London, UK · punk

Chelsea

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First-wave London punk whose early lineup splintered into Generation X almost immediately — Gene October kept the flag up anyway, for decades.

Chelsea formed in London in 1976, its original lineup put together by Acme Attractions boutique owners John Krivine and Steph Raynor on the King's Road. The band played its first show supporting Throbbing Gristle at the Institute of Contemporary Arts. That lineup lasted only weeks: guitarist Billy Idol and bassist Tony James left almost immediately to form Generation X, taking the drummer with them and leaving singer Gene October to start over.

October rebuilt Chelsea around himself and has led the band through repeated changes of personnel ever since. Musically the group stayed close to the template it helped establish: fast, direct punk rock with shouted, hectoring vocals and lyrics that took in unemployment, class and street politics.

The debut single, 'Right to Work', appeared in 1977 and later featured on Mojo magazine's list of the best punk rock singles ever made. It also turned up on the soundtrack to Derek Jarman's film Jubilee, in which October had a small part, and the band were filmed performing for the documentary Punk in London.

A 1982 lineup built around guitarist and songwriter Nic Austin produced the album Evacuate, one of the more highly regarded records in the catalogue. Later albums brought in guest players, including Clash drummer Nicky 'Topper' Headon, who appeared on a cover of 'Somebody Got Murdered'.

In 1999 the lineup from Chelsea's debut album, guitarist James Stevenson included, reformed for the Social Chaos Tour of North America, later documented on the live album Metallic F.O.: Live at CBGB's. The band's run of late-1970s singles remains the best-known part of the catalogue, and October's persistence has made him a fixture of the British punk circuit.

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