The Only Ones | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Led by the raffish and slightly scuzzy romance-obsessed Peter Perrett, the Only Ones were one of the punk eras most underrated bands. Not as confrontational as the Sex Pistols, as politically indulgent as the Clash, or as stripped-down as the Ramones, the Only Ones played not-so-fast guitar rock that sounded deeply indebted to the New York Dolls and other mid-70s proto-punks. Singing his intelligently crafted pop songs in a semi-tuneful whine of a voice and backed by a band that effectively combined youthful exuberance with gracefully aging veterans (non-punk drummer Mike Kellie had done time with early-70s clod-rockers Spooky Tooth, bassist Alan Mair was nearly 40), Perrett was an astute chronicler of the vagaries of modern, dysfunctional love. Despite a career that lasted from 1978-1981 and one certifiable "hit" song to their credit (the brilliant "Another Girl, Another Planet"), the Only Ones became the archetypal contenders that never broke big, despite assurances from fans and critics that they couldnt miss. Although they split up in 1981 after only three records, the Only Ones, due in large part to "Another Girl, Another Planet," became more influential than one would have guessed. Listen to Paul Westerberg and youll hear more than a little Peter Perrett (in fact, the Replacements covered "Another Girl"); look at the number of Only Ones releases over the past decade (a half-dozen at least) and you soon realize that a significant cult surrounding the band grew after their breakup. Ironically, it was the posthumous release of the sessions for John Peels BBC show that, more than any of the proper studio releases, accurately displayed the muscle and smarts of this fine band. There have been many rumors surrounding Perretts life after the Only Ones, many of them involving an alleged heroin addiction. Perrett did continue to record and release solo projects during the 80s, including a project known as the One in the mid-90s. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 11 Title: The Only Ones Released: 1978-05 Tracks: 10 Duration: 33:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Whole of the Law (02:37) 2 Another Girl, Another Planet (03:00) 3 Breaking Down (04:52) 4 City of Fun (03:32) 5 The Beast (05:47) 6 Creature of Doom (02:33) 7 Its the Truth (02:07) 8 Language Problem (02:28) 9 No Peace for the Wicked (02:51) 10 The Immortal Story (03:56) |
| The Only Ones : Allmusic album Review : The Only Ones were a band that became identified with the British punk scene largely because leader Peter Perrett had a funny voice and could write a great straightforward rock & roll song at a time when such virtues were possessed almost exclusively by the faster-and-louder brigade. This helps explain why the Only Ones self-titled debut album is regarded as a classic of the first wave of U.K. punk despite the presence of the midtempo jazz-accented "Breaking Down"; the 50s pop moves of the opening cut, "The Whole of the Law"; "The Beast," which sounds like some sort of lethargic neo-boogie; and the graceful semi-acoustic semi-samba "No Peace for the Wicked." Of course, when the Only Ones felt like rocking out, they did it brilliantly, and along with the instant classic "Another Girl, Another Planet," this album includes the sinister but rollicking "City of Fun" and the feedback-drenched crunch of "The Immoral Story," which points to another factor that made the Only Ones heroes in their day -- their eclecticism was rooted in a genuine talent for embracing different sounds rather than the inability to pick a style and master it. Perrett and his bandmates -- John Perry on guitar, Alan Mair on bass, and Mike Kellie on drums -- sound like a tight and imaginative combo even when theyre surrounded by keyboard and horn overdubs, and Perretts tales of one guys search for love and coherence in a fractured world are intelligent, witty, and deeply cutting at all times. If the creative ambition of the Only Ones sometimes comes at the price of a tight stylistic focus that would make these songs cohere better, every track is memorable in its own way, and these ten songs always have heart, soul, and honesty to spare -- and if that isnt always the benchmark of punk rock, its at least in the neighborhood. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 11 Title: Special View Released: 1979 Tracks: 12 Duration: 40:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Another Girl, Another Planet (03:00) 2 Lovers of Today (03:13) 3 Peter and the Pets (03:05) 4 The Beast (05:47) 5 City of Fun (03:32) 6 The Whole of the Law (02:37) 7 Out There in the Night (03:02) 8 Someone Who Cares (03:10) 9 Youve Got to Pay (02:47) 10 Flaming Torch (02:21) 11 Curtains for You (04:18) 12 From Here to Eternity (03:05) |
