ANGELIC UPSTARTS – THE MURDER OF LIDDLE TOWERS 7″ – Nr MINT/EXC+ UK PUNK

Angelic Upstarts – The Murder Of Liddle Towers
(Small Wonder/Rough Trade Records  1978  RTSW001)
UK Pressing

Vinyl in Nr MINT/Excellent+ condition
– some light pops/crackles at the start – vinyl has a very slight warp but it doesn’t affect play

Sleeve in Excellent condition
– some light creasing on corners but no splits

Angelic Upstarts are an English punk rock/Oi! band formed in South Shields in 1977. The band espoused an anti-fascist and socialist working class philosophy, and have been associated with the skinhead subculture. 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 Wright, Evo (who has also played in The Blood, Major Accident and Warfare.).

Wade  rejoined the band for a few years before leaving again. Brian Hayes (also of Blaggers ITA, Long Tall Shorty) originally joined the band as the second guitarist until Mond left, leaving Hayes as the only guitarist. Mensi was the only original member still in the band.

In August 2006, Mensi announced he was resigning, but requested that the band continue with Chris Wright (of the band Crashed Out ) on vocals. The band’s lineup became Wright on vocals, Dickie Hammond on guitar, Neil “Newts” Newton on guitar, Gaz “Geordie” Stoker on bass and Wade on drums. In the latter part of 2007, Mensi rejoined the band and the lineup became Mensi on vocals, Gaz “Geordie” Stoker on bass, Hammond on guitar, Newts on guitar and Brett Mulvaney (and later Jonnie Halling) on drums.

The current lineup from 2020 is Mensi on vocals, Mick Robson on guitar, John Woodward on bass and Andy Wilkinson on drums.