The Original Sin (album)
Encyclopedia
The Original Sin is an album by Cowboys International
, from the British post-punk New Wave era. The band's lone album made Melody Maker's Top 20 poll in 1979 and received rave reviews from Rolling Stone magazine.
and The Psychedelic Furs with a hint of Brian Eno
. In many ways it anticipated the coming New Romantic movement.
The Original Sin actually garnered a rave review from Rolling Stone's David Fricke and was included as number 11 on Melody Maker's Best Albums of 1979 list alongside such classics as Michael Jackson
's Off The Wall
, The Clash
's London Calling
, Talking Heads
' Fear of Music (album)
and Elvis Costello
's Armed Forces
. "Here Comes A Saturday", the album's official single became a minor hit in the United States
and "Thrash" and "Pointy Shoes" were staples of the New York City
club scene. Still, the loose collective of a band didn't stick together and The Original Sin went out of print for over two decades.
The band comprised originally Ken Lockie
(vocals), Keith Levene
(guitar), Jimmy Hughes
(bass), Evan Charles (piano) and Terry Chimes
(drums). Almost all of the members had previous experience in the music business: Levene played in an early version of The Clash
and had one album recorded with Public Image Ltd., Public Image; Hughes, played before in The Banned
; and Terry Chimes was known for being the drummer of The Clash
. Levene only played in the final album's track, probably as guest, because in the rest of the album only Rick Jacks, who probably replace him, played guitar.
Six months after the release of the album, only keyboardist Evan Charles and singer Ken Lockie remained from the lineup. The replacements had also some experience in music; Hughes got replaced by Lee Robinson, Boney M
's studio musician, Chimes by Paul Simon, drummer with Neo
and Radio Stars
, and Rick Jacks by Allan Rawlings, Marco Pirroni
and Stevie Shears
. The band lasted until 1980.
Cowboys International
Cowboys International were a New Wave and synthpop band formed by vocalist and songwriter Ken Lockie that put out one album in 1979, the influential The Original Sin, and a handful of 45s before dissolving in 1980...
, from the British post-punk New Wave era. The band's lone album made Melody Maker's Top 20 poll in 1979 and received rave reviews from Rolling Stone magazine.
Description
The overall feel is futuristic, high-tech keyboard-driven pop music. The sound of the album hints at many styles from David BowieDavid Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
and The Psychedelic Furs with a hint of Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
. In many ways it anticipated the coming New Romantic movement.
The Original Sin actually garnered a rave review from Rolling Stone's David Fricke and was included as number 11 on Melody Maker's Best Albums of 1979 list alongside such classics as Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's Off The Wall
Off the Wall (album)
Off the Wall is the fifth studio album by the American recording artist Michael Jackson, released August 10, 1979 on Epic Records, after Jackson's critically well received film performance in The Wiz. While working on that project, Jackson and Quincy Jones had become friends, and Jones agreed to...
, The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
's London Calling
London Calling
London Calling is the third studio album by the English punk rock band The Clash. It was released in the United Kingdom on 14 December 1979 through CBS Records, and in the United States in January 1980 through Epic Records...
, Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
' Fear of Music (album)
Fear of Music (album)
Fear of Music is the third studio album by American New Wave band Talking Heads, released on 3 August 1979 on Sire Records. It was recorded at locations in New York City between April and May 1979 and was produced by the quartet and Brian Eno. The album entered the Billboard 200 in the United...
and Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
's Armed Forces
Armed Forces
Armed Forces is Elvis Costello's third album, his second with the Attractions, and the first to officially credit the Attractions on the cover. It was released in the UK by Radar Records and in the U.S. by Columbia in 1979...
. "Here Comes A Saturday", the album's official single became a minor hit in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and "Thrash" and "Pointy Shoes" were staples of the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
club scene. Still, the loose collective of a band didn't stick together and The Original Sin went out of print for over two decades.
The band comprised originally Ken Lockie
Ken Lockie
Ken Lockie born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England is a singer/songwriter and keyboard player, singer of New Wave band Cowboys International.-Cowboys International:...
