The Gents
| The Gents | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Doncaster, South Yorkshire |
| Genres | Mod, pop |
| Years active | 1980–1989, 2012 |
| Labels | Detour Records, Cherry Red Records |
| Members |
Martin Burton (vocals/bass guitar) Steve Chambers (guitar) Steve Kendell (keyboards) Glyn Davies (drums) |
The Gents were a mod revival band from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, active in the 1980s.
Career
The group began as a cover band, playing songs originally recorded by The Who, The Kinks, The Jam, The Lambrettas and Madness, along with original material and other contemporary covers. They attracted attention after winning a competition hosted by EMI, the prize of which was studio time at Abbey Road Studios. The result was their debut single, "The Faker" in 1981. The single was not a commercial success and copies have now sold for up to £70.[1]
The band developed a live following in the UK, playing up to 5 times a week in working men's clubs in the North of England. They were particularly appreciated at mod events, including the 100 Club on Oxford Street. They released a number of singles which appeared on independent charts in New Musical Express and Melody Maker,[2] but their biggest commercial success, a cover of The Easybeats' "Friday On My Mind" was the only one to reach the top 100 in the UK singles chart.[3][4]
In 2012, Detour Records reissued the group's albums, which led to the band briefly reforming to play a selection of local concerts in South Yorkshire.[5]
Discography
Singles
- "The Faker b/w Le Pink Panther" – 1981 POSH001
- "Schooldays b/w True Stories" – 1982 KOS6886
- "The Gent b/w Revenge/Over Me" – 1982 MEGA1.
- "Revenge b/w Girl" – 1983 POSH007.
- "Shout! b/w The Faker" – 1985 G-7.
- "New Direction b/w You are the Sun" – 1985. GN8.
- "Stay with Me b/w In the Heat of the Sun" – 1985. GN9.
- "Give it to Me b/w At the Dance Part 1" – 1986. GN11.
- "Friday on my Mind b/w Have a Good Time" – 1986. GN12.
12" singles
- "Stay with Me b/w Tomorrow Never Comes (remix)/Don't Turn Away (remix)" – 1985. GN9(T).
- "Give it to Me b/w At the Dance Part 1/At the Dance Part 2/The More You Get/The Gents' Drunken Party" – 1986. GN11(T).
- "Friday on my Mind b/w Have a Good Time/Dogshit Blues" – 1986. GN12(T).
LPs
- "This Way to the Gents – cassette-only sampler album" – 1981
- "How it all Began" – 1985, GG77.
- "Waiting to be Seen" – 1987 PSM10
CDs
- (Re-issued with original album and artwork, plus bonus material)[6]
- "How it all Began" – (Detour) 2012
- "Waiting to be Seen" (Detour) 2013
- "This Way to the Gents" – (Detour) 2014
Compilations
- Millions Like Us : The Story of the Mod Revival 1977–1989 (Cherry Red) 2014. Includes "The Faker".[7]
Chart Placings
| Year | Single | Chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK National[8] | Indie Chart[2] | NME | Melody Maker | Sounds | |||
| 1981 | "The Faker" | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1982 | "Schooldays" | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1982 | "The Gent" | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1983 | "Revenge" | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1985 | "Shout" | 103 | 33 | 27 | 16 | 19 | |
| 1985 | "New Direction" | 106 | 32 | 14 | – | 8 | |
| 1985 | "Stay With Me" | 108 | – | – | – | 9 | |
| 1986 | "Give It To Me" | 102 | 45 | – | – | 14 | |
| 1986 | "Friday On My Mind" | 95 | – | – | – | – | |
| 1985 | "How It All Began" | – | – | – | 18 | – | |
References
- ↑ Baldwin, Shane. "This way to ... the gents". Record Collector. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lazell, Barry (2000). Indie Hits: The Complete UK Independent Charts: The Complete UK Singles and Album Independent Charts, 1980–89. Cherry Red. ISBN 978-0951720691.
- ↑ "The Easybeats – Friday on My Mind". PopMatters. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
- ↑ "The Official Charts Company - The Gents". The Official Charts Company. 18 January 2015.
- ↑ "Get ready for an evening with The Gents of Mod". South Yorkshire Times. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
- ↑ "The Gents : Waiting to Be Seen". Detour Records. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
- ↑ "Millions Like Us : The Story of the Mod Revival 1977–1989". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
- ↑ http://chartarchive.org/[][]