Chelsea
Chelsea were punk’s perennial underachievers. One of the earliest punk bands, they were formed around their volatile singer Gene October by Acme Attractions owner John Krevine and within weeks lost band members which was to become a recurrent theme through the band’s lifespan, particularly in its important formative months as punk exploded.
Signed to Step Forward Records by Mark P, the band released three classic singles over virtually three years. While most of their peers released singles and albums and burnt out, it took till 1979 for Chelsea to get some sort of band stability and release their eponymous album.
Against all the odds they carried on and survived, not least because of a resurgence in punk with bands like The Ruts, Skids and UK Subs, and would arguably hit a peak in the early Eighties..
Gene October Everyone thinks the kids of the seventies are a useless generation. They think the kids are apathetic and parasitic, but that ain’t true, because the New Wave is positive proof to the contrary. Punk Rock, Virginia Boston
Back in 1976 there were two key shops on the Kings Road that would be crucial to punk rock. One was SEX run by Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood and the other was Acme Attractions run by John Krevine and Steph Raynor. Running the shop were Don Letts and Jeanette Lee and the shop accountant/manager of Chelsea was Andrew Czezowski who for a time had managed The Damned.
While SEX had the Sex Pistols, Krevine was looking to build a band around sometime gay soft porn model John O’ Hara aka Gene October (born in the East End of London and raised in an orphange – Sniffin’ Glue #10). An ad placed in Melody Maker brought together guitarist William Broad (soon to become Billy Idol) and Tony James (ex London SS with Brian James and Mick Jones) who had become friends and John Towe (another London SS try out drummer)
Their first gig made the front pages of the Evening Standard when they played at Genesis P Orridges ‘Prostitution’ show at the ICA where they were called LSD! The show itself was notorious; a Tory MP slammed its funding in the Evening Standard and featuring members of the Bromley Contingent in photos!
In a Record Collector article, Gene says ‘ We all picked the name Chelsea, we were into the ’60’s thing and it summed up what we were going to do’
Songs written at that time included Ready Steady Go and Your Generation which probably didn’t match Gene’s strong voice. The dynamic of the band would also have been interesting, knowing how driven James and Idol were and after 3 gigs they decamped with Towe, found a guitarist Derwood and became Generation X.
As if that wasn’t enough, October had been looking for a place where Chelsea could play and rehearse and found a gay club called Chaguaramas, which was well-known to early punks. With his band split up, Andrew Czezowski along with Barry Jones took up the lease, though the club had changed names to The Roxy in the meantime. They turned it into a punk club and the opening act was … Generation X. Chelsea would however support The Clash on their legendary New Year’s Eve appearance.
This turnover of personnel was a pattern that was to repeat itself through the band’s first two years when consistency at this fast-moving time of punks explosion was critical.
Recruited into the band over the next few months was Carey Fortune on drums, Martin Stacy on guitar and Bob Jessie on bass. The latter two were soon replaced by Henry Daze (Henry Badowski) and James Stevenson.
But they had some luck. Step Forward Records was set up by Miles Copeland with influential Sniffin’ Glue fanzine writer Mark P as its A&R man and he signed up bands like The Cortinas, Sham 69 and Chelsea, and their first single Right to Work was released in June 1977. This was a good period for the band with features in the music papers and fanzines and a John Peel radio session this month. Gene also filmed scenes for Derek Jarman’s Jubilee and Chelsea appeared on the soundtrack.
No Admission
High Rise Living
Right To Work
Pretty Vacant
Blind Date
But the reaction to them wasn’t mainly positive. Tony D of Ripped & Torn bemoaned Gene coming on last like a star, dressed in a crisp white boiler suit like a punk Freddie Mercury and posing holding the mike stand aloft. Alan Anger of Live Wire bemoaned the guitarists wearing makeup, though did say Chelsea were one of the best bands around.
James Stevenson At the time we were pissed off. We never got the credit we deserved. I’ll stand by any of the records we made and I don’t think they have dated that badly. The music papers at that time gave us an absolute hammering and we had few allies. I can remember when we were going up to a gig in Leeds and the hotel was raided and pulled out of our beds at 6 in the morning. We though we’d mention it to the NME to get a bit in the gossip column. They wrote instead the police were probably trying to stop us playing! Its funny now, but back then we were getting it all the time. Really nasty. Punk77, 1999
On October 6th 1977 they played a farewell gig at the Roxy Club. On Andy Czezowski’s suggestion, Gene would front a band named Love & Kisses and the music played would be a more power pop/psychedelic orientated set of songs.
