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O.B.E. / Slag / Souths Gonna Rise Again
Catalogue Number - SR4501
Label - Southern Rock Records
Year Of Release - 1979
Quantity Pressed : 2000 Copies (Confirmed)
Even though the cover states "Souths Gonna Rise Again" as the title track, the label states this track as the B-Side.
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| Mike Burn Bass | Jon Burn Vocals / Guitar | Rick Leyland Drums | Clive Todd Guitar |
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Above is an original 42cm X 60cm Promotional Poster for the "South's Gonna Rise Again" single from 1979. The poster was designed by Fiona Mellors while she was at the Worthing College of Further Education. |
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(The above photo was taken at Worthing Railway station)
For years this band has been one of the great mysteries of the UK Punk collecting scene. Many die-hard collectors including myself have done a lot of research and digging around to see if this band could be found. They appeared on the scene in the late 70s, released a killer 3-track EP and disappeared without trace and still remain a mystery!!
Until now....
Well, we can now fill you in with the facts surrounding this band!!!
After searching for well over 15 years we received a phone call out of the blue which gave us all the information that we needed to put together the missing pieces in this mystery band. The annoying thing for us was that we searched high and low for this band and it turned out they were from Worthing which is only about 18 miles from where we live!
Like previous said, the 3-Track single appeared in 1979 with a release date of July 1979. It appears that the single was to have been exclusively distributed by Rough Trade who had it on their new release sheet date 4.8.79.... No other shop / distributors / mail order etc had it at all!!! Wretched, Bullet, or even Bonaparte's had it on their sales list which makes us think that the band took the bulk of the pressing to Rough Trade who took the lot.
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| Mike Burn | Jon Burn | Rick Leyland |
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Above is an original A4 Press Release for the bands debut release. The actual photograph was taken in Stein Gardens, Worthing in 1979 prior to the release of the single. As you will see, the band are now down to a three piece as 'Todd', the original guitarist with the band apparently had died of a Heroin Overdose between recording the single and it being released!!! All three tracks on the single was recorded at the "Chestnut" studio in Frensham, Surrey - the same studio that "The Cure" used for their early recordings! Apparently Mike Burn didn't play Bass on the record and a guy called 'Mack' from the "Chestnut" Studio stood in? |
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Another great story from the times was that we heard that may of contributed of making this record hard to find was the fact that the band's name doesn't appear on the picture sleeve at all. We have also been told my Teddy Boys of the time that they bought the record due to it's nature of the title track and the scene that appears on the sleeve of the Deep South rising up. To their horror, when playing the record they realised it was PUNK ROCK and NOT Rockabilly as they were hoping for. Hence a lot of the records were smashed...
In the past we were told that they were from the Croydon / Tooting area of London and that they played regularly at the 'The Fountain' in Tooting. We researched this and came up with nothing.... This turned out to be a red herring as the band were from Worthing but this wasn't a million miles away from these areas.
Another annoying fact for us was that the band used to rehearse in Bognor Regis most weekends! This is were we used to go every weekend as a few of our lot had flats down there! In all this time, we never ever came across them!
Then we were given a lead that one of the members of the band played guitar on 'Charlie Harpers' solo album. It was a good lead as Charlie was also from the same sort of area. We researched this and came up with nothing.... We spoke to both of the guitarists who played on this solo album (one of which was a Tony Conway, ex 'Security Risk' and then 'Mood Six') AND confirmed this was also a red herring! The strange thing is, 'Security Risk' were also regulars at the 'Fountain' in Tooting and they couldn't remember a band called 'F-X'.
It was believed that the band were connected to the "Eagles" who were the supporters of "Crystal Palace" football team. It was said that when you listened to the record carefully you could hear Eagles being chanted! False, you must of heard Seagulls being chanted as all band members were actually Brighton & Hove Albion supporters. In fact, "South's Gonna Rise Again" is all about Brighton & Hove Albion football Club going back up to the the first division. We were also told that this track was regularly played at half time at the Goldstone Ground in 1979/1980.
The band used to rehearse at "Airship" studios which was located in Bognor Regis.
On a Radio One Road Show trip to Worthing in the late 70s, 'David "Diddy" Hamilton actually interviewed the band and played their single!
The below info was turned up by 'Joe Public' on the search for this band.
It seems the band came from the Chiswick area of London as their contact number was;
01-994-1432. ( now as 020.8994 1432)
This number must of been a booking agency?
Please don't waste your time and try ringing it as we also thought of that idea!!!
We have since found out that their manager was called 'Patrick Allen' and he ran a company called "Kaleidoscope Music" from Lancing. We have spoken to his next-door neighbour in Penhill Road who had lived their for over 30 years and can't remember him!
They first appeared on the circuit in April 1980 and played around London for about a year, more a pop rock act than punk they played the same sort of venues as Case and Fruit Eating Bears, starting off with numerous support slots at the 101 Club in Clapham, also the Kings Head, Acton, The Trafalgar in Shepherds Bush, Starlight club in West Hampstead, The Kensington, West London, and the Rock Garden in Covent Garden. By the spring of 81 they had graduated to headline those same venues as well as the White Hart Acton, Clarendon Basement Bar in Hammersmith, Windsor Castle in Harrow and Ronnie Scotts in Soho. After their first out of town dates (Manchester & Chester) in May 1981 they appear to have disappeared, only to briefly resurface in February 1982 playing back at the 101 Club in Clapham as the support act (although maybe they split in may 81 and this was a different line up). Their only claim to fame seems to have been supporting The Meteors at the 101 club.
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The above gig date for Friday 20th November 1981 for the '101 Club', Clapham appeared in 'Melody Maker' on 21st November 1981. |
The last time that the band were featured in the music press or were seen playing live was at the '101 Club' in Clapham on the 27th March 1982 playing support to 'Rye & The Quarter Boys'. This could of been the bands last gig?
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Then in 1985, Jon Burn moved away from Worthing and ended up in France where he met up with 'Dee Dee Ramone' and teamed up and did some recordings together...
As to the other two members, sadly Rick Leyland died of pneumonia at the beginning of this century and Mike Burn is still at large and living in Worthing.
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The mystery has now been solved, thanks to 'Steve Tapp', 'Pam Leyland' & Jon Burn.
©Detour Records
