WRIST ACTION
Brighton

 

Tommy Maltby - Vocals Pete Dimitri Smith - Guitar
Mark Passi - Drums Tony Paine - Bass* (first bassist)
*Dave Turvey - Bass (second bassist)
 
 
 
Formed in Brighton in 1976 after hearing the 'Sex Pistols' debut release.... "Anarchy in the UK". The instigators of the band were 'Mark Passi' and the original bass player 'Tony Paine'. Both had been in a earlier band called 'Tempus Fugit' who they tried to forget as it was more of a Funk band. Along side them in this previous band was non other than 'Boring Bob Grover' who went on to form the much loved 'Piranhas'. All three of them had also been in 'So And So’s Travelling Whatsits' between '73 and '76.

 They soon recruited fellow like minded musicians 'Tommy Maltby' to spit out the furious lyrics and a 'Pete Dimitri Smith' as the lead guitarist to hold it all together!
 
 
Now with the band complete, they were ready to take on the world....
 
There first assault was at "Hangleton Youth Centre",  Northease Drive, Hove in March 1977. As Punk Rock started it's momentum to sweep the UK, so did 'Wrist Action'. Within a month they were headlining their own gig at the 'Brighton College of Art'.
 

The Queen's silver jubilee was quickly approaching so 'Wrist Action' & 'The Piranhas' got together and organised there own celebration which went under the banner of 'Fuck the Jubilee'.

The above photo is of the crowd waiting to see the Queen in London on June 7 1977. Sadly the 'Fuck the Jubilee' didn't pull the same sort of crowd!!

The band regularly played the 'Buccaneer' and 'Alhambra' both of which were in Brighton and were regular music venues.

The bands highlight to their short career was being filmed by Southern TV for a program called 'Southern Report - Punk Rock'. The filming took place at the 'Buccaneer' on Friday the 18th of November 1977. Other bands featured were 'Plastix', 'The Molesters' & 'The UK Subs'. The actual program was transmitted in January the following year.

On this program, 'Lightning Records' scouts were in the audience and they were so impressed by 'Wrist Action' they were offered a single deal by 'Lightning Records'. Sadly, the band didn't think the deal that was on offer was a good one....and they never signed the contract!!!

Apparently, the reason why the band never signed was that one of the stipulations that was in the contract was that they couldn't record any of their stage favourites 'You Make Me Puke', West Worthing', 'Looking For A Victim' or 'Get Yourself Some Wrist Action' as the record label insisted that they had to record two tracks that were demoed by a 'Elvis Costello' a few months earlier?

 

Above is a copy of an original 4-Track demo tape that the band recorded way back in 1977.

As of yet, none of these tracks have surfaced on any compilation. We here at the 'Bored Teenagers' web site hope to rectify this but we need to track down the original band members.

Can anyone help?

 

Sadly, by Christmas of 1977 the whole thing was over and the band went there separate ways......

 

Dave Turvey joined 'The Vitamins', Mark Passi & Pete Dimitri Smith then went into a second line up of 'Fan Club'. Mark Passi replaced the ex Plastix drummer Mark Hoggins and  Pete Dimitri Smith also replaced ex Plastix guitarist and future Transvision Vamp member Nick Sayer.

 

Live at 'The Buccaneer', Brighton 1977

 

Pete Dimitri Smith

Mark Passi

'The Buccaneer', Brighton 1977

 

The above is the original gig flyer for 'The Adverts', 'Joe Cool & The Killers' & 'Wrist Action' at the 'Hastings Pier Pavilion' on Saturday 22nd October 1977.

 

The above gig advert for 'Siouxsie & The Banshees', 'The Crabs' & 'Wrist Action' at the 'New Regent', Brighton on Friday 25th November 1977.

 

The above Xmas Day & Boxing Day advert appeared in the 'NME' on 24th December 1977.

 

The above snippet appeared in the fanzine "Ripped & Torn" #16 from January 1979.

 

Email Updates

 

Thanks goes to 'Alex Ogg', Rod Johnson, Mark Wilmshurst & Mark Passi

 

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