX PISTOLS has been terminated with immediate effect. . . ” The band get £76,000 for their part of the termination of the agreement. PETER FRAMPTON establishes his Music Endowment Fund in USA. LOU REED opens European tour. PAICE ASHTON LORD make their live debut. SMALL FACES reform, supplemented by new member RICK WILLS. ELTON JOHN signs BLUE to his Rocket label. THE DAMNED become the first British new wave act to appear in the US with four nights at New York’s CBGB’s.

APRIL 1977

Week ending April 2
FLEETWOOD MAC tour Britain. ‘Rumours’ goes silver. FRAMPTON denies he’s to play London’s Earls Court. lOcc (now 5cc) announce single, album and tour. LOL CREME and KEVIN GODLEY busy on gizmo project. Investigation into the books of the BAY CITY ROLLERS reveals £1 million discrepancy. ROLLING STONES re-sign to Atlantic in US. BEATLES issue writ to prevent the release of album recorded at Star Club, Hamburg. WILKO quits the FEELGOODS for unannounced reasons – remainder of band to continue. MUD sign to RCA. Music Machine in Camden, London opens as major venue.

Singles were 75p and albums between £2.50 & £2.99

Week ending April 16
STRANGLERS release ‘Rattus Norvegicus’ LP. CAT STEVENS releases ‘Izitao’. SEX PISTOLS rumoured to be setting up their own record label. COLIN PATTENDEN quits, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. BEATLES lose court case over Hamburg album. NEIL DIAMOND’s London Palladium dates for June sold out already.

Week ending April 23
ERIC CLAPTON, PETER GABRIEL start UK tours. JAM release first single ‘In The City. First QUEEN tour for two years announced for May and June. Former BEATLES manager ALAN KLEIN on income tax charges. Essex guitarist JOHN MAYO joins DR FEELGOOD as replacement for WILKO. Charly Records launch Affinity label.

Week ending April 30
HEAVY METAL KIDS reform. EAGLES start UK tour. ‘Hotel California’ goes quadruple platinum. KIKI DEE to quit Britain for America.

MAY 1977

Week ending May 7
SLADE open first UK tour for two years SHADOWS, with chart topping album, are on tour. ELTON JOHN week of concerts at the London Rainbow. GILBERT O’SULLIVAN tours. New members lOcc: PAUL BURGESS, STUART TOSH, TONY O’MALLEY.

Week ending May 14
ROGER DALTREY releases solo album. STRANGLERS announce major tour. BAY CITY ROLLERS sack bass player PAT McGLYNN (19). Over £1,000 worth of damage caused at Rainbow concert headlined by CLASH and JAM. Theatre spokesman: “There is no question of us banning the CLASH or any other punk band because of this.” CHRIS HILLMAN walks out of European tour with ROGER MCGUINN and GENE CLARK.

Week ending May 21
SEX PISTOLS sign to Virgin for an unspecified sum. Spokesman says: “However other record companies might protest, they would all have liked to have signed the SEX PISTOLS.”

Week ending May 28
THE JAM pull out of the CLASH ‘White Riot’ tour. STRANGLERS having problems with their UK tour – council objections – etc. VIBRATORS banned from London’s New Victoria Theatre.

JUNE 1977

Week ending June 4
MCA sign LONDON. DEE GENERATE (l5) quits EATER. BBC place radio and TV ban on PISTOLS’ ‘God Save The Queen’ which this week jumps into the charts at number 11: BBC spokesman describes the record as being “in gross bad taste.”

Week ending June 11
WINGS deny Knebworth Festival rumours. PAT McGLYNN forms new band SCOTTIE. Leicester Poly bans all new wave bands. ‘God Save The Queen’ has now sold 150.000 copies to date despite being banned from all TV and radio exposure.

Week ending June 18
STRANGLERS sign long-term to A&M in, US. FRANKIE MILLER’S FULL HOUSE kick off US tour in Chicago. JOE STRUMMER and NICKY HEADON of the CLASH fined for theft in Morpeth, Northumberland. DAVE BROMBERG blows out British tour. GLC keeping dossier on all new wave bands. BEACH BOYS sign to CBS – first details of their ill – fated British summer tour announced: PETER KNIGHT, BOB JOHNSON quit STEELEYE SPAN: MARTIN .CARTHY and JOHN KIRKPATRICK join. EMERSON LAKE AND -PALMER start their mammoth world tour with first US concert for three years. ELP have touring entourage of 116 people.

