The Wasps Part 2

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Suits? Jesse explains the pinstripe suits..."...the make or break second which captures the audiences attention and could be the vital second the band needs. From then on the people will accept the music rather than the image."

When they finally emerged again in March '78 power pop had reared its head and punk was now new wave and more commercially viable which  suited the Wasps Style and sound. The Wasps kicked off with their first John Peel radio session, a major record deal was in the offing and the band was talking in terms of when they 'would make it'.

They now had management, a PR man in the shape of, Snivelling Shit and ex Sounds journalist,  Giovanni Dadomo and "important people interested in them - you only have to look at the three piece suits, the brand new stacks and guitars to realise someone has invested a great deal of money in, what they hope, will be a successful group." Sounds 25.3.78

According to Jesse the suits were a joke and lasted three gigs which may seem a strange move to make. Even stranger Jesse went to America to try to secure a US deal for The Wasps. This didn't work out and he returned. Even stranger Jesse didn't even know about their feature in Sounds on the band. It was done by their management!  See Cuttings  

Live at the Bridgehouse London ...2nd gig!

So armed with all this PR and backing what happened? Next up a major deal and single with RCA, home to such punk greats as as Cherry Vanilla. And then bam! it was all gone! The next real activity for the band was acrimonious.  Dissatisfied with the direction of the band and management squabbles everyone bar Jesse left in a cloud of writs (Jesse had one management, the rest another) .

The original band recorded Rubber Cars in February 1979. Steve says it was destined for No1 but was pulled. A new band was put together and yet another new image. Tiam tells that the new band featured on the single as overdubs to enable their names to feature on the record. . The single Rubber Cars was weak, flopped and that was it. Even a second John Peel session in the same month did nothing for them. RCA seemingly just deserted them and washed their hands. The Wasps had played all their trump cards and lost. The band broke up with Jesse saying they weren't as good as the mark one version of the band.

Well nearly.  An attempt to reform The Wasps Mk1 failed and Jesse then formed the The One with all the same musicians as the Mark 2 line up before breaking up again via penning a potential song for the Eurovision Song Contest!!