Andy Czezowski I can’t remember how Gene October came back to me but the landscape had changed. L&K were such a different thing, didn’t know quite where we were going but we were trying to find a different style musically and visually. That was very conscious you see to not follow the crowd; When we got involved with Punk in 1975/76 it was new and fresh and confrontational but come ’77 you can see from the newspapers that it had become negative, mainstream and boring. It was bigger yes but did I want to be treading the same path again. We’d done that. Punk77, 2020
Mark ‘the Kid’ Ryan who had recently left Adam & The Ants is onboarded as guitarist, but after just a couple of rehearsals the band once more reform as Chelsea.
Mark ‘The Kid’ Ryan: After I rehearsed with them (Love & Kisses) for a few weeks they decamped to the Police’s label as Chelsea again while I decided to stay with Andy and set up a new band.
Andy Czezowski: Yes Gene hadn’t really progressed from the Right to Work etc and that wasn’t my thing. Punk77, 2020
So a reformed Chelsea were back on the road and a new single appeared in December again on Step Forward called High Rise Living.
However it would be nearly a year before the next single in August with the mighty Urban Kids single. Another John Peel session preceded it in July 1978.
No Flowers
Come On
Urban Kids
I’m On Fire
By this time yet more lineup changes and, if we’re being honest, Chelsea had pretty much missed the boat. All their contemporaries had pretty much been signed and even released albums.
It was again on Step Forward records
Miles Copeland Gene October was such a wide boy that I don’t think any label would ever sign him. I would only do one record at a time. He kept changing people – hey Miles got a new band had to change the drummer and whoever. We had no long term contract, but noone else would sign the guy . We stuck with him though because he was not coming in saying I need £100k to make a record. It was you make it the same way you did the first one – you take a day or 2 – Gene was very much into the punk thing. Punk77 Interview, October 2023
Gene October But I was quite happy for Chelsea to be on Step Forward. Thwer was a nice atmosphere, and the people there werre great. If you needed a couple of bob, Miles gave it to you. I did eat, I did sleep, I got drunk – what more do you want? Punk Rock, John Robb
If there was a plus point it was the lineup became stable with the addition of Chris Bashford (ex Swank, Bazoomies and one of the million try-out drummers for The Clash) on drums.
Gene October – vocals, James Stevenson – lead guitar, Dave Martin – rhythm guitar, Geoff Myles – bass and Chris Bashford – drums
Chris Bashford I had auditioned for the Pretenders before any hits as they were forming. I didn’t think they were very good which is ironic. I auditioned for Chelsea and though they were great. Unknown to me Martin Chambers had auditioned for Chelsea before me and they didn’t really rate him because he had flares on and a bit of a mullet and they said no. I came in after and he then auditioned for The Pretenders and got it! (laughs) Just bizarre how fate takes you.
In January 1979 it was reported that Chelsea were in the studio recording their debut album which they duly did at rapid speed in 2 weeks.
1979 really should have been Chelsea’s year with their profile higher and a renewed interest in punk with charting bands like The Ruts, UK Subs and The Skids. So why wasn’t it? Some point the finger at the sudden rise of The Police and Step Forward/IRS resources being diverted to that band but on balance, though an element of truth in it, it wasn’t stopping Miles trying to negotiate US license deals for his bands which he had successfully done for Buzzcocks and The Stranglers.
Chris Bashford When I joined Chelsea they did everything a little bit late. The timing was always a little bit off. The album came out too late; everybody had alady had theirs out. There was too much fragmentation and disorientation of the line up and it wasn’t until I joined that we had a really solid line up and was on the cusp of things happening. We did the Old Grey Whistle test and 2 major US tours. There were three John Peel sessions and we did a BBC Radio 1 In Concert. There were people interested. Punk77, October 2022
James Stevenson Soon as the Police started happening all the bands on Step Forward got neglected / forgotten about. Miles ( head of Step and manager of The Police ) was also our manager which didn’t help. A&M were once interested coz of Miles but maybe he wanted to keep some bands on his own label. It probably in hindsight wasn’t the most ideal situation. Punk77, 1999
The trouble was perhaps closer to home and, given the fluidity of line ups, not hard to guess.
Chris Bashford Gene is a loose cannon; a great performer and frontman but implodes any time there’s an issue, pressure or is on the cusp of sucess and brings down the people around him. As a band you’re a unit, and only as strong as your weakest link and Gene is unproffessional, panicky and hard to work with.
