The Cortinas (punk band)

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This is a page about the 1970s band. For the 1960s band of the same name, see The Cortinas

The band in 1977, from a New Musical Express interview.

The Cortinas were a 1970s Bristol-based punk rock band.

Named after a car, the Ford Cortina, the band moved from R&B towards covering songs by punk forerunners like the New York Dolls and The Stooges. "In retrospect, I suppose we were very hip," Sheppard says. "We were listening to the right records, as we were right there at the right time." The Cortinas' singles, "Fascist Dictator / Television Families" (1977) and "Defiant Pose / Independence" (1978) both appeared on Step Forward, the label run by Police manager Miles Copeland.

The Cortinas signed for CBS and released one album, True Romances.

One of the guitarists was Nick Sheppard, who went on to play with The Clash and Head.

They played as support act for The Stranglers, Blondie and Chelsea, and recorded a session for John Peel.

The band split up in September 1978.