features in: Album Chart of 1978 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1970s ● 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die  |
I keep reading stories about how these misfits couldn’t play to save themselves – a tale backed-up by themselves on their self-deprecating debut 45 “One Chord Wonders” – but all the evidence from their John Leckie-produced debut album suggests they must have been extremely quick learners, with no little talent. At the time of release in February ’78 the London-based quartet were: T.V. Smith (21, vocals); Gaye Advert (21, bass guitar, vocals); Howard Pickup (guitar, vocals) and Laurie Driver (drums). They were characterized by Tim Smith, the literate and energetic frontman, and Gaye Advert, his striking bass-playing girlfriend with big panda eyes. They had really made a good name for themselves by now, with 2 well-received Peel sessions and a few decent 45s, including the Top 20 hit, “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes”. Three of those ’77 sides – “One Chord Wonders”, “Bored Teenagers” and “Safety In Numbers” – make it onto the debut LP, along with their latest Top 40 hit, “No Time To Be 21”. All of these give the set a solid base to work from but, if truth be told, there is no filler; there’s plenty more where that lot came from, most notably with “On The Roof”, “On Wheels” and “Great British Mistake”. This is smart Punk for tasteful music fans.
The Jukebox Rebel
08–Mar–2016
| Tracklist |
| A1 | [02:49]  The Adverts - One Chord Wonders (Timothy Smith) Punk |
| A2 | [01:44]  The Adverts - Bored Teenagers (Timothy Smith) Punk |
| A3 | [02:26]  The Adverts - New Church (Timothy Smith) Punk |
| A4 | [03:01]  The Adverts - On The Roof (Timothy Smith) Punk |
| A5 | [03:13]  The Adverts - New Boys (Timothy Smith) Punk |
| A6 | [03:45]  The Adverts - Bombsite Boy (Timothy Smith) Punk |
| B1 | [02:36]  The Adverts - No Time To Be 21 (Timothy Smith) Punk |
| B2 | [03:15]  The Adverts - Safety In Numbers (Timothy Smith) Punk |
| B3 | [02:18] The Adverts - Drowning Men (Timothy Smith) Punk |
| B4 | [03:17]  The Adverts - On Wheels (Timothy Smith) Post-Punk |
| B5 | [03:47]  The Adverts - Great British Mistake (Timothy Smith) Punk |
