The Adverts
Encyclopedia
The Adverts were an English punk band who formed in 1976 and broke up in late 1979. They were one of the first punk bands to enjoy chart success in the UK, and their line-up included Gaye Advert, whom The Virgin Encyclopedia of 70s Music called the "first female punk star".
, a small coastal town in Devon
, and were later married. After relocating to London
the two young punks recruited guitarist Pickup and drummer Driver, and the Adverts were born.
The Roxy
, London's first live punk venue, played a crucial role in the Adverts’ early career. They were one of the pioneering bands who played at the club during its first 100 days. The Adverts played at the club no less than nine times between January and April 1977. In January 1977, after their first gig supporting Generation X
, the band impressed Michael Dempsey so much that he became their manager. Their second gig supporting Slaughter & the Dogs
was recorded, and their anthem "Bored Teenagers" was included on the UK Top 30
album Live at the Roxy WC2
. In February, shortly after the band's third gig supporting The Damned, they signed a recording contract
with Stiff Records
. In March, the band supported The Jam
at the Roxy.
In April, the Adverts recorded the first of four sessions for John Peel
at BBC Radio 1
. Days later, their debut single
, "One Chord Wonders", was released. The single, "a headlong rush of energy", was recommended by both Melody Maker
and Sounds
. Understanding the band's limitations, the song's lyrics, composed
by TV Smith, were likeably self-deprecating:
The Adverts were a prolific live act. Their first nationwide tour was with Stiff label-mates the Damned. The tour poster read, "The Adverts know one chord, the Damned know three. See all four at…" Later they would support Iggy Pop
on tour, as well as conducting their own headlining tours in Britain
, Ireland
and Europe
.
In August, the band released the first of their two UK Top 40 hit singles
. Lyrically, "Gary Gilmore's Eyes
" was a controversial song based on the wishes of Gary Gilmore
, an American murderer, that his eyes be donated to medical science after his execution. Sounds
described it as "the sickest and cleverest record to come out of the new wave". Years later, it was included in Mojo
magazine’s list of the best punk rock singles of all time.
After the tabloid
-fuelled controversy surrounding the single, and an appearance on Top of the Pops
, the Adverts became big news. Observers focused on frontman T.V. Smith and bassist Gaye Advert. Reviewers noted T.V. Smith's song-writing ability. He was said to have "captured the spirit of the times few contemporaries could match". Another reviewer described Smith as the band’s "raging heart, spitting out the failsafe succession of songs which still delineate punk’s hopes, aspirations and, ultimately, regrets". In contrast, Gaye Advert's reputation was more fleeting. She was "one of Punk’s first female icons". Her "photogenic" looks, "panda-eye make-up and omnipresent leather jacket defined the face of female punkdom until well into the next decade".
The band’s follow-up single, "Safety in Numbers", did not chart
. A fourth single, "No Time To Be 21", scraped into the UK Top 40. A month later, their debut album Crossing The Red Sea was released, and has 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, but of the 1970s as a whole", Trouser Press
calling it "the equal of the first Sex Pistols or Clash LP, a hasty statement that captures an exciting time", and several other writers including it in lists of all-time greatest albums.
Despite releasing some more well-regarded singles, the Adverts were not able to maintain the momentum and their career stalled after the release of their second album. The band members at the time were also threatened with lawsuits by former members Rod Latter and Howard Pickup, who objected to the band continuing to use the Adverts name without them. They split up shortly after the accidental death by electrocution
of their manager
, Michael Dempsey. Their last gig was at Slough
College on 27 October 1979. After the band split up, T.V. Smith continued with Tim Cross as T.V. Smith's Explorers, then Cheap, and finally from the 1990s to date performing as a solo artist.
In regards to their legacy, critic and author Dave Thompson argues that "nobody would make music like the Adverts and nobody ever has. In terms of lyric, delivery, commitment and courage, they were, and they remain, the finest British group of the late 1970s".
Career
The band was formed in 1976 by T.V. Smith and Gaye Advert. Smith and Advert were both from BidefordBideford
Bideford is a small port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is also the main town of the Torridge local government district.-History:...
, a small coastal town in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, and were later married. After relocating to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
the two young punks recruited guitarist Pickup and drummer Driver, and the Adverts were born.
