Chelsea + special guests Red London & Hi-Fi Spitfires
Sat, 10 Jul 2027 · 19:30 · The Cluny, Newcastle Upon Tyne
It was in August 1976 that Gene October placed an advert in Melody Maker which led to replies from guitarist William Broad, bassist Tony James and drummer John Towe. On October 18th they made their live debut as Chelsea supporting Throbbing Gristle at London's ICA. It was at this time that Gene convinced the manager of gay London nightclub in Covent Garden called Shageramas, to convert the club into London's first live punk rock venue called The Roxy - a fact for which he is given little credit. The band split in November 1976 where Gene briefly recruited guitarist Marty Stacey & bassist Bob Jessie. The other three former members formed Generation X. When Gene was asked about his former band colleagues he said "Generation X? Oh yeah they used to be in Chelsea." In early 1977 Jessie and Stacey left and Gene put together a new line up consisting of guitarist James Stevenson, bassist Henry Daze and drummer Carey Fortune. This line up was slightly more permanent and soon the band's first single, the punk classic Right To Work, was released. However, not long after the release of the second single High Rise Living, Chelsea played their "farewell" gig on October 6th 1977 at The Roxy. Gene appeared in Henry Rollins tour memoir book and spoken word CD; Get In The Van. In the book, Rollins encountered October twice, the first time on an early Black Flag tour of the UK, when October kept kicking Rollins to wake him up. The second encounter occurred during a later Black Flag tour. Gene appeared in two films by Derek Jarman; 'Jubilee', in which he played the character 'Happy Days' and in 'Caravaggio' he appeared as a fruit-eating model. Gene can also be seen in a blue suit at the rugby match scene in the horror film The Omen. Gene appeared on the T.V series Minder and is also the scroll reading monk in the Black Sabbath video for 'Headless Cross'. As we all know "farewell" gigs are not to be taken seriously and in December Chelsea reformed a…