Angelic Upstarts

"Upstarts" redirects here. For the comic book characters, see Upstarts (comics). For other uses, see Upstart (disambiguation).

Angelic Upstarts
Also known as	The Upstarts
Origin	South Shields, England
Genres	Punk rock
Years active	1977–present
Labels	Warner Bros., EMI, Anagram Records, Picasso Records, Link Records, Razor Records, Captain Oi!
Website	[officialangelicupstarts.com]
Members	Thomas 'Mensi' Mensforth Mr Gaz Neil 'Newts' Newton Jonnie Halling
Past members	Decca Wade Ray 'Mond' Cowie Steve Forsten Ronnie Wooden Glyn Warren Tony Feedback Ronnie Rocker Max Splodge Evo Sticks Warrington Paul Thompson Chris Wright Brett Mulvaney Dickie Hammond Steve Straughan Brian Hayes

Angelic Upstarts are an English punk rock band formed in South Shields in 1977. Allmusic calls them "one of the period's most politically charged and thought-provoking groups". The band espoused an anti-fascist and socialist working class philosophy, and have been associated with the skinhead subculture.

The band released eight studio albums in their first decade. After a brief split they reformed in 1988, and a number of times subsequently, with new albums appearing in 1992, 2002, 2011 and 2016. More than two decades after its release, their debut single, "The Murder Of Liddle Towers", was included in Mojo magazine’s list of the best punk rock singles of all time.

Lineups

The band's original members were Thomas Mensforth (Mensi) on vocals, Ray Cowie (Mond) on guitar, Steve Forsten on bass guitar, and Derek "Decca" Wade on drums. Keith Bell was the manager until 1980, when he was jailed for four and a half years for arson.

Other former members include Ronnie Rocker and bassists Ronnie Wooden, Glyn Warren and Tony Feedback (now in Long Tall Shorty and Kiria's live band). Drummers have included Sticks Warrington (who later joined Cockney Rejects), Paul Thompson (ex-Roxy Music), Chris White, Evo (who has also played in The Blood, Major Accident and Warfare) and Max Splodge.

Wade rejoined the band for a few years before leaving again. Brian Hayes originally joined the band as second guitarist until Mond left, leaving Hayes as the only guitarist. Mensi was the only original member still in the band.

In August 2006, Mensi announced he was resigning, but requested that the band continue with Chris Wright (of the band Crashed Out) on vocals. The band's lineup became Wright on vocals, Dickie Hammond on guitar, Neil 'Newts' Newton on guitar, Mr Gaz on bass and Wade on drums. In the latter part of 2007, Mensi rejoined the band and the lineup became Mensi on vocals, Mr Gaz on bass, Hammond on guitar, Newts on guitar and Brett Mulvaney (and later Jonnie Halling) on drums.

Current lineup is now Mensi on vocals, Mr Gaz on bass, Neil 'Newts' Newton on guitar and Jonnie Halling on drums.

Discography

Studio albums

• Teenage Warning (August 1979, Warner Bros. Records) - No. 29 UK
• We Gotta Get out of This Place (April 1980, WEA) - No. 54 UK
• 2,000,000 Voices (June 1981, Zonophone/EMI) - No. 32 UK
• Still from the Heart (1982, Zonophone/EMI)
• Reason Why? (1983, Anagram/Cherry Red)
• Last Tango in Moscow (1984, Picasso)
• Power of the Press (1986, Gas)
• Blood on the Terraces (1987, Link)
• Bombed Out (1992, Dojo)
• Sons Of Spartacus (2002, Captain Oi!/Insurgence Records)
• The Dirty Dozen (2011, Spit album with Crashed Out)
• Bullingdon Bastards (2015, Boss Tuneage/Insurgence Records)

Live albums

• Angelic Upstarts Live (September 1981, Zonophone/EMI) - No. 27 UK
• Live in Yugoslavia (1985, Picasso)
• Live & Loud (1988, Link)
• Greatest Hits Live (1991, Link)
• Live in Lubeck 1989 (1994, Bay City)
• Live from the Justice League (2001, TKO)
• Anthems Against Scum (2001, Insurgence)

Compilation albums

• Angel Dust - The Collected Highs (1983, Anagram/Cherry Red)
• Bootlegs & Rarities (1985, Dojo)
• Lost & Found (1991, Link)
• Alternative Chartbusters (1991, AOK)
• Kids on the Streets (1993, Cleopatra)
• The Independent Punk Singles Collection (1995, Cherry Red)
• Rarities (1997, Captain Oi)
• The EMI Punk Years (1999, Captain Oi)
• Who Killed Liddle (1999, Recall)
• Punk Singles Collection (2004, Captain Oi)

Singles

• "The Murder of Liddle Towers"/"Police Oppression" (1978, Dead Records, re-released on Rough Trade/Small Wonder Records, Repress)
• "I'm an Upstart"/"Leave Me Alone" (1979, Warner Bros.) - No. 31 UK
• "Teenage Warning"/"The Young Ones" (1979, Warner Bros.) - UK No. 29
• "Never 'ad Nothin'"/"Nowhere Left to Hide" (1979, Warner Bros.) - UK No. 52
• "Out of Control"/"Shotgun Solution" (1980, Warner Bros. Records) - UK No. 58
• "We Gotta Get Out of this Place"/"Unsung Heroes" (1980, Warner Bros. Records) - UK No. 65
• "Last Night Another Soldier"/"I Wish" (1980, Zonophone/EMI) - UK No. 51
• "England"/"Stick's Diary" (1981, Zonophone/EMI)
• "Kids on the Street"/"The Sun Never Shines" (1981, Zonophone/EMI) - UK No. 57
• "I Understand"/"Never Come Back" (1981, Zonophone/EMI)
• "Different Strokes"/"Different Dub" (1981, Zonophone/EMI)
• "Never Say Die"/"We Defy You" (1982, Zonophone/EMI)
• "Woman in Disguise"/"Lust for Glory" (1982, Anagram/Cherry Red) (Also released on 12" single)
• "Solidarity"/"Five Flew Over..." (1983, Anagram/Cherry Red) (Also released on 12" single)
• "Not Just a Name"/"The Leech" (1983, Anagram/Cherry Red) (Also released on 12" single?)
• "Machinegun Kelly"/"There's a Drink in It" (1984, Picasso)
• "Brighton Bomb" E.P (1985, Sparta Florida/Gas Music Ltd) (12" Single)
• "Brighton Bomb" (1987, Chameleon)
• "England's Alive" E.P. (1988, Skunx) (12" Single)
• "Angelic Upstarts/The Prowlers" (2014, Insurgence)

DVDs

• Angelic Upstarts Live: Solidarity (2005)

External links

• [1] official website
• Angelic Upstarts at AllMusic
• Angelic Upstarts on www.punk77.co.uk
• Angelic Upstarts on Punkmodpop