| Special View : Allmusic album Review : Though a compilation of albums for America rather than a proper release, Special View could almost be a greatest hits of sorts, capturing the unexpected and underrated talents of Perrett and his bandmates for a late-70s audience well enough and still holding up in later years. It doesnt hurt that the bands deathless anthem "Another Girl, Another Planet" -- as perfect a crystallization of power pop shot through with fractured melancholia instead of macho strut as could be imagined -- leads everything off. Perretts wounded but right voice -- Pete Shelley and Richard Hell in perfect sync -- and the sharp, inspired melody and arrangement were reason enough for the band to exist, but Special View provides a fair amount of others. The Velvet Undergrounds influence (and, to an extent, the Modern Lovers) on the group could easily be heard on "Lovers of Today," the defiantly simple scrabble of those bands informed with the seasoned semi-pub/glam roots of the performers to result in an enjoyable tension. Perretts gift at turning the seen-it-all stance of Lou Reed into a suddenly romantic, almost naïvely sweet vision definitely calls Jonathan Richman to mind, but hes less winsome and a touch more haunted and on edge, a careful balance that often is the most remarkable thing about the band in general. The strong enough but generally unremarkable R&B; rave-ups on songs like "City of Fun" wouldnt have been so listenable without his wounded drawl. Meanwhile, moments like the conclusion of "The Beast," with its semi-epic guitar solo, and the synth on "Someone Who Cares" show examples of true inspiration. Secret highlight: "The Whole of the Law," a bit of a 50s tearjerker with the addition of the sax. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 11 Title: Even Serpents Shine Released: 1979-03-09 Tracks: 11 Duration: 35:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 From Here to Eternity (03:05) 2 Flaming Torch (02:21) 3 You’ve Got to Pay (02:49) 4 No Solution (02:27) 5 Inbetweens (03:57) 6 Out There in the Night (03:02) 7 Curtains for You (04:18) 8 Programme (02:11) 9 Someone Who Cares (03:11) 10 Miles From Nowhere (03:45) 11 Instrumental (04:02) |
| Even Serpents Shine : Allmusic album Review : Plenty of bands from the first wave of British punk sounded like they had learned a few things from the New York Dolls, but while most latched onto the sloppy crash and bash of Johnny Thunders guitar, the Only Ones instead seemed more closely drawn to the witty cynicism and trashy romanticism of David Johansens lyrics, and the Only Ones tenuous link to the faster-and-louder gang was fading fast by the time they cut their second album, Even Serpents Shine. While theres plenty of rock & roll on Even Serpents Shine, "Programme" is the only track that seems to approach four-square punk, and with its double-tracked guitar solos, sax overdubs, and backwards tape treatments it didnt have much in common with, say, the Damned or the Adverts. Elsewhere, Even Serpents Shine more often recalls the heart-on-the-sleeve spirit of Mott the Hooples glory days, merged with a leaner attack that still made room for John Perrys guitar heroics and Peter Perretts wobbly but potently effective vocals. Even Serpents Shine doesnt boast an out-of-the-box classic tune along the lines of "Another Girl, Another Planet" from the self-titled debut, but in many respects, this is the more consistent album, achieving a similar degree of thematic and melodic variety while generating a more coherent sound and feeling, and the band certainly sounds tighter and more confident on their second trip to the studio. And Peter Perretts meditations on love in its many guises still stand apart from nearly anyone elses in British rock, and the funny, keenly observed and sometimes heartbreaking lyrics he wrote for this album are every bit as effective now as they were in 1979. Even Serpents Shine may not be quite the triumph that was the Only Ones debut album, but they were one of the very few bands of their time and place who inarguably beat the sophomore slump. