Amazingly enough, over the past 45 odd years I hadn’t actually seen Johnny Moped perform live until I saw them supporting The Damned at the Brighton Dome back in 2018, and jolly good they were too!
Johnny Moped is actually the name of the 5-piece punk band as well as being the stage name of their lead singer aka Paul Halford. They have announced a return to these parts, when they will be headlining an afternoon show from 2pm to 5pm at The Prince Albert on Saturday 30th April 2022.
Johnny Moped (the band) were around even before punk rock started, as they formed in Croydon in May 1974 at the tail end of the glam rock era. In spring 1977, Johnny Moped played four gigs at London’s legendary Roxy Club and two of which were support to The Damned. Then in August 1977 Johnny Moped released their debut 7” single on Chiswick Records – ‘No One’/’Incendiary Device’, which was followed eight months later by their debut album entitled ‘Cycledelic’.
Johnny Moped’s early personnel included The Damned’s loveable Captain Sensible and American singer-guitarist Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders fame. The current line-up according to Wikipedia is Paul Halford (aka Johnny Moped), Slimey Toad, Jacko Pistorious, Robert Brook (aka Rock and Roll Robot) and Martin Parrott (aka Marty Love).
There has even been a documentary about the band, entitled ‘Basically, Johnny Moped’, which was produced by Fred Burns and made its premiere in September 2013. According to the IMDb listing of the film it is…”A funny and often moving account of one of UK music’s great lost treasures” and it goes on to say “success was not to come their way and Johnny Moped are now largely forgotten, punk rock’s great lost band. Their story is however a fascinating one that, along with some of the era’s most innovative music deserves to be heard”.
Be warned when you watch the above documentary, as for weeks afterwards you will find yourself singing…..
“Darling, Let’s Have Another Baby,
Let’s make one soon on our second honeymoon
Darling, I need you to be near me
To kiss and to touch, I love you very much”
Purchase your Brighton concert tickets for Johnny Moped HERE and HERE.
More information on Johnny Moped HERE and HERE.
