The Rejects

The Rejects were formed at Goldsmith’s College in South London in 1976 when Bruno Wizard recruited a young songwriter named Ian Kane to help express his disquiet with the modern world and disappointment with his heroes of the Sixties “revolution maaan!”

The Rejects did their first gig at The Roxy Club in January 1977 supporting The Damned and The Vibrators. In the following five months, The Rejects played with Wire, Generation X (with a very young Billy Idol), The Jam, Eater, 99 9, and Sham 69 on multiple occasions.

In the summer of 1977 Wizard recruited Jim Welton on bass for a new lineup of The Rejects. Included in this new lineup were David Dus, the drummer for Wayne County (later to become Jayne) during their 1977 tour of the UK, and occasional itinerant guitarists. Bruno set up auditions to find a permanent guitarist, and after a series of metaphysical mishaps, Anton Hayman was recruited.

Bruno Wizard needed a new name for this next stage of his creative outpourings. The name ‘The Rejects’ was too deeply embedded in what Wizard regarded as “the new conformity of Punk.” Homo equals men of the same sex/rock equals sexual/men of the same idea in ancient Greece discussing art, music, literature, astronomy, science equals The Homosexuals. David Dus, sensational drummer that he was, could not hack being in a band called The Homosexuals and duly left.

It’s fair to say The Rejects got a reaction though not necessarily good!

‘What’s the use of dreaming when you’re living in a shit filled sewer?’ is the question that the lead singer of the Rejects poses in a voice that sounds like a braying donkey that has just been run over by a truck load of Librium. Behind him his band twang artlessly on their cheapo imitation Les Pauls in desperate attempts to slice the atmosphere with power chords while only succeeding in demonstrating how hopelessly out of tune, out of talent and out of depth they are up there in front of a packed house who stare blankly at this God-forsaken crew of schmucks… Tony Parsons, NME, February 2, 1977

That was music journalists. Below is courtesy of Adrian Fox aka Randy Bollocker/Arcane Vendetta, editor of London’s “These Things” fanzine and The Rejects nemesis!

Monday January 31^st 1977 – Damned & Rejects (Roxy)

Got to The Roxy early tonight (about 9 or half 8pm) – I did wear my jean jacket! I’ve done it up with chains hanging from the left shoulder, and have written ‘Gen X’ in safety pins on the right side of the upper-sleeve – my hair looks great – all black and bushy – Christ, I’m in love with me! (ain’t my fucking fault – why not?). When The Rejects were on, Punks threw cans and plastic cups at their lead singer (a blonde bastard with LONG HAIR!) – I know one of mine landed on the drummer’s drum kit… The rejects tried playing, but kept on stopping, threatening us because we were buzzing stuff at ‘em – miserable bastards! I yelled out, at the end of their set “They’re dropping like flies, in ‘ere!” – everybody laughed, cos we fucking WERE!

Sunday 13^th February, 1977 – Eater + Chelsea + Johnny Thunder gig

Eater played brilliant, Chelsea were ace and Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers were fucking 1^st class! Photographers were taking photos of sundry Punks – one woman photog (who was French) took a photo of me just before Chelsea came on, me wearing my white sta-prest, black winkle pickers, and the shirt I saw ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ in at Barking Odeon, back in December. It’s a white shirt splattered with red paint, ripped in places, bearing the felt-tip words ‘I Love to Reject the Rejects (By Their Anti-Fan)’ on the back – The Rejects are the worst band on the Scene – really terrible!

Their lead singer, Bruno, cornered me in the lady’s bogs, a few nights ago – Him: “Was it you who threw a paper cup and lager can at me, the other night?” – Me: “No, not me, I think you play like shit, but I didn’t throw anything at you, honest!” – He stared at me as if he wanted to kill me, or stuff my head down the bog, or something – Blimey, I was nearly shitting myself! We parted on good terms, though (probably cos I’m only 16!) – Bruno reckons that, because The Rejects get such a lot of stick from people, that they’ve now got a Judo Black Belt protecting the band – Shit – A private Judo Black belt protector! – Oh yeah, the French photographer took quite a few pictures of me pogoing – I ripped my white sta-prest all the way down the left side when Thunders was on – Soon patched up the split with safety pins from the collar of my green two-tone jacket – raised a laugh from everybody down the front, though! Jesus Christ, I was cold going home – Still, I didn’t freeze to death…

Tuesday March 22nd, 1977 – The Jam and The Rejects: Roxy Club

The Rejects were true to form – really shitty!” there was at least a SIX YARD GAP between the band and audience – is it any fucking wonder? They’ll NEVER improve! (funnily enough, ‘Uniform’ sounded alright, tonight…)

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