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 11 Title: Baby’s Got a Gun Released: 1980-04 Tracks: 15 Duration: 48:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Happy Pilgrim (02:32) 2 Why Don’t You Kill Yourself? (02:44) 3 Me and My Shadow (05:41) 4 Deadly Nightshade (03:08) 5 Strange Mouth (02:31) 6 The Big Sleep (04:59) 7 Oh Lucinda (Love Becomes a Habit) (03:10) 8 Re‐Union (02:58) 9 Trouble in the World (03:06) 10 Castle Built on Sand (01:52) 11 Fools (02:25) 12 My Way out of Here (03:50) 13 Baby’s Got a Gun (01:57) 14 The Big Sleep (Advision studio session 1979) (04:38) 15 Your Chosen Life (02:48) |
| Baby’s Got a Gun : Allmusic album Review : In many respects, the Only Ones had been swimming against the current ever since they started playing out in 1977, and the wear was finally beginning to show by the time they cut their third album, 1980s Babys Got a Gun. After Even Serpents Shine failed to sell to expectations, CBS put the Only Ones in the studio with producer Colin Thurston, best known for his work with the likes of Duran Duran, the Human League, and Bow Wow Wow; Thurston was clearly aiming to push the pop angles of Peter Perretts melodies into the forefront, and while to some degree he succeeded, the amiably sleazy rock & roll edge of their first two albums was blunted on this set, and Perrett and John Perrys guitars dont have the same impact here. The quality of the songwriting on Babys Got a Gun, while still strong, is not up to the level of the first two albums, and significantly, the Only Ones recorded their only cover for this LP ("Fools," a hit for country singer Johnny Duncan, with Perrett dueting quite wonderfully with Pauline Murray of Penetration). And while Perrett was still singing and writing well, the drug addiction that would haunt him for years was catching up with him during these sessions, and Babys Got a Gun lacks some of the focus and energy of their earlier work. Babys Got a Gun is clearly the weakest of the Only Ones three original albums, but for all its faults theres plenty here that testifies to the bands strengths; "Why Dont You Kill Yourself," "Strange Mouth," and "The Big Sleep" are splendid songs that show the band still had the goods, and "Trouble in the World" and "The Happy Pilgrim" confirm they could reach for a poppier sound without losing their personality in the process. The Only Ones broke up a year after Babys Got a Gun came out, but if it captured the sound of a band in decline, you can barely tell unless youre looking for the seams. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 11 Title: Remains Released: 1984 Tracks: 10 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Prisoners (?) 2 Watch You Drown (?) 3 Flowers Die (?) 4 Devon Song (?) 5 My Rejection (?) 6 Baby’s Got a Gun (?) 7 Hope Valley Blues (?) 8 Counterfeit Woman (?) 9 My Way of Giving (?) 10 River of No Return (?) |
| Remains : Allmusic album Review : This Only Ones compilation includes 14 tracks of demos and unfinished studio cuts. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 11 Title: Alone in the Night Released: 1986 Tracks: 14 Duration: 46:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Why Dont You Kill Yourself (02:41) 2 Another Girl Another Planet (03:00) 3 From Here to Eternity (03:05) 4 Strange Mouth (02:29) 5 Fools (02:22) 6 Out There in the Night (03:00) 7 Me and My Shadow (05:40) 8 Flaming Torch (02:19) 9 Trouble in the World (03:04) 10 The Immortal Story (03:55) 11 Deadly Nightshade (03:07) 12 Youve Got to Pay (02:45) 13 Big Sleep (04:56) 14 My Way Out of Here (03:52) |
| Alone in the Night : Allmusic album Review : Possibly the best of the available compilations. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 11 Title: The Peel Sessions Released: 1989-12-23 Tracks: 16 Duration: 52:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Oh Lucinda (03:16) 2 No Peace for the Wicked (02:35) 3 Oh No (02:05) 4 The Beast (05:37) 5 In Betweens (03:44) 6 Another Girl, Another Planet (02:56) 7 Language Problem (02:30) 8 From Here to Eternity (03:24) 9 Lovers of Today (03:06) 10 Why Dont You Kill Yourself (03:06) 11 Telescopic Love (02:45) 12 Flaming Torch (02:19) 13 Miles From Nowhere (03:41) 14 Prisoners (03:15) 15 The Happy Pilgrim (02:40) 16 The Big Sleep (05:13) |
