Angelic Upstars is an English group formed in 1977 in South Shields and originally composed of Thomas Mensforth, Ray Cowie, Steve Forsten and Derek Wade. Group considered to date as one of the most virulent groups in terms of anti-fascism and class struggle.
They released a first Single "The murder of Liddle towers" in 1978, a Single which did not go unnoticed, far from it, and which allowed them to sign with the Warner Bros Record label the following year in 1979.
A label with which they produce their first album "Teenage warning", album from which will be extracted their first classified title namely "I'am an upstar". Shortly followed by the Single "Teenage warning" which will go even stronger in the Charts.
A year 1979 which also sees them making the front page of the tabloids with their remarkable performance in Acklington prison, a prison located in the north of England.
New album "We gotta get out of this place" a year later in 1980, an album which confirms the public's enthusiasm for the group, in particular through the 2 Singles "Out of control" and "We gotta get out of this place ".
New change of label during the year 1981 and passage at Zonophone, subsidiary of EMI. Label which allows them to release their new album "2,000,000 voices" in 1981. New album and new success, success largely due to the titles "Last night another soldier" and "Kids on the street".
The year 1982 saw the group reorient its sound with the addition of new-wave and dub sounds. New sounds that can be found in the album "Still from the heart", an album which, unlike its predecessors, will not be able to produce any hits worthy of the name.
Paradoxically, this is the next album “Reason why ?" which was released a year later in 1983 and without the help of a label, which will remain as the group's most successful album. At least at the level of the critics because his flagship Single "Woman in disguise" will not manage to break into the Charts...
Like the other albums and Singles that will be released later...
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others…):
I’m an upstart 1979
Teenage warning 1979
Never ‘ad nothing 1979
Out of control 1980
We gotta get out of this place 1980
Last night another soldier 1980
England 1981
Kids on the street 1981
Woman in disguise 1982
Solidarity 1983
Not just a name 1983
Progress 1984
Now news 1984
Nowhere to run 1984
I stand accused 1986
Empty street 1986
Here I come 1986
Pride of our passion 1987
Everyday 1987
Four grey walls 1987
Victim of deceit 1992
A real rain 1992
Safe heaven 2002
Chuck Taylor, ACe of hearts 2002
Reptile rule 2015
Clips :
1979 ... from the first title we are warned this group will be in overspeed and aggressive. On the other hand, the opposite would have been surprising...
1979...a style and a sound not very compatible with the general public but that will not prevent the group from classifying this title there and making it the biggest success of all their discography. Like what !
1979...a first year of career which will remain as the best Vintage of the group. It must be said that the musical field for the less protest that they have chosen will not survive the decade 80...
1980... the transition to the new decade will see them succeed in staying in the race but not sure that it will last like that for long...
1980... anyway what is taken is no longer to be taken as they say. Each new title classified is necessarily a good surprise concerning them...
1980...the group does not ask questions and continues to unroll as he sees fit. And so far history proves him right...
1981...who could have imagined that they manage to do things with finesse and lightness. Not really their core target and yet they're going to do pretty well on this one...
1981...we suspected that this sweet parenthesis would not last. Chase the natural it comes back at a gallop and the opposite would have been frankly surprising...
1982...the year of the big dropout. After 3 years of the most favorable for the group, it is this year 1982 which will mark the breaking point on the Charts side...
1983...and paradoxically it was by wanting to calm things down in terms of sound and style that the group went down in the Charts. A reversal of the situation, to say the least, inexplicable...
1983... suddenly they go back into overspeed just to see if success can return. It starts from a good feeling but the era is no longer really at overspeed unfortunately...
1983...even if the success is in freefall, this does not prevent the group from continuing the adventure. Whether there is success or not, the main thing for them now is to simply take pleasure in what they do...
1984...they have no intention of denying their fundamentals and radically changing their style to stick to the dictates of the star system. A way of seeing which is as much their strength as their weakness...
1984... there is necessarily a price to pay when you decide not to stay on track like everyone else. A price they are willing to pay...
1986... as long as there is a minimum of basic fans left to follow them there is no reason for them to throw in the towel prematurely, it is clear...
1986...a career they lead as they see fit and certainly not as we would like them to lead it. A bias that they have claimed loud and clear since their beginnings...
1986... now it remains to be seen whether they will succeed in going the distance in these conditions. Because you still have to finance the release of the albums and the money does not fall from the sky...
1987...at least for the moment money is not a problem concerning them at first sight. The opuses follow one another at a speed that is not insignificant to say the least...
1987...the style will have evolved little since their beginning despite some attempts to adapt to the standards of the moment. Rightly or wrongly, that's something else...
1987... what is certain is that they will not have accepted any denial of their fundamentals in exchange for a hint of recognition from the general public...
1992...they will even try to move on to the next decade. A desire to believe in it always and again which commands respect incontestably...
1992... with each title, you tell yourself that it may be the last and each time they come back. Admittedly through the window and not through the front door, but still...
2002...this time we will still lose sight of them for almost 10 years. But here they are again...
2002... in an ocean of supercharged titles, they still happen from time to time to drastically slow down the tempo. We take, we take !
2015 ... we end as we started, that is to say, thoroughly, thoroughly, thoroughly ! We never imagined for a second that it could be otherwise...
Wiki :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :