British Refugee

British Refugee is a 7" single released by the 1970s Liverpool punk band The Spitfire Boys, on RKO Records on 7 October 1977.^[1] It was the only disc released by the most acclaimed line-up of the band, who comprised vocalist Paul Rutherford, guitarist David Littler, bassist Pete Griffiths and drummer Peter Clarke. At the time, they were one of the few punk bands from Merseyside who released a record, apart from Big In Japan and Chuddy Nuddies (later known as Yachts). Two months after its release, the band split up, but was reformed in Wales by 1979 by David Littler along ex-Nylonz members.

That line-up was known also for made more successful things in separate ways later. Paul Rutherford formed 1980's pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Peter Clarke became known as Budgie and joined Big In Japan, Slits, and more famously Siouxsie and the Banshees, later marrying with Siouxsie Sioux in 1991, until 2007 when they divorced.

The original version of the single was originally issued without a picture sleeve, but it was later added for the German edition in 1978.^[2]^[3]

The A-Side of the single, the eponymous song British Refugee explained about the life of a Northern Irish immigrant in England, who escaped from the British occupation of his country, and lived poor working-class conditions.

For the single each member was credited with nickname or stage name, so Rutherford was named as Maggot, Littler as Jones, Griffiths as Zero, and Clarke as Blister.^[4]

British Refugee

Tracklist

A-Side

B-Side

Personnel

References

External links