Cockney Rejects

Cockney Rejects were a punk band formed in the East End of London in 1978 by brothers Jeff and Micky Geggus, with their brother-in-law Chris Murrell on bass and Paul Harvey on drums. Their first demo, "Flares 'n' Slippers", caught the attention of Small Wonder Records owner Pete Stennett, who introduced the band to Bob Sergeant. With Sergeant, they recorded their single "Flares 'n' Slippers", which sold out its first pressing. Murrell and Harvey were then replaced by Vince Riordan on bass and Andy Scott on drums, from fellow East End London band, The Tickets. This became known as Cockney Rejects' classic lineup, and its debut at the Bridge House in Canning Town in June 1979 is considered a turning point for the band. In September of that same year, the band signed with EMI and released their album Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 in February 1980.

Their biggest hit single in the United Kingdom, 1980's "The Greatest Cockney Rip-Off", was a parody of Sham 69's song "Hersham Boys". Other Cockney Rejects songs were less commercial, partly because they tended to be about hard-edged topics such as street fighting or football hooliganism. Other singles to appear in the UK were "Bad Man," "We Can Do Anything," "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles " and "We Are the Firm" — all from 1980.[3]

The violence depicted in their lyrics was often mirrored at their concerts, and the band members often fought to defend themselves (often from supporters of opposing football teams) or to split up conflicts between audience members. Jeff and Mick Geggus (who are brothers) had both been amateur youth boxers, and had fought at the national level. Bass player Vince Riordan's uncle was Jack "The Hat" McVitie, a Cockney gangster who was murdered by Reggie Kray.

Cockney Rejects expressed contempt for all politicians in their lyrics, and they rejected media claims that they had a British Movement following, or that the band members supported the views of that far right group. In their first Sounds interview, they mockingly referred to the British Movement as the "German Movement" and stated that many of their heroes were black boxers.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * None

Sessions

 * Two sessions. Available on Greatest Hits Vol. II, 2004 reissue (Captain Oi!) and Join The Rejects The Zonophone Years '79-'81 (EMI).

1. Recorded: YYYY-MM-DD. First broadcast: 15 August 1979. Repeated: 10 September 1979, 20 December 1979 2. Recorded: YYYY-MM-DD. First broadcast: 25 February 1980. Repeated: 20 March 1980, 17 April 1980, 03 July 1980, 01 September 1980
 * East End / Flares 'n' Slippers / Are You Ready To Ruck / They're Going To Put Me Away
 * The Greatest Cockney Rip-Off / I Wanna Be A Star / 15 Nights / Blockbuster

