Street punk survivors 1982 album expanded and reissued
Cock Sparrer were formed in 1972, 5 years before the magical class of 77. Malcolm McLaren even considered managing them alongside the Sex Pistols in 1976. Their blend of punked up pub/glam rock never really made a dent in the burgeoning art-school led punk scene, but you can hear their influence in bands like Toy Dolls and Peter & The Test Tube Babies. Technically they were head and shoulders above most of their peers of the time and it’s that fact which still makes them popular today, the music has actually aged quite well. The closing track on the original album, Out On An Island is timeless, and with it’s Celtic rock sensibilities, it jars against the rest of the album as it fades to nothing,
Decca Records saw Sparrer as their ticket to cashing in on the booming punk scene but dropped them after only two singles, one of which was a Rolling Stones cover, which probably tells you all you need to know about how they positioned themselves in 1977. Covers were a staple part of padding out punk bands sets, with old songs by The Who, The Beatles and Small Faces, being reworked live and often B-sides or albums tracks. Releasing a cover by someone as “establishment” as the Stones seemed like commercial suicide at the time and Decca cut their losses soon after.
Despite having already recorded an albums worth of material, Sparrer called it a day in 1978 and this material didn’t get an official UK release until 1987, having previously only been available in Spain and was rebadged as True Grit (Razor Records).
They reformed in 1982, after interest in the band was rekindled by the inclusion of some of their songs on various Oi! Compilations. A band truly ahead of their time, spawning a genre that didn’t come until they’d split up!!
Shock Troops was released the same year and the band managed one more, 1984’s Running Riot in ’84, with it’s football terrace cover showing Police ejecting trouble makers, before calling it a day once more.
Sparrer were never about party politics, dismissing both Left and Right alike. In fact if you showed most people the words to Watch Your Back, they’d probably think it was a anarchistic Crass lyric. No, they were always more about the working class and its traditions, which at times has meant they’ve been a bit misunderstood. Their 3rd Single England Belongs To Me, released in late 1982, just 5 months after the end of the Falklands War, was picked up by a lot of Nationalists at the time. Probably didn’t help that the flipside was a track called Argy Bargy, which despite it’s title, has absolutely nothing to do with the conflict in the South Atlantic. Both songs are included here as bonus tracks, along with a rendition of Colonel Bogey, the WWII anthem much loved by Allied Troops fighting the Nazis.
Shock Troops is an important part of the history of street punk/oi music and tracks it’s roots and influences nicely. From Slade to Mungo Jerry, Eddie & The Hot Rods to Sham 69, the ingredients are all there to see.
The band reformed in 1992 and have released a further 5 albums, with their most recent, 2024’s release on Cherry Red Records, Hand On Heart actually puncturing the UK album chart for the first time in their history, albeit peaking at #94!
Shock Troops: Expanded Version is released today 11th Oct by Cherry Red Records and can be ordered here. This is a CD only release and comes with a great booklet, with lyrics, press cuttings and soundbites from members of the band.
Cock Sparrer continue to gig, 32 years on after reforming and have performed at the last two Rebellion Punk Festivals at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.
Trivia Fact: Vocalist Colin McFaull’s son Tom, is lead singer with Brighton based punks Bar Stool Preachers.
| TRACK LISTING 1. Where Are They Now? 2. Riot Squad 3. Working 4. Take ‘Em All 5. We’re Coming Back 6. Watch Your Back 7. I Got Your Number 8. Secret Army 9. Droogs Don’t Run 10. Out On An Island BONUS TRACKS 11. England Belongs To Me 12. Argy Bargy 13. Colonel Bogey |
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