He was impossible to work with; he fucked up every deal. We nearly got chucked off the OGWT and at CBGB’s, where Miles had invited all the record labels like A&M, Arista you name it, he was backstage beating the shit out of Gene because he’d spent the whole time abusing everybody there. Punk77, October 2022
Though The Police were the main act, Step Forward remained a close-knit affair. When the band were short of a guitarist or bassist you could always call on someone whether Sting or Steve Tannett. ex of Menace who had joined Miles Copeland’s empire and who would later produce and play on later Chelsea recordings.
We leave it here but Chelsea continued on. More lineup changes including James Stevenson switching to play for er … Gen X. Some questionable recorded output, but arguably their best with the Evacuate album, supported by Step Forward for a good few years, some rough years and some better years, reformations but always with Gene October and still in 2023 are going.
James Stevenson At the end of a day Gene is a brilliant performer . He could really command an audience. He’s a brilliant frontman. Punk77, 1999
Love or loath him – Gene October a punk legend!
Three singles in as many years does not build a following and/or success. Step Forward was loyal to Gene and his ever increasing ex-members family tree of Chelsea. That said, it’s three cracking punk rock singles!
Right To Work / The Loner (Step Forward June 1977)
Described by Mark P as a ‘rousing punk anthem with dodgy lyrics’ like ‘I don’t take drugs and I don’t drink beer’!
James Stevenson The song was misinterpreted. People thought it was a socialist statement. It was actually an anti-union one. He had been trying to get into equity and acting and couldn’t, so it was the right to work without joining a union. Punk77, 2009
Iconic song. Iconic cover with a photo by Peter Kodick and design by Jill Furmanovsky
Punk in London [1977] – Wolfgang Büld
High Rise Living/No Admission (Step Forward December 1977)
Second single after the band reformed after their first split. The pick here is the B Side – No Admission. Urgent and punky, suiting Gene’s aggressive voice to a tee. All in all a fine single.
Unusual graphic picture cover and back drawn by Sandra Tiffin
Gene October Our single… is very street, pushing that thing of living in high-rise blocks, which was a big thing in London in them days. And in a lot of cities nobody hit that subject. Punk Rock, John Robb
Urban Kids / No Flowers (Step Forward August 1978)
Another single, another line up but on Step Forward still. co-written by October and Mark P and produced by ex-Who manager Kit Lambert.
Punk77 says: For me their best record. Fabulous production, a great song with OK lyrics (sorry Mark!) but an earworm chorus and suiting Gene’s vocals down to the ground. Punk had moved on, as fashion-wise the boys on the cover show. Arguably Chelsea’s sound hadn’t.
Decide / I’m On Fire (Step Forward September 1979)
Revving up to the album was this single from it and finds the band in a typically boisterous form and sounding not unlike The Clash in terms of pace, guitars and backing vocals, though the power of Gene’s vocals is all his and unmistakeable!
Good B side too!
Chelsea – Chelsea (Step Forward 1979)
Dave Martin – rhythm guitar, Geoff Myles – bass
Chris Bashford – drums
It was recorded during two weeks in early January 1979
Chris Bashford When I joined Chelsea I had sold my kit because I thought I could get a drum kit out of Miles. When we were doing our first album, we were doing it at Surrey Sound studio which was the one The Police was using. We went there and I didn’t have a kit so Stewart’s kit was still set up there from their recording, so there’s about 4 tracks that I’m using his kit for.
Best Chelsea song..?
James Stevenson Whole of the first album tho I’m not sure whether they suited Gene’s way of singing…like ‘Trouble is the day’. Fantastic song but I’m not sure it was right for Gene. He was much better singing the harder songs like ‘No Admission’ and ‘Urban Kids’ . He Has a very distinctive and aggressive voice. Gene is a great singer; rock singer. Punk77, 1999
Late but fantastic debut full-length from Chelsea, packed with titanic drumming, thick layers of aggressive, in-your-face guitars and catchy singalong choruses. The Clash are the obvious major influence here, but I would argue that Chelsea deliver this brand of earnest, ambient punk rock more convincingly; Gene October’s distinctly blue-collar snarl really gives him an edge in the authenticity department. Opens with ‘I’m on Fire,’ an absolute rager (and possibly my favorite punk song of all time), and never lets up for a minute–not even when Chelsea bravely, and successfully, tackle Jimmy Cliff’s reggae ballad ‘Many Rivers to Cross.’ Gronk73, 1 Sept 2022, Discogs
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