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| GENERATION X
DISCOGRAPHY SINGLES (7-inch except where noted) Chrysalis Records SEPTEMBER 1977: 'Your 'Generation'/'Day By Day' (CHS 2165) GENERATION X 'Your Generation' (Blank white label) Ho ho ho. Generation X's debut single for Chrysalis has been slightly defused by the presence of a 1,000 or so bootleg copies of an outtake version. Ho ho ho, " Your generation don't mean nothin' to me", sings Billy Idol with all the spontaneous venom of a plastic rattlesnake over a wildly out-of-control scrap-metal back-up dependent almost entirely on recycled Who and Yardbirds cliches. Our generation means nothin' except a good source for stealing licks, huh? Well, screw you, kid! Charles Shaar Murray (New Musical Express 27th August 1977) DECEMBER 1977: 'Wild Youth' 'Wild Dub' (CHS 2189) A few copies copies were mispressed with 'No No No' on the B-side have been discovered. These tracks are alternative recordings. These copies have the matrix numbers CHS2189A/2 UT +CHS 2189 B/1. "A great record, also because we did a dub version of the A-side as the flip — something that was unheard of in the 1970s." Tony James, 2001 GENERATION X 'Wild Youth' (Chrysalis) THE SECOND of Generation's X's magnificent triumvirate of Chinn-Chapman singles. Wild Youth barely scraped the charts. It also did little to eliminate suspicions generated by the band's well-scrubbed appearance and 'controversial' use of pop producers. Yet its simple teen lyrics and euphoric powerchords marked it as probably the last great single of '77. Generation X were the most non-conformist of punks, suffused with a cartoon poppiness more reminiscent of the Glitter Band. Wild Youth derived from a typically naive fan outing, as Tony James and Billy Idol went in search of the Mayfair phonebox where David Bowie had posed as Ziggy Stardust; "As we turned the corner we saw someone had sprayed 'youth!' on a wall," says James, "and I said, I've got this great idea for a song! So we stopped in a nearby cafe and Billy hummed out a tune and I scribbled lyrics on a paper napkin, a song literally about walking down the street and having people stare at these two spiky-haired youths... it became an anthem for us." (MOJO Octiber 2001) FEBRUARY 1978: 'Ready Steady Go' 'No No No' (CHS 2207) GENERATION X: 'Ready Steady Go' (Chrysalis) The weekend starts here. Leastways, it used to. Go, Billy, go. "I fell in love with the Beatles...ooh, ooh...I fell in love with Cathy McGowowowowowan." 'RSG' always was Gen X's best song and now you can crank it up loud in the privacy of your own room. Starting with one of their famous bass lines (that's what happens when the bassist writes the words), it dives headlong into another foretaste of what Gen X are really capable of. If it's not the total classic it could have been — mostly because of the shaky timbre of Billy's voice — it's still at least the equal of their first record, 'Your Generation'. And it don't signify nothing that you might not remember the TV show. A song's a song for all that. PETE SILVERTON (Sounds February 18th 1978) JANUARY 1979: 'King Rocker'/ 'Gimme Some Truth' (CHS 2261) The B-side was taken from a John Peel Radio One session dated 12th July 1977. This single was released in four different coloured vinyl limited pressings, each in a picture sleeve showing a different member of the band - red vinyl illustrated Billy Idol, pink Tony James, orange Bob 'Derwood' Andrews, and yellow Mark Laff. GENERATION X 'King Rocker' (Chrysalis) Gen X, the first since 'Ready, Steady, Go', and an anxious treading of the 'Willie And The Handjive' framework. It threatens to recover its line of thought at intervals throughout but, sadly, is never more than encore material or a lively album track. For me Gen X has never given any hope outside of the three singles (and Peel sessions), but I'll always regard them as a serious outfit because of a sensation I can't quite fathom (Quite clearly a Seventus Nostalgium case - A. Doctor). This