Punk rock legends Chelsea have today announced that they will be celebrating the 75th birthday of frontman and founding member Gene October with not one but two intimate concerts here in Brighton at The Prince Albert.
These will be taking place on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th June. Fans wishing to come along and celebrate ‘Gene’s Birthday Weekend Bash’ and 50 years of punk rock, have the option of attending one of the concerts for £16.50 (inc booking fee) or both of them for only £24.20 (inc booking fee). Tickets are on sale and can be purchased HERE. Support acts will be announced in due course. Let’s hope they pick some corkers!
It was in August 1976 that Gene October placed an advert in Melody Maker which led to replies from guitarist William Broad (that’s Billy Idol to us), bassist Tony James (as in Generation X and Sigue Sigue Sputnik fame) and drummer John Towe. On October 18th 1976 they made their live debut as Chelsea supporting Throbbing Gristle at London’s ICA. It was at this time that Gene convinced the manager of gay London nightclub in Covent Garden called Shageramas, to convert the club into London’s first live punk rock venue called The Roxy – a fact for which he is given little credit.
Chelsea’s first single, ‘Right to Work’, was released in June 1977 by Step-Forward Records and then in 1978 it appeared on the soundtrack album to the 1977 Derek Jarman film ‘Jubilee’ which Gene October appeared in as ‘Happy Days’ along with Jordan Mooney (RIP), Adam Ant, Toyah, Jayne County, Siouxsie Sioux, and Steve Severin. Chelsea also featured in the 1977 documentary film ‘Punk In London’ with both interviews and a live performance. The debut self-titled Chelsea album dropped in 1979 and has been followed by a further 11 studio albums.
In 2016 Chelsea’s frontman Gene October celebrated a 40th anniversary tour and the release of the entire Chelsea back catalogue of albums in the ‘Chelsea definitive anthology’ volumes 1,2 & 3. Each volume includes three albums chronologically with a history of the band through the years. The album re-releases include lyrics, bonus tracks, demos and unreleased tracks never heard before. ‘Traitors Gate’ was finally released on collectors’ clear vinyl, ‘The Alternative’ on red vinyl and ‘Faster Cheaper Better Looking’ on white vinyl.
2017 arrived and in my opinion, Chelsea released their best ever album, in the form of a 15 track masterpiece entitled ‘Mission Impossible’. The tuneful punk album drew inevitable comparisons to the UK Subs and the Buzzcocks and yet it’s typical Chelsea style.
2021 saw the band release ‘Meanwhile Gardens’. It was rather refreshing to hear an album of new material from a band that has been on the scene for over 45 years! The following year the band released their ‘Evacuate Revisited’ platter which put a new spin on classic oldies which had turned 40.
