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Named after the Stooges song of the same name the band were formed in
late 76
in Ferryhill County Durham by three friends Pauline Murray, Robert Blamire
and Gary Smallman after seeing the Sex
Pistols play in Manchester. They played their first gig in October 76 at the
Middlesborough Rock Garden and played their first London gig at the
famous Roxy Club in January 77 supporting Gen X. This first gig in the bright lights of
London was less than fondly recalled by Pauline "We spent a fortune getting
down there. We thought it was great. Then when we got there it was such a dump.
I don't know what we were expecting but it wasn't quite that ."
While singles were coming out a plenty by other acts Penetration, like X
Ray Spex and The Rezillos (Siouxsie would have to wait a further year !)
had to wait till later in the year to get a recording contract (strangely all women lead bands ! ?). The excellent 'Don't
Dictate' was
released late '77 then 'Firing
Squad', early
'78, before
original member Gary Chaplin jumped ship. Neal Floyd joined and then
a second guitarist Fred Purser was added who was more metallic minded with
guitar noodling (later joining The Tygers Of Pan Tang). The
debut 'Moving
Targets' was
released in late '78. Heavy touring in 1979 and another album 'Coming
Up For Air',
but no real commercial success found Penetration in internal
disharmony.
The album appeared after the band had decided to split. The
end came at a Newcastle City Hall which was recorded and
issued on the posthumous bootleg 'Race
Against Time'.
Amazingly Penetration have reformed this year (2002) and are playing gigs.
"I
never wanted to be in Penetration and to be worrying all the time. I
wanted it to be fun, not to be always thinking of hit singles and
cracking America and writing for the next LP." Pauline Murray NME
October 1979 |
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