The Only Ones were (and remain) the epitome of the so-called "cult" band. Underground luminaries, beloved by critics and rock connoisseurs, the band nevertheless failed to achieve widespread commercial success in their all too brief initial existence . . . And yet their influence resounds to this day.

Formed by Peter Perrett in 1976 from the ashes of his former group England's Glory, the Only Ones (Perrett on guitar and vocals flanked by John Perry [lead guitar], Alan Mair [bass], and Mike Kellie [drums]) took the London punk scene by storm with their self- released debut single "Lovers of Today" (which moved 20,000 copies in its initial run).  Their eponymous debut album followed in 1978, containing the timeless anthem "Another Girl, Another Planet". Arguably the most perfect three minutes of pop music ever committed to tape, "Planet" nevertheless failed to escalate into the stratosphere of the charts. (CBS re-released the single several times in subsequent years with the same inexplicable result).

1979 saw the release of Even Serpents Shine. Considered by many to be the band's finest in-studio moment, Serpents (produced by Mair and Perrett) is the bands darkest, most decadent hour. However in lieu of once and future concert staples such as "No Solution", "Miles from Nowhere" or "From Here to Eternity", the band (under some duress) released the catchy, but insubstantial "You've Got to Pay" as the first single. Though critically lauded, the album, like its predecessor, failed to deliver on the pop charts.
In an effort to boost sales, the band's label, CBS, forced producer Colin Thurston (Duran Duran) upon the band for their next effort Baby's Got a Gun. Though Baby's contains a couple of Perrett's best compositions ("The Big Sleep", "Oh Lucinda") and an excellent vocal and songwriting turn from Alan Mair ("My Way Out of Here"), the record on the whole, nevertheless lacked ecohesion and again failed to produce a veritable "hit".

In the wake of an infamous U.S. tour in 1980 (including dates opening for The Who), the Only Ones disbanded after a triumphant concert at the Lyceum on March 8th, 1981. 

Fast forward over a quarter century to 2007 and the Only Ones have (to the surprise of all involved) returned to vindicate the legend that has grown around them in the intervening years. The blistering live shows and radio sessions found here serve as testimony to the band's undiminished prowess. 2008 finds the band honing tunes for a new record. 2009 will bring re-issued (and remastered!) versions of their original catalogue. The band's future remains captivatingly unwritten. Stay tuned and read about it here.

A Crash Course in The Only Ones Live: 1978-2007