Other Shows Played

 * 1979
 * 26 July 1979: unknown
 * 30 July 1979: 'Police Car (7"-Flares 'n' Slippers)' (Small Wonder)
 * 31 July 1979: 'I Wanna Be A Star (7"-Flares 'n' Slippers)' (Small Wonder)
 * 01 August 1979: 'Flares 'n' Slippers (7")' (Small Wonder)
 * 02 August 1979: 'Flares 'n' Slippers (7")' (Small Wonder)
 * 06 August 1979: 'Police Car (7"-Flares 'n' Slippers)' (Small Wonder)
 * 11 August 1979 (BFBS): 'Flares 'n' Slippers (7")' (Small Wonder)
 * 13 August 1979: 'I Wanna Be A Star (7"-Flares 'n' Slippers)' (Small Wonder)
 * 14 August 1979: 'Police Car (7"-Flares 'n' Slippers)' (Small Wonder)
 * 18 August 1979 (BFBS): 'Police Car (7"-Flares 'n' Slippers)' (Small Wonder)
 * 01 September 1979 (BFBS): 'Flares 'n' Slippers (7")' (Small Wonder)
 * 03 September 1979: 'I Wanna Be A Star (7"-Flares 'n' Slippers)' (Small Wonder)
 * 05 September 1979: 'Flares 'n' Slippers (7")' (Small Wonder)
 * 15 September 1979 (BFBS): 'Flares 'n' Slippers (7")' (Small Wonder)
 * 19 September 1979: 'Police Car (7"-Flares 'n' Slippers)' (Small Wonder)
 * 24 September 1979: 'East End (7"-I’m Not A Fool)' (EMI)
 * 13 November 1979: 'I'm Not A Fool (7")' (EMI)
 * 21 November 1979: 'East End (7"-I’m Not A Fool)' (EMI)
 * 24 November 1979 (BFBS): 'East End (7"-I’m Not A Fool)' (EMI)
 * 18 December 1979: 'I'm Not A Fool (7")' (EMI)
 * 1980
 * 30 January 1980: 'New Song (7"-Bad Man!)' (EMI)
 * 02 February 1980 (BFBS): 'New Song (7"-Bad Man!)' (EMI)
 * 05 February 1980: 'New Song (7"-Bad Man!)' (EMI)
 * 06 February 1980: 'Bad Man! (7")' (EMI)
 * 12 February 1980: 'New Song (7"-Bad Man!)' (EMI)
 * 20 February 1980 (BFBS): 'Bad Man! (7")' (EMI)
 * 27 February 1980: 'East End (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (EMI)
 * 28 February 1980 (Mike Read): 'I'm Not A Fool (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (EMI)
 * 03 March 1980: 'Where The Hell Is Babylon? (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (EMI)
 * 04 March 1980: 'Fighting In The Streets (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (EMI) (JP: 'Up against the wall, if you don't mind filling in this questionnaire!')
 * 05 March 1980: (They're Gonna) Put Me Away (album - Greatest Hits Vol.1) EMI
 * 05 March 1980: Are You Ready To Ruck (album - Greatest Hits Vol.1) EMI
 * 06 March 1980: 'Join The Rejects (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (Zonophone)
 * 08 March 1980 (BFBS): 'Join The Rejects (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (Zonophone)
 * 08 March 1980 (BFBS): 'East End (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (EMI)
 * 08 March 1980 (BFBS): 'Where The Hell Is Babylon? (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (EMI)
 * 10 March 1980: 'Headbanger (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (EMI / Zonophone)
 * 13 March 1980: 'Join The Rejects (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (Zonophone)
 * 15 March 1980 (BFBS): 'Join The Rejects (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (Zonophone)
 * 18 March 1980: 'Here They Come Again (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (EMI)
 * 19 March 1980: 'Fighting In The Streets (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (Zonophone)
 * 25 March 1980: 'Join The Rejects (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (EMI)
 * 29 March 1980 (BFBS): (They're Gonna) Put Me Away (album - Greatest Hits Vol. 1) EMI
 * 29 March 1980 (BFBS): Are You Ready To Ruck (album - Greatest Hits Vol. 1) EMI
 * 01 April 1980: 'Where The Hell Is Babylon (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (EMI)
 * 03 April 1980: 'Someone Like You (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (EMI)
 * 10 April 1980 (BFBS): 'Where The Hell Is Babylon (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. 1)' (EMI)
 * 14 April 1980: 'The Greatest Cockney Rip-Off (7")' (EMI)
 * 15 April 1980: 'Hate Of The City (7"-The Greatest Cockney Rip-Off)' (EMI)
 * 16 April 1980: 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles (7")' (EMI)
 * 19 April 1980 (BFBS): 'Flares 'n' Slippers (7")' (Small Wonder)
 * 19 April 1980 (BFBS): 'The Greatest Cockney Rip-Off (7")' (EMI)
 * 05 May 1980: 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles (7")' (EMI)
 * 28 May 1980: 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles (7")' (EMI)
 * 30 June 1980: 'We Can Do Anything (7")' (EMI)
 * 02 July 1980: 'We Can Do Anything (7")' (EMI)
 * 09 July 1980: 'We Can Do Anything (7”)' (EMI)
 * 15 July 1980: 'We Can Do Anything (7”)' (EMI)
 * 30 August 1980 (BFBS): 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles (7")' (EMI) (JP: 'Destined for a long colourless career in the second division, in my view...')
 * 08 October 1980: 'With The Boys (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. II)' (EMI)
 * 11 October 1980 (BFBS): 'I Wanna Be A Star (Compilation LP - Back-Stage Pass)' (Supermusic)
 * 13 October 1980: 'We Are The Firm (7")' (EMI)
 * 18 October 1980 (BFBS): 'We Are The Firm (7")' (EMI)
 * 18 October 1980 (BFBS): 'We Can Do Anything (7")' (EMI)
 * 18 October 1980 (BFBS): With The Boys On Tour
 * 28 October 1980: 'Subculture (LP-Greatest Hits Vol. II)' (EMI)