is strong, yet very normal rock. The reverse is a version of Lennon's 'Gimme Some Truth' and is completely wrapped in turkey foil. DB (New Musical Express 6th January 1979) MARCH 1979: 'Valley Of The Dolls' / 'Shakin' All Over' (CHS 2310) Issued in a multi colour (predominantly Brown) vinyl these copies all have paper labels. Some black vinyl copies exist and these are probably rarer than the colour vinyl issue, these copies all seem to have blue injection moulded labels. GENERATION X 'Valley Of The Dolls' (Chrysalis) There won't be, and there isn't any left, of a movement for this generation; Punk Rock was not so much a tidal wave as a chimney sweep, leaving new improved beat bands and cute, life-enhancing novelties for the rest of your life. Pity the poor tout; Gen X tart it up and trundle it on! for another try, Pathetic really. Notice how Gen X stayed quietly up shit creek till the Movement crumbled, whereupon they felt free to bribe people with Disney-coloured plastic. Top Of The Pups and songs about '50s pop stars in the grand tradition of Showaddywaddy. They may as well cough up at this late stage that they're nothing more than this season's Sweet the teenage rampage rhetoric, the empty ambition, the tunnel vision - except for a large audience and a pair of successful song-writers. This is a real plodder by Billy and Tony, about how great Billy and Tony and their two friends are. Well up to your usual standards, boys. Julie Birchill (New Musical Express 31st March 1979) JUNE 1979: 'Friday's Angels'/ 'Trying For Kicks'/'This Heat' (CHS 2330) All copies seem to be in Reddish-Pink vinyl. 'Fridays Angels' was the 3rd single taken from the bands second album 'Valley Of The Dolls' , the others being 'King Rocker', which reached No. 11 in the charts in January 1979, the title track 'Valley Of The Dolls', which made No. 23 in April of the same year and "Friday's Angels", which only got to No. 62 in June 1979. During this period, Bob "Derwood" Andrews announced that he was quitting the band. He agreed to complete the June '79 tour of Japan and the following recording sessions for the proposed 3rd LP called 'Sweet Revenge', but wanted out after those obligations were met. When time came for him to depart, drummer Mark Laff decided to leave as well. Recording sessions for the aborted third LP began at Olympic Studios in south London and took place during July 1979. However the tapes from theses sessions would not be issued until April 14, 1998, and then later as part of 'Anthology' on April 8, 2003. As GEN X SEPTEMBER 1980: 'Dancing With Myself'/'Ugly Rash' (CHS 2444) 'Dancing With Myself' (alternate mix) / 'Ugly Dub' / 'Loopy Dub' (CHS 12 2444) (12-inch) . Limited edition in clear vinyl with paper labels, while the black copies had the blue injection mould label. The Generation X lineup which recorded this single had a major reshuffle with Bob 'Derwood' Andrews vacant spot being James Stevenson (ex-Chelsea on guitar, along with Terry Chimes (ex-Clash) on drums. The band's name was subsequently shortened to Gen X. JANUARY 1981: 'Dancing With Myself' / 'Untouchables' / 'Rock On' / 'King Rocker' (CHS 2488) 'Dancing With Myself' (extended) / 'Untouchables'/ 'Rock On' / 'King Rocker' (CHS 12 2488) (12-inch). Old Gold Records FEBRUARY 1987: 'King Rocker' / ' Valley Of The Dolls' (OG 9693) GENERATION X ALBUMS There's a wide range of more Generation X recordings and releases that keep on surfaceing as time rolls on. And you can find a good selection of BBC radio one sessions here http://nemsworld.com/genx/bbc.htm plus good Generation X related albums selection here http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/6464/ FOR THE OFFICIAL BILLY IDOL website... www.billyidol.com/ FOR TONY JAMES and his creations try here... www.sputnikworld.com/ |
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| NIHILISM ON THE PROWL! LOOKS BACK ON THE RECORDED LEGACY OF GENERATION X. SINGLES ALBUMS |
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