| Cowboys International | |
|---|---|
| Origin | England |
| Genres | Synthpop, New Wave |
| Years active | c.1979–1980 c. 2003–present |
| Labels | Virgin, Pnuma |
| Associated acts | Ken Lockie, The Clash, Public Image Ltd., Generation X, Department S, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Rema-Rema, Adam and the Ants, The Wolfmen, Neo, Radio Stars, The Civilians, The Fallout Club, Tiger Lily, Ultravox! |
| Members | |
| Ken Lockie | |
| Past members | |
| Keith Levene Evan Charles Terry Chimes Rick Jacks Jimmy Hughes Allan Rawlings Marco Pirroni Paul Simon Lee Robinson Stevie Shears Pete Jones Rob Doyle |
|
Cowboys International were a New Wave and synthpop band formed by vocalist and songwriter Ken Lockie that put out one album in 1979, the influential The Original Sin, and a handful of 45s before dissolving in 1980. The band can be considered as supergroup because they comprised many musicians with some trajectory in the punk and/or new wave scenes.
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In the late 1970s, Ken Lockie and Keith Levene were in a band called The Quick Spurts.[1] Changing their name to Cowboys International, the members were Lockie on lead vocals, Rick Jacks on guitar, Jimmy Hughes (formerly of The Banned) on bass, Evan Charles on piano, and ex-Clash Terry Chimes on drums. This line-up, with a little help of Levene (who was in Public Image Ltd.) recorded and released The Original Sin album in 1979.
After the releasing of the album and a tour, the band suffered important line-up changes: Chimes (who joined Billy Idol's Generation X) was replaced by Paul Simon (previously in Neo, Radio Stars and The Civilians); Jacks by Allan Rawlings and Marco Pirroni (Adam and the Ants member), who recorded some material in 1980 with the band, but they were replaced by ex-Ultravox! Steve Shears; and Hughes (who joined Ian Broudie's Original Mirrors) by Lee Robinson of Boney M fame[2] but later replaced by Pete Jones shortly afterwards; the last band alineation (Lockie, Charles, Jones, Simon and Shears) did the last band tour, which ended in Kantkino Theatre in Berlin. The band split up in late 1980.[3]
After dissolving the band, Lockie pursued a solo career, with collaborations of also former members Simon and Shears, and another then other musicians who played in different bands with trajectory; and also by the time, and along Pete Jones, he joined Public Image Ltd., reuniting with Keith Levene, but his membership was brief, dedicating to producing music, but retired in mid-1980s. Simon formed The Fallout Club, worked with John Foxx and Glen Matlock, and he now works with his brother Robin in AjantaMusic. Shears formed Faith Global, and later retired from music business. Charles' whereabouts are unknown.
In 2003, Ken Lockie reissued his masterpiece of days gone by along with non-album material and alternate mixes as Revisited and, by the time, he revived Cowboys International, beginning to work on more original material to be released on "The Backwards Life of Romeo", released in 2004.
the song "Wish" from The Original Sin was an inspiration for the song "You ain't got me" by french cyberpunk Punish_Yourself as stated on the sleeve notes of their "Pink Panther Party" album.