| The Peel Sessions : Allmusic album Review : The process of cult deification that Peter Perrett and co. have undergone in the years since their early-80s breakup notwithstanding, the Only Ones remain one of the most underrated bands of their generation -- a fate that matches, of course, their own policy of absolute underachievement. Listen to any of the recorded music that the band left behind, and the Only Ones recapitulation of all that was promised by primal Roxy Music, Be Bop Deluxe, and Bowie grins out over everything they did. But the personal difficulties that ultimately tore them apart had torn them to shreds long before the end, and for every shining moment captured on their regular albums, theres another that leaves the party way too early. Small wonder, then, that The Peel Sessions is widely regarded -- by band and fans alike -- as the only wholly accurate illustration of the Only Ones at their best, 16 tracks recorded over four separate sessions between September 1977 and June 1980. All of the bands best-known songs are here. Indeed, for the generation that grew up listening to John Peel late at night, the sessions are the reason why they are the bands best-known songs -- certainly no one else in British radioland was playing them at the time. But the sessions also represent the Only Ones performing with the impromptu fire and flair that the conventional recording studio too frequently sucked out of them, and turning in best-ever versions of "Language Problem," "No Peace for the Wicked," "The Beast," and the self-defining "Another Girl, Another Planet" -- and thats just one of the sessions. The very best of the Only Ones, then, is also one of the finest of all Peel Sessions releases. And, at last, the Only Ones have gotten the memorial they deserved. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 11 Title: The Immortal Story Released: 1992 Tracks: 21 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Lovers of Today (?) 2 Peter and the Pets (?) 3 The Whole of the Law (?) 4 Another Girl, Another Planet (?) 5 Special View (a.k.a. Telescopic Love) (?) 6 The Beast (?) 7 It’s the Truth (?) 8 No Peace for the Wicked (?) 9 The Immortal Story (?) 10 From Here to Eternity (?) 11 In Betweens (?) 12 No Solution (?) 13 Curtains for You (?) 14 Someone Who Cares (?) 15 Miles From Nowhere (?) 16 Instrumental (?) 17 Your Chosen Life (?) 18 Baby’s Got a Gun (?) 19 Why Don’t You Kill Yourself (?) 20 Oh Lucinda (Love Becomes a Habit) (?) 21 Big Sleep (?) |
| The Immortal Story : Allmusic album Review : There are some great what-if stories in the history of rock, but few are as compelling as the sordid tale of the Only Ones. Blessed with a remarkably talented lineup, great songs, and a frontman -- the doom-obsessed Peter Perrett -- who exhaled charisma like so much carbon dioxide, the Only Ones were the proverbial cant-miss proposition. But miss they did. Plagued from the start by clueless marketing, squabbles with their record company, and Perretts legendarily erratic behavior, the Only Ones managed to hang together for a scant five years (1976-1981), releasing three albums and the transcendent single "Another Girl, Another Planet," before they flamed out and Perrett left music to focus full-time on heroin. The bands memory is kept alive by a dedicated cult, but, for most casual fans, the Only Ones are notable only for "Another Girl, Another Planet." Thats a shame because, as this 21-track collection illustrates, the band was much more that. Spanning their all-too-brief career, The Immortal Story is an amazingly consistent and varied set -- which is a testament not only to the compilers but to the skills of a band frequently dismissed as a (barely) one-hit wonder. Although Perrett gets a lot of the credit for the enduring appeal of the Only Ones -- and, certainly, his longing, tormented vocals and darkly evocative lyrics had much to do with it -- the Only Ones were a lot more than a vehicle for their haunted singer. John Perry was a world-class guitarist, equally adept at melodic power chording and spiraling solos, and bassist Alan Mair and ex-Spooky Tooth drummer Mike Kellie comprised an unshakable rhythm section. Together, the foursome crafted a creepy but timelessly melodic brand of pop/rock -- which is in abundant evidence on The Immortal Story. "Another Girl, Another Planet" is, of course, included, and while its tough to match that songs classic, otherworldly rush, the rest of the