Week ending June 25
YES release ‘Going For The One.’ GENERATION X get new drummer MARK LAFF. GENESIS sell out Earls Court. PISTOLS ROTTEN and COOK attacked in separate incidents. “Britain is not the place to be if you want to speak your mind,” says Virgin spokesman

JULY 1977

Week ending July 9
THE WHO buy part of Shepperton Studios for 150.000. JACKIE FOX (l7) quits the RUNAWAYS. £10,000 worth equipment stolen from Ronnie Lane’s mobile studio. STEVE HARLEY splits with COCKNEY REBEL on eve of release of first live album.

Week ending July 16
10cc to record live album in Manchester. More ELP British dates rumours. In London report shows that Capital Radio is gaining listeners from Radio 1.

Week ending July 23
ELVIS COSTELLO tours Britain. BEACH BOYS scrap British tour.

Week ending July 30
Ariola Records from Munich to invest a million and a half pounds in British talent. GENERATION X sign to Chrysalis. Teds march on BBC demanding air-time for rock ‘n’ roll.

AUGUST 1977

Week ending August 8
SID VICIOUS fined £125 for assaulting’ a policeman and carrying an offensive weapon. ELVIS PRESLEY releases ‘Moody Blue’ album. MARC BOLAN to star in own TV series from August 24. VICKI BLUE (17) new bassist for the RUNAWAYS. RARE EARTH reform.

Week ending August 13
THE DAMNED add a new guitarist, LU. VIC COLLINS quits KURSAALS. ROSETTA STONE sign to Private Stock. IGGY POP tour confirmed for late September. JULIE COVINGTON signs to Virgin. FRANKIE MILLER rearranges his Full House-band – only one original member remains. JONATHAN RICHMAN to tour next month.

Week ending August 20
VIBRATORS quit Britain to live in Berlin which will result in the album V2. LEO SAYER to make his first major British tour at the end of September. Virgin sign XTC. PHIL LYNOTT publishes second book of lyrics / poetry. LINDA RONSTADT releases ‘Simple Dreams’.

Week ending August 27
ELVIS PRESLEY dies. SPARKS return with new album, new single and new label, CBS. CAMEL return to UK. BUZZCOCKS sign to UA, HUGH McKENNA leaves SAHB, replaced by TOMMY EYRES. BETHNAL sign to Phonogram. RACING CARS release second album. ELTON JOHN to appear on MUPPET SHOW. 100,000 mourners give ELVIS PRESLEY the most emotional farewell in the history of rock music.

SEPTEMBER 1977

Week ending September 3
STATUS QUO, RAINBOW, DEMIS ROUSSOS, announce tours. CAROLE BAYER SAGER for London, ELTON JOHN for Wembley in November. FABULOUS POODLES debut album.

Week ending September 10
JIMMY McCULLOCH quits WINGS and joins SMALL FACES. BUDDY HOLLY Week almost here. STRANGLERS announce gigantic tour. JAM LP for November release. DONNA SUMMER to play Britain. The police chief in Lindos, Greece, removed from office after complaints from PINK FLOYD’S RICK WRIGHT. BOWIE’s new LP `Heroes’ due out October 7.

Week ending September 17
MARC BOLAN dies in car crash. RANDY MEISNER splits from the EAGLES, replaced by TIM Schmit of POCO. STEVE GIBBONS put out live LP. GIZMO LP – out next month to retail at £11. ‘So It Goes’ to return.

Week ending September 3
CHERRY VANILLA announces her imminent arrival here. LEO SAYER releases ‘Thunder In My Heart’ LP. SAHB announced exotic Christmas extravaganza.

OCTOBER 1977

Week ending October 1
TOM ROBINSON releases ‘2-4-8-8 Motorway’ and tours. THE JAM plans trip to the States.

Week ending October 8
DJM sign a punk band – Satan’s Rats. 999 sign to UA. PAUL COOK plays with the HEARTBREAKERS. STEVE HACKETT quits GENESIS.

Week ending October 16
NZ outfit SPLIT ENZ return to UK. DAVID ESSEX announces tour. SEX PISTOLS forced to withdraw colour sleeve of ‘Holidays In The Sun’.

