Gerry Lambe - Lead Vocals and Rhythm Guitar,
Franco Cornelli - Lead Guitar, Hugh Ashton - Bass Guitar and production, Pete Sturgeon - Drums. ( Colin Ward was the original singer for The Murderers and Dole Q but left just before the band changed the name to the Skunks to pursue a career in the parachute regiment and south london scaffolding, mind you he was always good at erections, at least thats what he told us!.).
Clive Pierce took over on drums when the band became the Craze and went on to play keys with Hardcore who formed when the Craze split in 1982).Rob Doran from the famous Cotwolds was the sound engineer / producer in the studio and the shows, and went on to become a very profficient musician and writer of TV ditties.
John Boyle was our manager who went on to much fame which we dont talk about!!
Pete Townsend was Executive Producer and actually played on some of the demo's !
The band is now :
Gerry Lambe - Vocals/ Guitars
Franco Cornelli Vocals / Guitars
Graham Ward - Bass / Backing Vocals
Dave Munns - Drums
Gerry/ Franco and Dave were all at the same Grammar school in Clapham and performed their first show at the famous 2 Brewers pub in Clapham High St at the age of 14. Seen by Merton Parka's ( Mick Talbot Style Council ) and the wonderful Painted Lady ( Girlschool ).
Franco and Gerry met Hugh ( who had a studio in Brixton ) at 5th year they were just 15 in 1977. They played the ROXY 1977 with JJ Johnson (Wayne County & The Electric Chairs) on drums supporting Eater and left school to pursue their destinies in the music industry.
Influences
The Who
Pete Townsend, Keith Moon.
Wayne County
The Electric Chairs ( John Johnson )
Woody Woodmansey ( U Boat )
Television
Hard Corps
UK Subs
Clash
The Spitfire Boys
Stranglers
Jim Covington ( Machine Gun )
Girlshool
The Merton Parka's
Jack Parnell ( used to meet him on Saturdays at Rose Moriss - Shaftsbury Avenue. ) !
Patti Smith
Rory Gallagher
Stones
Beatles of course !!
Sounds Like
The Who, Clash, Quo, Beatles,high energy melodic power punk.
Record Label
Eel Pie Records,EMI,
Type of Label
Major
THE SKUNKS (also know as The Craze) Official Site's Latest Blog Entry
[Subscribe to this Blog]
About THE SKUNKS (also know as The Craze) Official Site
THE SKUNKS - Also KNOWN AS The CRAZE ...
I think the first thing to say, is that as 12 years olds we all wanted to be rock and roll stars. Well I did, from the first time i saw Rory Gallagher in 69 at home in Ireland. At school some of us developed that dream and expanded on it. franco had a mate who played guitar on Jesus Christ Super Star in the West end, i saw that and thought.. mmm, then saw Thattl Be the Day with Moonie and Essex, and that was me sewn up.
I have to say that in 1974-77 it was a terrible time to be young and trying to get in on the recording music scene. Mickie Most had it sewn right up, I did try ( even at 13 i was writing and playing and trying to find a way in !, but no go from any of the studios , Bay City Rollers, Glitter Band had it all taken care of ). Eagles were No1, etc.....on the day that the Pistols did the Grunden interview on London Weekend Television, and that was tthe evening that changed all of our lives.
I was 15 at the time, at Grammar School and sitting for exams, within 6 months I was recording on a four track in Brixton, and on the road with a band, playing at the Roxy,Marquee, and every london venue.
We were incredibly lucky to have been inthe right place at the right time, and had wonderful experiences from it all.
This is part of the story................
"We played the Roxy in 1977/78 as the Murders, the Dole Q, supporting The Buzzcocks amongst many others.
We then reformed as SKUNKS (London was full of the graffiti OURS ! especially every bridge in London ),we supported XTC at the 100 Club, The Police at the Vortex, The Buzzcocks at Manchester Free Trade Hall, toured with Charlie Harper and the UK Subs.
We have the dubious distinction ( sic ) of Gerry Lambe smashing up one of Pete Townsends guitars ( 1952 Fender Telecaster at Twickenham Polytechnic 1978 cost £2000 to repair ).
We were spotted by Pete Townshend and Keith Moon at a Vortex gig Wardour Street , London W1, supporting Generation X ala Billy Idol in Sept 1977.
Basically it started when the 3 chaps walked in : Alex Harvey, Keith Moon and Pete Townsend they walked in to the middle of the packed crowd and shouted ....." YOU STINK "!, Moonie started it, Gerry Lambe said fuck off taking off his guitar, Frank said "who the fuck are you? "Pete T shouted , " We are the WHO !!! who the fuck are you???" No Answer to that !! ).
After the gig they came backstage and Pete spoke to Frank, saying he thought we were really good. Frank said "who the fuck are you, do you play in a band?" Pete said: "Yeh, I play in The Who."
