Jimmy Pursey: Solo artist

I'm not a fan of Sham 69 - I only know the widely comp'ed singles, which are stoopid fun. But I discovered a Jimmy Pursey / Peter Gabriel single called "Animals Have More Fun", an odd post-punk nugget that made me curious about Jimmy's solo work. And apparently it's a big secret as only Scott Seward has ever even mentioned these albums on ILM! I downloaded the first three and their attendant singles. The titles sound like he played a game of scrabble and used the best words:

"Imagination Camouflage" - this one is about half experimental and half a follow-on from Sham but adding different instruments like horns and piano. A solid and consistent album.

"Alien Orphan" - song structure starts to go out the window, with almost no verse-chorus-verse, the occasional instrumental freakout but it doesn't quite stick in the mind. It's an interesting trip.

"Revenge Is Not The Password" - odder still, with spoken word bits, samples and found sounds. It's a short (25 minutes) so you're in and out.

Overall it's a fascinating listen to move through these three albums. I have to give Jimmy credit as he was clearly TRYING to create something far more than the terrace chants of Sham. I'm guessing he was influenced by what The Stranglers were doing around this time. There's even a track where he speeds up his voice a-la "The Meninblack".

Anyone have further context or back story? Or even heard 'em?

That definitely sounds unexpected.

I do think he was trying to upset and get rid of his punklunk fan base, and keep his more, um, considered fans. He did a performance as part of a 'modern dance group' on BBC around this time.

Mass of contradictions, was Jim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR-W-uGcMRA

Reinforces your Stranglers theory Gerald

I'm not a Sham 69 fan either, and I haven't heard any of these records but suddenly I really, really want to!

Here's the single that grabbed my attention. I've found good needle drops of the 3 albums, ILXMail me if you'd like a copy. None of them have ever been issued on CD (though the third one was radically remixed/rerecorded and put out on disc). I'm still trying to decide if I actually enjoy them or if it's more of a fascinating peek at a fertile post-punk side trip that went nowhere fast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkDS_nreWXE

they are really cool records and impossible to sell.

and if you like them, definitely check out:

angelic upstarts - still from the heart

blitz - second empire justice

anti-nowhere league - the perfect crime

(i would also recommend the Blitz album The Killing Dream but it's a hard sell. I like it a lot. But it's not for everyone. as far as oi! heroes gone weird go.)

(it goes without saying that Flux's Uncarved Block would be on top of the mountain as far as the punx go post-rock genre goes...and way better than Crass's Ten Notes on a Summer's Day obviously which came out the same year...)

also, i don't think of sham 69 as stoopid either. fun though. they were great. sham/rejects/upstarts all had brains and ideas and their albums are not monolithic 2 chord things. they were all pretty ambitious.

If I remember correctly, Sham's second album was a concept album with spoken word dialogue between the tracks. That's Life, I think.

Yep, it got played in full on two successive John Peel shows.

(One side each night)

Adapt from "Take no prisoners Lou"

'So I'm writing for a theatre performance, here the two characters are about to go to the pub. What song would fit here?'

(Staff: insert the video for Hurry up harry here, it on YouTube prob)

Scott! Thanks for your recommendations. I checked them all out:

Blitz - Second Empire Justice: I can hear the Joy Division influence but also The Sound as well. Great bass sound. Not bad, a few duds but I like this one overall even if it's far from original.

Blitz - The Killing Dream: Not all that weird, more like punk-gone-goth. Sub-Sisters Of Mercy, but side two is a bunch of short guitar pieces interspersed among a handful of songs.

Anti-Nowhere League - The Perfect Crime: Wow, this is surprising given that I only know their widely comp'ed singles. Inappropriate synth hits abound with a style that brings to mind mainstream 80s radio. A children's choir, no less! Poor vocals don't help either, this one is really not good, though closer "The Curtain" is probably the best thing here.

Angelic Upstarts - Still From The Heart: I like the lyrical message, at times sounds more like later Clash with synth embellishments. The unnecessary sax bugs me, some rough vocals, not weird just trying out some new styles.

Flux - Uncarved Block: Now this is what I'm talking about! Weird yet accessible, wonderfully tribal drumming, tons of interesting ideas and sounds. This is a winner.

Also I forgot to mention my all-time favorite ex-punk-goes-weird album is Alternative TV's "Vibing Up The Senile Man". That one gets better every time I listen. Some stuff from Jimmy Pursey's albums share a similar feeling.

yeah, uncarved block is one of a kind. i feel like i always have to mention that anti-nowhere league album in a "what, you've never heard the synth-pop album with children's choir that they made?" kinda way. more like they saw that stiv and the new church and the damned were making actual money doing the gothwave thing.

Vibing Up The Senile Man is a classic in the "attempts of bands to alienate their audience" genre!