The Roxy
The Roxy
The Roxy was a fashionable nightclub on Neal Street in London's Covent Garden, known for hosting the flowering British punk music scene in its infancy.-Brief history:...
, London's first live punk venue, played a crucial role in the Adverts’ early career. They were one of the pioneering bands who played at the club during its first 100 days. The Adverts played at the club no less than nine times between January and April 1977. In January 1977, after their first gig supporting Generation X
Generation X (band)
Generation X was a British punk rock band, formed on 21 November 1976 by Billy Idol, Tony James and John Towe.-History:...
, the band impressed Michael Dempsey so much that he became their manager. Their second gig supporting Slaughter & the Dogs
Slaughter & The Dogs
Slaughter & The Dogs is an English punk rock band that formed in the late 1970s in Manchester, England. They were one of the first UK punk bands to sign for a major label, Decca Records.-Career:...
was recorded, and their anthem "Bored Teenagers" was included on the UK Top 30
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
album Live at the Roxy WC2
Live at the Roxy WC2
The Roxy London WC2 is a live album of recordings taken from various punk bands that played the Roxy club in Covent Garden, London between January and April 1977.-Overview:...
. In February, shortly after the band's third gig supporting The Damned, they signed a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Stiff Records
Stiff Records
Stiff Records is a record label created in London in 1976, by entrepreneurs Dave Robinson and Andrew Jakeman , and active until 1985. It was reactivated in 2007....
. In March, the band supported The Jam
The Jam
The Jam were an English punk rock/New Wave/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were formed in Woking, Surrey. While they shared the "angry young men" outlook and fast tempos of their punk rock contemporaries, The Jam wore smartly tailored suits rather than ripped...
at the Roxy.
In April, the Adverts recorded the first of four sessions for John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
at BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. Days later, their debut single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "One Chord Wonders", was released. The single, "a headlong rush of energy", was recommended by both Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
and Sounds
Sounds (magazine)
Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...
. Understanding the band's limitations, the song's lyrics, composed
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
by TV Smith, were likeably self-deprecating:
I wonder what we’ll play for you tonight
Something heavy or something light
Something to set your soul alight
I wonder how we’ll answer when you say
‘We don’t like you – go away
Come back when you’ve learnt to play
The Adverts were a prolific live act. Their first nationwide tour was with Stiff label-mates the Damned. The tour poster read, "The Adverts know one chord, the Damned know three. See all four at…" Later they would support Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
on tour, as well as conducting their own headlining tours in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Lyrically, "Gary Gilmore's Eyes
Gary Gilmore's Eyes
"Gary Gilmore's Eyes" is a single by the punk rock band the Adverts. The song reached #18 in the UK Singles Chart in September, 1977 and earned the band an appearance on Top of the Pops. It was originally intended to be included on the bands' debut album, Crossing the Red Sea with The Adverts,...
" was a controversial song based on the wishes of Gary Gilmore
Gary Gilmore
Gary Mark Gilmore was an American criminal, and murderer, who gained international notoriety for demanding that his own death sentence be fulfilled following two murders he committed in Utah. He became the first person executed in the United States after the U.S...
, an American murderer, that his eyes be donated to medical science after his execution. Sounds
Sounds (magazine)
Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...
described it as "the sickest and cleverest record to come out of the new wave". Years later, it was included in Mojo
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
magazine’s list of the best punk rock singles of all time.
After the tabloid
Tabloid journalism
Tabloid journalism tends to emphasize topics such as sensational crime stories, astrology, gossip columns about the personal lives of celebrities and sports stars, and junk food news...
-fuelled controversy surrounding the single, and an appearance on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
, the Adverts became big news. Observers focused on frontman T.V. Smith and bassist Gaye Advert. Reviewers noted T.V. Smith's song-writing ability. He was said to have "captured the spirit of the times few contemporaries could match". Another reviewer described Smith as the band’s "raging heart, spitting out the failsafe succession of songs which still delineate punk’s hopes, aspirations and, ultimately, regrets". In contrast, Gaye Advert's reputation was more fleeting. She was "one of Punk’s first female icons". Her "photogenic" looks, "panda-eye make-up and omnipresent leather jacket defined the face of female punkdom until well into the next decade".