material here hardly pales in comparison. "The Beast," highlighted by Perretts languid told-you-so vocals and Perrys incendiary guitar fade, is possibly the most harrowing thing the band ever committed to tape, while the boppy resignation of "No Peace for the Wicked" and the reggae tropics of "Special View" reveal a jauntier side to the group. Another standout is "From Here to Eternity," which features some tasty licks by Perry and one of Perretts most vivid lyrics ("All that glitters is not gold/And even serpents shine/She gotten bitten then/Shell get bitten again/While Im sitting here watching her die"). Fan favorites such as "Lovers of Today," "Curtains for You," "Someone Who Cares," and "Why Dont You Kill Yourself" (featuring wonderfully sarcastic vocals by Perrett) are also included. To lure collectors, the compilers have thrown in the rare B-side "Your Chosen Life" and previously unavailable mixes of "Oh Lucinda (Love Becomes a Habit)" and "Babys Got a Gun." The liner notes by Robert Sandall, though brief, are well-written and about as informative as one can expect in a budget-priced import. The performances here might not have the muscular clout of the versions on the long out-of-print Peel Sessions, but, nonetheless, The Immortal Story is the place to start to begin appreciating the legacy of one of rocks great what-ifs. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 11 Title: The Big Sleep Released: 1993 Tracks: 14 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 As My Wife Says (?) 2 In Betweens (?) 3 Programme (?) 4 (Oh Lucinda) Love Becomes a Habit (?) 5 The Big Sleep (?) 6 Language Problem (?) 7 Miles From Nowhere (?) 8 The Beast (?) 9 Another Girl... Another Planet (?) 10 Peter & The Pets (?) 11 City of Fun (?) 12 Trouble in the World (?) 13 Me and My Shadow (?) 14 The Immortal Story (?) |
 | Album: 10 of 11 Title: Live at the BBC Released: 1996 Tracks: 15 Duration: 41:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 (Intro) (00:21) 2 The Immortal Story (02:17) 3 Lovers of Today (03:04) 4 Someone Who Cares (03:15) 5 Another Girl, Another Planet (03:00) 6 Flowers Die (04:38) 7 She Says (02:46) 8 The Beast (05:18) 9 (Intro) (00:05) 10 No Peace for the Wicked (02:30) 11 The Beast (05:15) 12 (Intro) (00:17) 13 No Solution (02:32) 14 In Betweens (03:36) 15 Programme (02:01) |
| Live at the BBC : Allmusic album Review : While the four sessions that the Only Ones recorded for BBC DJ John Peel are generally regarded as the very peak of the groups recorded work, it is sad to acknowledge that the concert culled for this release probably ranks among the weakest. Live, the Only Ones were always a tentative proposition, nightly veering between spine-chilling brilliance and absolute chaos. Live at the BBC, while not quite scraping the nadirs that the Only Ones were so eminently capable of, nevertheless finds them in ragged form, going through the same kind of motions that scar their then-imminent second album, Even Serpents Shine. Already established as a classic of the age, "Another Girl Another Planet" sounds more or less perfunctory, while "Lovers of Today" and "No Peace for the Wicked" reveal frontman Peter Perrett apparently more intent on sounding like Johnny Thunders than actually performing the songs. A vast disappointment, then, all the more so since there are tapes circulating on the collectors circuit that not only capture the band at its best, they remind listeners that sometimes, the Only Ones really were the only ones who mattered. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 11 Title: Darkness and Light Released: 2002 Tracks: 28 Duration: 1:32:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Oh No (02:04) 2 Lovers of Today (03:05) 3 Telescopic Love (02:46) 4 In Betweens (03:44) 5 Another Girl, Another Planet (02:57) 6 The Beast (05:36) 7 No Peace for the Wicked (02:34) 8 Language Problem (02:31) 9 Miles From Nowhere (03:40) 10 Flaming Torch (02:18) 11 From Here to Eternity (03:27) 12 Prisoners (03:17) 13 The Happy Pilgrim (02:43) 14 The Big Sleep (05:15) 15 Oh Lucinda (03:16) 16 Why Dont You Kill Yourself? (03:00) 1 The Beast (05:14) 2 The Immortal Story (02:17) 3 Lovers of Today (03:04) 4 Someone Who Cares (03:15) 5 Another Girl, Another PLanet (02:59) 6 Flowers Die (04:39) 7 She Says (02:48) 8 No Peace for the Wicked (02:30) 9 The Beast (05:13) 10 No Solution (02:33) 11 In Betweens (03:35) 12 Programme (02:00) |