Week ending October 22
ROD STEWART releases new album. TUBES confirm British dates for ‘November. CLASH tour. WILKO announces line-up of his new band. ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ goes gold.

Week ending October 29
RAINBOW’s tour to continue despite RITCHIE BLACKMORE’s arrest in Vienna. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN now have 38 tracks recorded but still no sign of album release. WISHBONE ASH to play the Marquee. LYNYRD SKYNYRD involved in tragic air crash, three members of the band die. The plane apparently ran out of fuel:

NOVEMBER 1977

Week ending November 5
ALEX HARVEY retires, walks out of rehearsals at BBC. GARY GLITTER breathalysed. PJ PROBY to play ELVIS. DAVY JONES; MICKEY DOLENZ for ‘The Point’: ‘Love Songs’ by the Beatles released.

Week ending November 12
THIN LIZZY start British tour. OZZY 0ZBOURNE quits BLACK SABBATH. TONY BLACKBURN divorced. SEX PISTOLS window display seized. ELTON JOHN plays his last live performance. ZAL CLEMINSON hits out at ALEX.

Week ending November 18
KURSAALS disband. ARETHA FRANKLIN pulls out of British dates. STEVE WINWOOD to back JOHN MARTYN. BONNIE TYLER form a new band.

Week ending November 28
BBC ban KENNY WILLIAMS single ‘You’re Fabulous Babe’. Hope And Anchor festival starts. CLASH to play the Rainbow. Virgin boss RICHARD BRANSON to appear in court over PISTOLS’ album cover. STRANGLERS cleared on drunk charge. DAVE WALKER joins BLACK SABBATH. ZAL CLEMINSON forms a new band.

DECEMBER 1977

Week ending December 3
RICH KIDS announce tour. KISS release live album.

Week ending December 10
RICH KIDS record with MICK RONSON: ROXY theatre to close ROLLING STONES to release album in March. DEKE LEONARD forms new band.

Week ending December 17
WHO announce details of major film project Quadrophenia, then play surprise London gig. WINGS to appear on Mike Yarwood Christmas show. ‘Mull Of Kintyre’ sells a million. SEX PISTOLS to tour – official, first gig at Brunel University Uxbridge. BRIAN CHATTON joins John Miles’ band. ELVIS, COSTELLO, NICK LOWE sign to UA breakaway group Radar Records. PAT TRAVERS cancels tour.

Week ending December 24
SEX PISTOLS to play children’s party in Huddersfield on Christmas Day. MANHATTAN TRANSFER, GILBERT O’SULLIVAN, EMMYLOU HARRIS, XTC to tour in the New Year. LINDISFARNE sell out five concerts in Newcastle.

Happy Christmas in Punky land. Wings at No.1 with ’Mull of Kintyre’, Wogan with the ‘Floral Dance’ at No.2, Bee Gees at No.3, and Bing Crosby at No. 5. However Althea and Donnas ‘Uptown Ranking’ enters at No.34 and the Banned ‘Little Girl’ at No.36

TELEVISION CHRISTMAS 1977

Fuck me TV was bad looking back at it and it all ended at 12 midnight with the National Anthem followed by white noise.

BBC1
Star Over Bethlehem
Playboard
Morning service
National Velvet (film)
Are You Being Served? (Comedy)
Top of the Pops Pt one – Noel Edmonds and David “Kid” Jensen.
Queens Speech
Billy Smart’s Circus
The Wizard of Oz (film)
Basil Through the Looking Glass (a furry fox puppet)
Songs Of Praise
Bruce Forsyth and The Generation Game (Game show)
Mike Yarwood (impressionist who looking back wasn’t funny)
Morecambe and Wise (comedy duo)
Funny Girl (film)

BBC2
Six documentaries and very little else!

ITV
Carol concert, random cartoons, morning service
A Merry Morning (Jimmy Tarbuck and The Wurzels visit a kids home)
Robinson Crusoe and the Tiger (film)
William’s Worst Christmas
Queens Speech
See Such Fun (film clips)
Emu’s Christmas Adventures (Rod Hull and his ostrich puppet Emu)
The Muppet Show
Sale of the Century (Game show)
Stars on Christmas Day (celebrities & religion)
Young Winston (film)
Stanley Baxter’s Greatest Hits (comedy)
Celebration (more singing and choirs)