Maniacs (British band)

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Maniacs was a British punk band from London (1977). The band was initially formed as a 'preliminary version' by singer and guitarist Alan Lee Shaw and drummer Rod Latter as a duo in 1976, and later they moved to London. The band called themselves now as a quartet 'The Rings' (single: 'I wanna be free' on Chiswick Records ). Robert Crash, who came from New York in 1977 , joined as bassist / guitarist , whereupon the band became the final 'maniacs' as a minimalist trio. They signed a contract with United Artists . Initially only four songs were released in their 6-month band history, two of them on the sampler "Live at the Vortex" [Nems Records]. 'Chelsea 77' became a cult hit single.

Later appeared u. a. a CD "So far so loud" on Overground Records - partly with original studio recordings (produced by Dave Goodman †, who had already made the first recordings with the Sex Pistols in 1976 ), as well as recordings from a rehearsal room in Portobello Road / Notting Hill . After a quasi lightning career in London's punk underground, Robert Crash now played more complex arrangements on a second guitar. A suitable replacement 'Maniacs Style' bassist was not found and Robert Crash was the first to leave the group.

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