The band’s follow-up single, "Safety in Numbers", did not chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. A fourth single, "No Time To Be 21", scraped into the UK Top 40. A month later, their debut album Crossing The Red Sea was released, and has become one of the most highly regarded albums of the punk era, with Dave Thompson
Dave Thompson (author)
Dave Thompson is the British born author of over 100 books, largely dealing with rock and pop music, but also covering film, sports, philately, numismatics and erotica....
calling it "a devastating debut, one of the finest albums not only of the punk era, but of the 1970s as a whole", Trouser Press
Trouser Press
Trouser Press was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow Who fan Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" ...
calling it "the equal of the first Sex Pistols or Clash LP, a hasty statement that captures an exciting time", and several other writers including it in lists of all-time greatest albums.
Despite releasing some more well-regarded singles, the Adverts were not able to maintain the momentum and their career stalled after the release of their second album. The band members at the time were also threatened with lawsuits by former members Rod Latter and Howard Pickup, who objected to the band continuing to use the Adverts name without them. They split up shortly after the accidental death by electrocution
Electric shock
Electric Shock of a body with any source of electricity that causes a sufficient current through the skin, muscles or hair. Typically, the expression is used to denote an unwanted exposure to electricity, hence the effects are considered undesirable....
of their manager
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
, Michael Dempsey. Their last gig was at Slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
College on 27 October 1979. After the band split up, T.V. Smith continued with Tim Cross as T.V. Smith's Explorers, then Cheap, and finally from the 1990s to date performing as a solo artist.
In regards to their legacy, critic and author Dave Thompson argues that "nobody would make music like the Adverts and nobody ever has. In terms of lyric, delivery, commitment and courage, they were, and they remain, the finest British group of the late 1970s".
Studio albums
- Crossing the Red Sea with the AdvertsCrossing the Red Sea with the AdvertsCrossing the Red Sea with the Adverts was The Adverts’ 1978 début album and featured the UK hit single: “No Time To Be 21” which made No. 38 in February 1978. It was recorded at Abbey Road and produced by John Leckie....
(17 February 1978: Bright Records BRL201) UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#38 - Cast Of ThousandsCast of Thousands (Adverts album)Cast of Thousands was The Adverts' 1979 second album and featured a noticeably different 'sound' from their debut effort: Crossing the Red Sea with the Adverts.-Track listing:All tracks composed by T.V...
(12 October 1979: RCA Records PL25246)
Other releases
- Live At The Roxy Club (1990: Receiver)
- The Wonders Don’t Care: The complete radio recordings (1997: Burning Airlines)
Appearances on various artist compilations
- "Bored Teenagers" featured on the Live at the Roxy WC2Live at the Roxy WC2The Roxy London WC2 is a live album of recordings taken from various punk bands that played the Roxy club in Covent Garden, London between January and April 1977.-Overview:...
compilation albumCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
(24 June 1977: Harvest Records SHSP4069) UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#24 - "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" featured on the 20 of Another Kind compilation album (1979: Polydor Records POLS1006) UK #45
- "One Chord Wonders" and "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" featured on the No Thanks! The '70s Punk Rebellion box set (2003: Rhino Records B0000DD539)
Singles
- "One Chord Wonders" / "Quickstep" (29 April 1977: Stiff Records BUY13)
- "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" / "Bored Teenagers" (19 August 1977: Anchor Records ANC1043) UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#18 - "Safety In Numbers" / "We Who Wait" (28 October 1977: Anchor Records ANC1047)
- "No Time To Be 21" / "New Day Dawning" (20 January 1978: Bright Records BR1) UK #34
- "Television's Over" / "Back From The Dead" (10 November 1978: RCA Records PB5128)
- "My Place" / "New Church" (1 June 1979: RCA Records PB5160)
- "Cast Of Thousands" / "I Will Walk You Home" (19 October 1979: RCA Records PB5191)
See also
- List of British punk bands
- List of musicians in the first wave of punk music
- List of Peel sessions
- Music of the United Kingdom (1970s)Music of the United Kingdom (1970s)Popular music of the United Kingdom in the 1970s built upon the new forms developed of music developed from blues rock towards the end of the 1960s, including folk rock and psychedelic rock...
- List of performers on Top of the Pops
External links
- The Adverts on www.punk77.co.uk
- The Adverts on Punkmodpop
- Interview with The Adverts on Trilogy Rock (Spain)
- Crossing the Punk with TV Smith Interview on www.lafuriaumana.it