While most of the early British punk bands spoke of working-class concerns - primarily unemployment and the shrinking U.K. Their final album was That’s Life in 1979, shortly before the band broke up. The studio side of the LP includes the fabulous, Hey, Little Rich Boy which is just redolent of all things punk, it’s fabulous and has one of Punk’s finest guitar solos, all in 1 minute 43 seconds. The group’s debut album, Tell Us the Truth, featured one side of studio recordings another of live recordings, including their Polydor debut single. Their follow-up, Angels With Dirty Faces, made the Top 20 in May 1978 followed by If the Kids Are United, which made the Top 10 a few months later. Despite the band being embraced by the ‘Oi crowd’ Pursey despised the movement’s right-wing politics.
Former Velvet Underground bassist, John Cale, who was also supposed to produce their major-label debut, Borstal Breakout, had produced the single but instead the band’s leader, Jimmy Pursey stepped in at the last minute. In the summer of 1977 Sham ’69 (their name derives from a piece of football graffiti), released their debut single, I Don’t Wanna, on an indie label and it prompted Polydor Records to sign the band. They were prime movers in the Oi movement of punks and skinheads and while they may not have had the significant chart success of some of their rivals their music has staying power and is well worth seeking out for its catchy hooks and genuine enthusiasm for the cause. Sham ’69 were one of the more influential bands to come out of the UK Punk scene.
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