LIGHTS OUT OVER LONDON

                           '' Lights out over London, lights out over London,

                             Now we've really got a crisis, have you seen the petrol prices? 

                             Peddle bikes are back again, but there's no oil to grease the chain

                             On the last transmission, they spoke these words of wisdom:

                             Take your time and you'll be fine, so take it easy! ''

                                                      

South East Londoner's LITTLE BO BITCH arrived at the height of the PUNK era. They played at the infamous ROXY CLUB in OCTOBER 1977 and gigged around the capital the following year. They signed to EMI subsidiary COBRA RECORDS in '79 and continued to play regularly at venues like THE MARQUEE, NASHVILLE, MUSIC MACHINE and even put in a ' first on the bill ' appearance at the REDDING FESTIVAL in AUGUST. The bands musicianship was strong and they had a charismatic GARRY HALTON like front man in the form of TONY WILSON. Their debut '45 '' It's Only Love '' dropped in SEPTEMBER and the year was finished off with a full UK TOUR to promote their DEBUT LP

                                               Cobra Records ad's for the Debut '45 and LP

The ANDY ARTHURS produced LP contained a dozen original, melodic and powerful numbers, all geared towards the prevailing NEW WAVE market. The LP's opener: '' TAKE IT EASY { LIGHTS OUT OVER LONDON } '' was released as as single in FEBURARY 1980. It's an arresting period piece , with lyrics informed by recent INDUSTRIAL UNREST and the 1979 OIL CRISIS. Curiously, the record garnered scant attention and subsequently COBRA RECORDS ran out of money and folded. The band immediately split and guitarist STEVE CARROLL joined the ' NEW WAVE OF BRITISH HEAVY METAL ' act PRYING MANTIS. Footage on YouTube indicates the band regrouped in some form a few years later, but sadly, no further records appeared

The 60's POP STARS WHO WENT GLAM

The flamboyant GLAM ROCK explosion of the early 70's was largely instigated by performers who'd previously been involved in the 60's BRITISH POP BOOM. MARC BOLAN and DAVID BOWIE both achieved a degree of recognition with PSYCHEDELICIZED FOLK-POP numbers towards the end of the decade and SLADE, SWEET, MUD and GARY GLITTER had collectively produced a catalogue of under achieving 45's during the same period. As the trend grew, a number of previously successful artists were looking to join the party in order to reignite their flagging careers

The latest post from the excellent YESTERDAY'S PAPERS YouTube channel examines ' THE 60's STARS WHO JUMPED ON THE 70's GLAM ROCK BANDWAGON ' It's a great 25 min round-up that highlights a number of JUNKSHOP GREATS and reveals a clear winner in the form of a ROY WOOD, who achieved more success as part of THE GLAM SCENE than he had done as a member of THE MOVE during the late 60's