Rezillos



The Rezillos are a punk/new wave band formed in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1976. Although emerging at the same time as other bands in the punk rock movement, the Rezillos did not share the nihilism or social commentary of their contemporaries, but instead took a more light-hearted approach to their songs, preferring to describe themselves at the time as "a New Wave beat group". Their songs are heavily influenced by 1950s rock and roll, 1960s English beat music and garage rock, early 1970s glam rock, and recurring lyrical themes of science fiction and B movies, influences that mirrored those of US bands the Cramps and the B-52s who were starting out at the same time. The Rezillos' biggest hit in their home country was the UK Top 20 single "Top of the Pops" in 1978.

Released in July 1978, the Rezillos' only studio album Can't Stand the Rezillos is now considered a classic album of the first wave of British punk, but the group split up four months after its release, following internal arguments about their future direction. After the Rezillos split the band's guitarist and principal songwriter Jo Callis briefly joined a couple of unsuccessful Edinburgh post-punk groups, before being invited to join The Human League. He went on to co-write some of The Human League's best known songs during their most successful period, including their biggest worldwide hit, "Don't You Want Me".

The Rezillos' vocalists Eugene Reynolds and Fay Fife formed the Revillos, a group with an ever-changing line-up that continued where the Rezillos left off. The Revillos split up in 1985, briefly reforming in 1994 for a tour of Japan, and again in 1996 for a UK tour. In 2001 the Rezillos reformed after being invited to play at Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations, and have continued to play live ever since, as well as releasing new singles occasionally. (Read more at Wikipedia.)

Links to Peel
Peel was a big supporter of the band, declaring their debut 45, “I Can't Stand My Baby” his favourite single of the year so far when he played it on 29 August 1977 and later making it #4 in his self-chosen 1977 Festive Fifty. Perhaps surprisingly, the track was also included in the Peelenium for the following year, 1978, when it appeared on the band’s debut LP. Peel played six songs from the album on his 14 July 1978 show.

Although the Rezillos split up shortly afterwards, both successor bands – the Revillos and Shake – subsequently recorded Peel sessions.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * 1977 Festive Fifty: I Can't Stand My Baby #4
 * 1978 Festive Fifty: I Can't Stand My Baby #20

Peelenium

 * Peelenium 1978: I Can't Stand My Baby

Sessions
Two sessions. ‘Top Of The Pops’ from #1 on Various Artists Movement: BBC Radio 1 Peel Sessions 1977-1979, 2xCD, 2011 (EMI ‎– CDPEEL 7779)

1. Recorded 1977-12-12. First broadcast 30 December 1977. Repeated 06 August 1979, 16 February 1981
 * (My Baby Does) Good Sculptures / No / Fight Amongst Yourselves / Top Of The Pops

2. Recorded: 1978-05-31. First broadcast 08 June 1978. Repeated 30 August 1978.
 * Cold Wars (Have Cooled Me Down) / Destination Venus / Somebody's Gonna Get Their Heads Kicked In Tonight / I Can't Stand My Baby (Soul Version)

Other Shows Played

 * 1977
 * 29 August 1977: I Can't Stand My Baby (7") Sensible (Peel names the Rezillos single as his favourite of the year so far.)
 * 27 December 1977: I Can't Stand My Baby (single) Sensible FF#4


 * 1978
 * 14 July 1978: 20,000 Rezillos Under The Sea (single - Top Of The Pops b-side) Sire
 * 14 July 1978: Flying Saucer Attack / No / Somebody’s Going To Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight / Top Of The Pops (LP – Can’t Stand The Rezillos) Sire
 * 14 July 1978: Glad All Over / My Baby Does Good Sculptures / I Like It (LP – Can’t Stand The Rezillos) Sire
 * 27 July 1978: (Rezillos and Steel Pulse albums, both featured in 14 July 1978 show, appear in new album chart)
 * 08 August 1978: Cold Wars (LP - Can't Stand The Rezillos) Sire
 * 18 August 1978: Bad Guy Reaction (album - Can't Stand The Rezillos) Sire
 * 28 August 1978: Glad All Over / My Baby Does Good Sculptures (album - Can't Stand The Rezillos) Sire
 * 30 August 1978: Flying Saucer Attack (album - Can't Stand The Rezillos) Sire
 * 31 August 1978: I Like It (album - Can't Stand The Rezillos) Sire
 * 02 November 1978: Destination Venus (7”) Sire
 * 08 November 1978: Destination Venus (7”) Sire
 * 28 December 1978: I Can't Stand My Baby (7") Sensible FF#20


 * 1979
 * 16 April 1979: Cold Wars (7") Sire
 * 14 May 1979: (Another Pretty Face single, the first from the Edinburgh band. Peel mentions the song features the former Rezillos sax player)
 * 21 May 1979: I Can't Stand My Baby (7" - I Can't Stand My Baby / I Wanna Be Your Man) Sensible
 * 12 July 1979: I Can't Stand My Baby (single) Sensible


 * 1980s
 * 31 March 1980: (Peel plays original version of “Somebody’s Going To Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight by ‘Earl Vince & the Valiants’ (aka Fleetwood Mac)
 * 03 February 1981: Destination Venus (Cassette Single) Sire
 * 07 July 1982: Can't Stand My Baby (LP Scottish Kultchur: The Barclay Towers Compilation Album) Supermusic
 * 12 November 1984: Someone's Going To Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight
 * 08 April 1985: (My Baby Does) Good Sculptures (album - Can't Stand The Rezillos) Sire
 * Peel 085 (BFBS) (1988-06-10): I Can't Stand My Baby (7") Sensible (JP: 'I remember how much I used to like her accent.')


 * 1990s
 * 19 February 1994: Flying Saucer Attack (LP -Can't Stand The Rezillos) Sire
 * 26 February 1994 (BFBS): Flying Saucer Attack (album - Can't Stand The Rezillos) Sire
 * 30 November 1999: I Can't Stand My Baby (Album: Can't Stand The Rezillos) Sire (1978 Peelenium)


 * Other
 * Punk Fiction: Top Of The Pops