Angelic Upstarts

Angelic Upstarts are an English punk rock band formed in South Shields in 1977. Allmusic calls them "one of the period's most politically charged and thought-provoking groups".[2] The band espoused an anti-fascist and socialist working class philosophy, and have been associated with the skinhead subculture.

The band released eight studio albums in their first decade. After a brief split they reformed in 1988, and a number of times subsequently, with new albums appearing in 1992, 2002, 2011, and 2016. More than two decades after its release, their debut single, "The Murder Of Liddle Towers", was included in Mojo magazine’s list of the best punk rock singles of all time.

The band's original members were Thomas Mensforth (Mensi) on vocals, Ray Cowie (Mond) on guitar, Steve Forsten on bass guitar, and Derek "Decca" Wade on drums. Keith Bell was the manager until 1980, when he was jailed for four and a half years for arson.

Other former members include Ronnie Rocker and bassists Ronnie Wooden, Glyn Warren and Tony Feedback (now in Long Tall Shorty and Kiria's live band). Drummers have included Sticks Warrington (who later joined Cockney Rejects), Paul Thompson (ex-Roxy Music), Chris White, Evo (who has also played in The Blood, Major Accident and Warfare)....(Read more)

Festive Fifty Entries

 * None

Sessions

 * Three sessions. Available on The BBC Punk Sessions

1. Recorded: 1978-10-24. First broadcast: 30 October 1978. Repeated: 23 November 1978 2. Recorded: 1980-09-17. First broadcast: 01 August 1980. Repeated: 03 November 1980 3. Recorded: 1981-06-23. First broadcast: 29 June 1981. Repeated: 21 July 1981
 * We Are The People / Student Power / Upstart / Youth Leader
 * Guns For The Afghan Rebels / Last Night Another Soldier / Kids On The Street / Sticks' Diary
 * Two Million Voices / You're Nicked / I Understand (pt. 3) / New Values

(Please correct mistakes and add any missing info)

Other Shows Played

 * 1979
 * 03 April 1979: I’m An Upstart (single) Warner Brothers
 * 16 April 1979: 'I'm An Upstart (7")' (Warner Bros)
 * 19 April 1979: I'm An Upstart (7") Warner Bros
 * 24 April 1979: I'm An Upstart (7") Warner Bros
 * 19 July 1979: Teenage Warning (Single produced by Jimmy Pursey) Warner Bros
 * 26 July 1979: unknown
 * 30 July 1979: Never Again (LP - Teenage Warning) Warner Bros
 * 31 July 1979: 'We Are The People (LP-Teenage Warning)' (Warner Bros)
 * 31 July 1979: Small Town Small Mind (LP – Teenage Warning) Warner Bros
 * 31 July 1979: Youth Leader (LP-Teenage Warning) Warner Bros
 * 31 July 1979: Do Anything (LP-Teenage Warning) Warner Bros
 * 01 August 1979: Teenage Warning (7") Warner Bros.
 * 13 August 1979: Student Power (LP - Teenage Warning) Warner Bros
 * 14 August 1979: mentions that band is a new entry at #29 on the UK Top 40
 * 20 August 1979: Small Town Small Mind (LP - Teenage Warning) Warner Bros
 * 1980
 * 28 January 1980: Out Of Control (7") Warner Bros.
 * 31 January 1980: Out Of Control (single) Warner Bros
 * 02 February 1980 (BFBS): Out Of Control (7") Warner Bros
 * 07 February 1980: Out of Control (7") Warner Bros
 * 09 February 1980 (BFBS): Out Of Control (7") Warner Bros
 * 26 March 1980: Out Of Control (LP - We Gotta Get Out Of This Place) Warner Bros
 * 26 March 1980: Lonely Man Of Spandau (LP - We Gotta Get Out Of This Place) Warner Bros
 * 26 March 1980: Their Destiny Is Coming (LP - We Gotta Get Out Of This Place) Warner Bros
 * 27 March 1980 (BFBS): We Gotta Get Out Of This Place (7") Warner Bros ohn thinks this is a fairly dreadful version of the song
 * 31 March 1980: Out Of Control (single) Warner
 * 10 April 1980: King Coal (album - We Gotta Get Out Of This Place) Warner Bros
 * 10 April 1980 (BFBS): King Coal (album - We Gotta Get Out Of This Place) Warner Bros
 * 21 July 1980: Last Night Another Soldier (7") EMI
 * 13 August 1980: Last Night Another Soldier (7") EMI
 * 01 September 1980: Guns For The Afghan Rebels (LP - Oi! The Album) EMI
 * 04 September 1980: Guns For The Afghan Rebels (LP - Oi! The Album) EMI
 * 22 September 1980: Guns For The Afghan Rebels (v/a album - Oi! The Album) EMI
 * 1981
 * 19 January 1981: Kids On The Street (7") EMI
 * 09 February 1981: Kids On The Streets (7”) EMI
 * 19 May 1981: I Understand (12") EMI
 * 02 June 1981: Two Million Voices (LP - 2,000,000 Voices) EMI
 * 16 June 1981: You're Nicked (album - 2000000 Voices) EMI
 * 25 June 1981: We're Gonna Take The World (LP - 2 million voices)
 * June 1981 (mixtape): We're Gonna Take The World (LP - 2 million voices)
 * 21 October 1981: Different Strokes (7") EMI ft Roy Young
 * 02 November 1981: Different Strokes (7") EMI ft Roy Young
 * 1982
 * 27 April 1982: Wasted (Loved By None) (LP - Still From The Heart) EMI
 * 1983
 * 15 May 1983 (BFBS): 42nd Street (album - Reason Why?)
 * Other
 * Rebel Yell (episode 3): Police Oppression