Frank said: " Who the fuck is The Who!" With that Moonie picks up a chair and smashes it over Billy Idols table and starts hopping around with one of the broken legs, doing Long John Silver impersonation, (he'd just finished playing him in a film) saying " Who be taking the piss out of the Whoooo ? !! "
With Alex Harvey and Moonie wrecking the place Frank sobers up quickly and shows Pete an old Rickenbacker he just bought from Kevin Rowlands ( Killjoys, Dexys Midnight Runners).
Pete said he could have one of his guitars and delivered him a 12 String Rickenbacker to our studio in Brixton a few weeks later
We had been going to the Marquee for 4yrs before and Baba O Reilly was the song we always heard at that club new it well and loved the WHO anyways !)
We were 15/ 16 , Pete Townsend was in awe of us, basically because we WERE the WHO in 77/78 ! we basically did what they did , it wasnt copying, we played from the heart , were very loud, and smashed stuff !!, and for us it was from the heart too, it might not have been as well orchestrated, but it was high energy on the Heart Attack mode. We got on so well, Pete signed us.
Looking back in all honesty I speak for all of us, they were the nicest, genuine people you would / could ever meet were / are Pete Townshend, Kieth Moon, and all of that era I include Genesis,Phil Collins, Kate Bush and every star we we bumped into back then.
They ( Townsend ) took us on to Eel Pie Island records. And our 1st single Good from the Bad / Back Street Fighting (Eel Pie 1978) sold 2000 copies. ( only 2000 pressed ) Played on John Peel show etc. We then went on to Cobra records, a subsidiary of EMI, and released Motions and Lucy as Craze."
The book relating to the bands history and experiences is due out in 2010 on Harper Colins.
Dole Q / The Skunks were / are
Gerry Lambe - Guitar, and lead vocals
Franco Cornelli - Guitar,vocals
Hugh Ashton - Bass Guitar, vocals and production and helmut cheese.
Pete Sturgeon - Drums
Rob Doran - Sound Engineer and producer
Managed by John Boyall ( pierce the boyall )
......
Hey Skunks! Love the band name and the tunes, very cool. Many thanks for the add. New album “Banging My Head” is now out, so drop by and grab the free download at http://www.last.fm/music/The+Cranes+Are+Flying Just a small way of saying thanks for being friends. All the best with your music, - Trevor
The Cranes Are Flying 100% certified organic electronica
“The elastic pulse of new single “Banging My Head” is exceptional” The State newspaper, 6/19/09, “Pick of the Week”..
CHRIST ON A CRUTCH- ANTI-FLAG- SWINGIN' UTTERS- UK SUBS- THE LOUDMOUTHS- HOGANS HEROES- M.D.C.- ULTRAMAN- SAMIAM- REAGAN YOUTH- CORRUPTED IDEALS- NO USE FOR A NAME- KRAUT- SOCIAL UNREST- SNAP-HER- ACCUSTOMED TO NOTHING- THE NUKES- SQUAT- JACK KILLED JILL
DOGS ON ICE- NO USE FOR A NAME- SAMIAM- FIZGIG- CAFFEINE- UK SUBS- SHLEPROCK- HOGANS HEROES- THE PASSED- RAIL- CORRUPTED IDEALS- 2 LINE FILLER- REAGAN YOUTH- ULTRAMAN- TEN BRIGHT SPIKES- THE WRENCH- CHRIST ON A CRUTCH- M.D.C.- COMPILATION ALBUM
HUMDRUMPUNK PODCAST Episode 04 Season 03 - NEW Online now streaming and download versions on our myspace page. Featured releases by DIP DAP /NIESTROY /BORN TO DESTRUCT/ THE KING CROWS - Also tracks by : CONTROL / FLIPPER /THE STALIN / TSUNEMATSU MASATOSHI /GEOFFERY OI!COTT / THE LAST RESORT / SUBURBAN REPTILES / RAXOLA / ZARTAKO / THE JANITORS / EXTINCTION OF MANKIND / X RIPPERS / VICE CREEMS / ARGY BARGY / QUICK & THE DEAD / WORLD WAR XXIV/ THE EXSERTS / THE INFIRM / SLICK 46 / THE KNIFE PARTY/ COLOURED RICE MEN / GOOD NEIGHBOUR POLICY / APOCALYPSE BABIES / DOGSFLESH /CHARRED HEARTS / VEGETABLE TRUCK / COMBAT 77 / ACCELERATORS / CHARGE 69 / ASSHOLE SYNDICATE / SCREAMING TRIBESMEN
Tak for forespørgslen eller for add (Danish) - thanks for comin’ My way (requesting Me) - or for the add
Another great band/artists I learned or got to know ‘bout - nizzel :o)
MaidaValeLover Denmark
Btw - for those not knowing I made My name because of tributing maida sessions, BBC and indeed King DJ = Rest in peace Mighty Peel - Numero Uno forever and really missed on air
Welcome to the best tribute site around :o)
That is it folks :o) - nothing more need to be said
Thanks for the request!:) Didn't know you had a Myspace page! And it's the first time I hear these songs, only been told about them..;-) But really great tunes! Greetings from Stockholm! Tina, aka DJ Cybergirl.
Hey Gerry,