(vocals), Keith Levene
Keith Levene
Keith Levene is an English songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was an early member of The Clash, but is best known as being a founding member of Public Image Limited, along with John Lydon....
(guitar), Jimmy Hughes
Jimmy Hughes (musician)
James Hughes is an English bassist who has played with many punk rock and New Wave bands, and whose career as a rock musician and writer continues to this day....
(bass), Evan Charles (piano) and Terry Chimes
Terry Chimes
Terry Chimes was the original drummer of punk rock group The Clash. He originally played with them from July 1976 to November 1976, January 1977 to April 1977, and again from May 1982 to February 1983. He was the drummer for Hanoi Rocks in 1985, before the band broke-up that same year...
(drums). Almost all of the members had previous experience in the music business: Levene played in an early version of The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
and had one album recorded with Public Image Ltd., Public Image; Hughes, played before in The Banned
The Banned
The Banned are a fictional band in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The storyline aired in 1986 and although it was considered to be a failure on-screen, it nevertheless became a successful part of the serial's extensive merchandising industry that year, as it spawned two Hit singles in the UK Music...
; and Terry Chimes was known for being the drummer of The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
. Levene only played in the final album's track, probably as guest, because in the rest of the album only Rick Jacks, who probably replace him, played guitar.
Six months after the release of the album, only keyboardist Evan Charles and singer Ken Lockie remained from the lineup. The replacements had also some experience in music; Hughes got replaced by Lee Robinson, Boney M
Boney M
Boney M. is a Eurodisco group created by German record producer Frank Farian. Originally based in Germany, the four original members of the group's official line-up were Jamaicans Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett, Maizie Williams from Montserrat and Bobby Farrell from Aruba...
's studio musician, Chimes by Paul Simon, drummer with Neo
Neo (UK band)
Neo was an early New Wave band which was part of the Engish musical scene originated by punk in the 1970s. The group was formed by the American-born singer Ian North, who was the frontman and the only continuous member from the band formation in 1977 to the end in 1979.-Early days: Radio:In 1976,...
and Radio Stars
Radio Stars
Radio Stars are an English new wave group formed in early 1977. They released three albums and had one UK Top 40 single.-Biography:Radio Stars were formed by ex-John's Children vocalist Andy Ellison, Sparks exile Martin Gordon , and Ian MacLeod in 1977, following the end of their underachieving...
, and Rick Jacks by Allan Rawlings, Marco Pirroni
Marco Pirroni
Marco Francesco Andrea Pirroni is an English guitarist, songwriter and record producer...
and Stevie Shears
Stevie Shears
Stevie Shears is a musician known for playing in english rock bands Tiger Lily and Ultravox! , alongside electronic musician John Foxx.-Tiger Lily and Ultravox!:...
. The band lasted until 1980.
Track listing
All songs written by Ken Lockie.- Pointy Shoes
- Thrash
- Part Of Steel
- Here Comes A Saturday
- Original Sin
- Aftermath
- Hands
- M(emorie) 62
- Lonely Boy
- The 'No' Tune
- Wish
Personnel
- Ken LockieKen LockieKen Lockie born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England is a singer/songwriter and keyboard player, singer of New Wave band Cowboys International.-Cowboys International:...
- Vocals - Jimmy HughesJimmy Hughes (musician)James Hughes is an English bassist who has played with many punk rock and New Wave bands, and whose career as a rock musician and writer continues to this day....
- Bass - Terry ChimesTerry ChimesTerry Chimes was the original drummer of punk rock group The Clash. He originally played with them from July 1976 to November 1976, January 1977 to April 1977, and again from May 1982 to February 1983. He was the drummer for Hanoi Rocks in 1985, before the band broke-up that same year...
- Drums - Evan Charles - Piano
- Rick Jacks - Guitar
- Keith LeveneKeith LeveneKeith Levene is an English songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was an early member of The Clash, but is best known as being a founding member of Public Image Limited, along with John Lydon....
- Guitar - Dennis MacKay - Producer
- Laurence Diana - Engineer