R is for....
The Rezillos are a punk/new wave band formed in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1976. Although emerging at the same time as other bands in the punk rock movement, The Rezillos did not share the nihilism or social commentary of their contemporaries, but instead took a more light-hearted approach to their songs, preferring to describe themselves at the time as "a New Wave beat group". Their songs are heavily influenced by 1950s rock and roll, 1960s English beat music and garage rock, early 1970s glam rock, and recurring lyrical themes of science fiction and B movies, influences that mirrored those of US bands The Cramps and the B-52s who were starting out at the same time. The Rezillos' biggest hit in their home country was the UK Top 20 single "Top of the Pops" in 1978, but they are best known outside the UK for their cover version of "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight", which featured on the soundtrack to Jackass: The Movie in 2002. Since The Rezillos recorded it, the song has been covered by other punk bands, including Youth Brigade and Murphy's Law.
Released in July 1978, The Rezillos' debut studio album Can't Stand the Rezillos is now considered a classic album of the first wave of British punk, but the group split up four months after its release, following internal arguments about their future direction. After The Rezillos split the band's guitarist and principal songwriter Jo Callis briefly joined a couple of unsuccessful Edinburgh post-punk groups, before being invited to join The Human League. He went on to co-write some of The Human League's best known songs during their most successful period, including their biggest worldwide hit, "Don't You Want Me". The Rezillos' vocalists Eugene Reynolds and Fay Fife formed The Revillos, a group with an ever-changing line-up that continued where The Rezillos left off. The Revillos split up in 1985, briefly reforming in 1994 for a tour of Japan, and again in 1996 for a UK tour. In 2001 The Rezillos reformed after being invited to play at Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations, and have continued to play live ever since, as well as releasing new singles occasionally and in March 2015 they released a brand spanking new album Zero!
Released in July 1978, The Rezillos' debut studio album Can't Stand the Rezillos is now considered a classic album of the first wave of British punk, but the group split up four months after its release, following internal arguments about their future direction. After The Rezillos split the band's guitarist and principal songwriter Jo Callis briefly joined a couple of unsuccessful Edinburgh post-punk groups, before being invited to join The Human League. He went on to co-write some of The Human League's best known songs during their most successful period, including their biggest worldwide hit, "Don't You Want Me". The Rezillos' vocalists Eugene Reynolds and Fay Fife formed The Revillos, a group with an ever-changing line-up that continued where The Rezillos left off. The Revillos split up in 1985, briefly reforming in 1994 for a tour of Japan, and again in 1996 for a UK tour. In 2001 The Rezillos reformed after being invited to play at Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations, and have continued to play live ever since, as well as releasing new singles occasionally and in March 2015 they released a brand spanking new album Zero!
Click on the links to enjoy the sound of The Rezillos.
Contains the Debut Album Can't Stand The Rezillos (1978) and the Live Album Mission Accomplished...But The Beat Goes On (1979).
(2015 Metropolis Records)
The Singles and B-Sides
Can't Stand My Baby / I Wanna Be Your Man (Sensible Records 1977)
(My Baby Does) Good Sculptures / Flying Saucer Attack (Sire 1977)
Top of the Pops / 20,000 Rezillos Under the Sea (Sire 1978)
Destination Venus / Mystery Action (Sire 1978)
Cold Wars (Live) / Flying Saucer Attack / Twist and Shout (Sire 1979)
No.1 Boy (2009)
Out of this World / Rosalyn (2011)
Top of the Pops (Live) / Yesterday's Tormentor (Live) (2012)
The Rezillos in 2015
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