Cock Sparrer
| Cock Sparrer | |
|---|---|
 Cock Sparrer live in London (2007) |
|
| General information | |
| origin | London , England |
| Genre (s) | Oi! - punk |
| founding | 1972, 1982/1990 |
| resolution | 1978/1984 |
| Website | www.cocksparrer.co.uk |
| Founding members | |
| Collin McFaull | |
| Garrie Lammin (until 1978) | |
guitar |
Mick Beaufoy (until 1983, since 1992) |
| Steve "Burge" Burgess | |
| Steve Bruce | |
| Current occupation | |
singing |
Collin McFaull |
guitar |
Mick Beaufoy |
guitar |
Daryl Smith (since 1992) |
bass |
Steve "Burge" Burgess |
Drums |
Steve Bruce |
| former members | |
guitar |
Chris Skapis (1983-1984) |
guitar |
Shug O'Neill (1983-1984) |
Cock Sparrer (formerly "Cock Sparrow") is one of the first and most famous Oi! Bands and is known by many as the skinhead band. It was founded in London in 1972 , and the band members began making music together before the punk movement.
Band history
The band was founded in 1972 by passionate West Ham United fans Steve Bruce (drums), Mick Beaufoy (guitar), Steve Burgess (bass) and Collin McFaull (vocals). Garrie Lammin later got on as a rhythm guitarist, the only position that changed frequently during the band's existence. The original band name "Cock Sparrow" is an expression from the Cockney Rhyming slang and means something like "close friend" ( marrow means cock sparrow or cocker ).
Like many English punk and skinhead bands, they also initially covered rock groups (such as the Rolling Stones , Small Faces , Marvelousness). Malcolm McLaren was discussed as a manager, but he and the band didn't get along humanly. In the heyday of the punk / skinhead movement, they got a contract with the Decca record company . The band wasn't particularly well-known or popular at first, their first singles Runnin 'Riot and We love you! (a cover version of the Rolling Stones) did not reach high chart positions in 1977. Decca Records released their debut album initially only in Spain . Even a tour with Small Faces did not bring the desired success. Cock Sparrer were eventually fired from the record company. Several demos made the rounds, some of which were marketed as bootlegs and later as rarities . The band later broke up for a short time, during which time Garrie Lammin and Joe Strummer formed the pub rock band Little Roosters with Alison Moyet as the singer.
In the early 80s they had their first hit after years of inactivity. Sunday Stripper appeared on the first Oi! Sampler Oi! The album .
In 1982 the band formed again, this time to release the single England belongs to me on Carrere Records , followed in 1983 by the album Shock Troops with the song Where Are They Now . In 1984, Runnin Riot followed in '84 .
After another break, Cock Sparrer started playing live again in 1992. During a performance together with The Adicts , there were riots. They finally released Guilty As Charged in 1994 . In 1997 their album Two Monkeys was released , which they refer to as their farewell album . Since then, Cock Sparrer has been touring again and again and is now considered a legend of the Oi! Movement. In November 2007, the original line-up of the album Here We Stand was released .
Discography
Albums
- Cock Sparrer 1978, Decca, republished under True Grit , 1987, Razor
- Shock Troops 1982, Carrere, republished 1991 Link
- Running Riot in '84, 1984, Syndicate, republished under Runnin Riot 1988, 1988, Link
- Live and Loud , 1987, Link
- Guilty as Charged , 1994, Bitz Core
- Two Monkeys , 1997, Bitz Core
- Runnin 'Riot Across the USA , 2000
- The Decca Years , 2006
- Here We Stand , 2007
- Back in SF , 2011
- Forever , 2017
EP
- Run Away EP , 1995, Bitz Core
Singles
- Running Rio t b / w Sister Suzie , 1977, Decca
- We Love You b / w Chip on My Shoulder , 1977, Decca
- England Belongs to Me b / w Argy Bargy , 1982, Carerre
Web links
- Official website
- Cock Sparrer at Discogs (English)